Olay vs SkinCeuticals — side by side, no bias.
Our pick
Phloretin CF
9/10 · SkinCeuticals
| Super Serum 5-in-1 | Phloretin CF | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Olay | SkinCeuticals |
| Category | serum | serum |
| Editor Rating | 8.4/10 | 9/10 ★ |
| Category | serum | serum |
| Texture | Lightweight, milky serum | Lightweight watery serum |
| Finish | Smooth, treated | Quick-absorb |
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| Verdict | Olay's Super Serum combines five powerhouse actives — niacinamide, vitamin C, retinol, hyaluronic acid, and Matrixyl peptide — in one $28 formula. P&G's massive R&D budget means these actives are stabilised together in ways smaller brands can't afford to engineer. The serum that made the skincare community ask: can a drugstore brand really deliver all five actives at effective concentrations? The answer, based on clinical trials Olay published, appears to be yes. | The CE Ferulic for combination/oily skin. Phloretin CF replaces tocopherol with phloretin (an apple-derived antioxidant), keeping the 10% L-ascorbic acid + 0.5% ferulic acid backbone but with a lighter, less oil-leaning texture. Better for oily, combination, and acne-prone skin where CE Ferulic feels heavy. Same antioxidant network in the basket — vitamin C primary, phloretin secondary, ferulic stabilising — and the same 4 a.m. orange-mid-tone shift that signals oxidation when it's gone too far. Not cheaper than CE Ferulic but worth it if your skin pushes back against the original. |
