Verified Beauty Data

Dupe report Nº 002 / Vitamin C · Phloretin · Ferulic serums

SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF dupes, ranked by formula match

Phloretin barely exists in affordable skincare. Here is what does.

Some links earn us a commission. It never changes the verdict — the methodology is public.

02 / The scoreboard

Seven formulas, three numbers that matter

Read the actives column first — it is the apples-to-apples comparison. $ per gram of active is what the working ingredients cost you; the base-formula score is supporting evidence, not the verdict.

Product Actives vs original $ / g of active Price Base formula Verdict
SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF Disclosed by brand $50.04 $185.00 30 mL 100% the reference The original
Partial overlap missing actives — different formula wearing the keywords
Geek & Gorgeous C-Glow Disclosed by brand $3.20 $14.90 30 mL 28% Best available Amazon →
Timeless Skin Care 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum Disclosed by brand $4.73 $27.95 30 mL 14% Skip price on Amazon
FARMACY 10% Waterless Vitamin C Serum From retailer listing $17.58 $52.00 30 mL 12% Skip price on Amazon
Cosmetic Skin Solutions Phloretin Serum Advanced Formula Disclosed by brand $13.02 $38.50 30 mL 11% highest measured The winner
Maelove Glow Maker Vitamin C Serum Disclosed by brand $7.43 $32.95 30 mL 11% Skip price on Amazon
Reviv-C 36% Vitamin C Serum with Phloretin & Ferulic Acid Disclosed by brand $66.78 $79.00 59 mL 9% Skip

✓ same % as original ≠ different % ? in formula, % undisclosed — not in formula

03 / The original

Why the original is the original

The formula is three numbers: 10% L-ascorbic acid, 2% phloretin, 0.5% ferulic acid. Like C E Ferulic, it uses the same low-pH water chemistry that lets L-ascorbic acid penetrate skin — but the second active is entirely different.

Phloretin is a polyphenol flavonoid derived from apple bark. At 2%, it functions as a tyrosinase inhibitor — blocking a key enzyme in the melanin synthesis pathway — making Phloretin CF specifically targeted at hyperpigmentation, uneven tone, and oily/combination skin. Vitamin E is absent; this is a different clinical intent than C E Ferulic.

That specificity is exactly why no affordable dupe exists: phloretin barely appears in mass-market skincare at all. The patent on the stabilized combination has expired, but the raw material cost and formulation complexity keep true phloretin serums in the premium tier. The candidates below show what actually exists, with honest scores that reflect the real supply gap.

04 / The candidates

Every candidate, examined

01 / Geek & Gorgeous

Best available
Geek & Gorgeous C-Glow bottle
$3.20 per g of active
$14.90 retail · 30 mL
28% base formula · highest of 6

Geek & Gorgeous C-Glow

Shared formula DNA 4 of 8 original ingredients present
Aqua dipropylene glycol alcohol denat. ascorbic acid butylene glycol triethyl citrate phloretin ferulic acid

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
Discloses 15% L-ascorbic acid and 0.5% ferulic acid — the same vitamin C and ferulic acid concentrations as the original. 4 of the original's 8 base ingredients shared.
What differs
Phloretin is absent. G&G C-Glow is a vitamin C + ferulic serum on a Dimethyl Isosorbide base — it has no tyrosinase-inhibiting activity. The match score reflects shared vitamin C / ferulic chemistry, not the defining active.
Who it's for
The best option if you can't source real phloretin: strong vitamin C + ferulic acid, at $3.20 per active gram, stocked on Amazon. Be clear-eyed: this is not a Phloretin CF dupe — it is a solid vitamin C serum you can actually buy today.
Ships in
Packaging not verified No brand or retailer statement on the bottle — we won’t guess.
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
Disclosed by brand Percentages published by Geek & Gorgeous on their product page.

$14.90 for 30 mL → $3.20 per gram of active — 15.6× cheaper per active gram than the original's $50.04.

Buy on Amazon $14.90

02 / Timeless Skin Care

Skip
Timeless Skin Care 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum bottle
$4.73 per g of active
$27.95 retail · 30 mL
14% base formula · 2nd of 6

Timeless Skin Care 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum

Shared formula DNA 2 of 8 original ingredients present
Aqua dipropylene glycol alcohol denat. ascorbic acid butylene glycol triethyl citrate phloretin ferulic acid

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
20% L-ascorbic acid (higher than the original's 10%) plus ferulic acid in the Ethoxydiglycol carrier. 2 of the original's 8 ingredients shared.
What differs
Phloretin is absent — no tyrosinase inhibition. It is a straight vitamin C + E + ferulic serum. Score reflects vitamin C + ferulic overlap only. At 20% it is stronger than the original's 10% on vitamin C, but that is not the active that makes Phloretin CF distinctive.
Who it's for
Skip as a Phloretin CF dupe. It is a fine (and potent) vitamin C serum in its own right — but if you are looking for phloretin's pigment-targeting activity, it does not deliver that.
Ships in
Packaging not verified No brand or retailer statement on the bottle — we won’t guess.
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
Disclosed by brand Percentages published by Timeless Skin Care on their product page.

$27.95 for 30 mL → $4.73 per gram of active — 10.6× cheaper per active gram than the original's $50.04.

price on Amazon ($35.95) — not recommended as a dupe

03 / FARMACY

Skip
FARMACY 10% Waterless Vitamin C Serum bottle
$17.58 per g of active
$52.00 retail · 30 mL
12% base formula · 3rd of 6

FARMACY 10% Waterless Vitamin C Serum

Shared formula DNA 2 of 8 original ingredients present
Aqua dipropylene glycol alcohol denat. ascorbic acid butylene glycol triethyl citrate phloretin ferulic acid

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
10% L-ascorbic acid — the same concentration as the original — plus ferulic acid on a waterless base. 2 of the original's 8 ingredients.
What differs
Phloretin absent, waterless propanediol base, alpha-arbutin added. The waterless formula is a fundamentally different system from the low-pH water base that defines both Phloretin CF and C E Ferulic. At $17.58 per active gram it is the most expensive non-phloretin option here.
Who it's for
Skip as a Phloretin CF dupe. Interesting on its own terms for oilier skin types who want a waterless format — but phloretin is absent, which is the whole point of this page.
Ships in
Packaging not verified No brand or retailer statement on the bottle — we won’t guess.
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
From retailer listing Ingredients and percentages from the product's Ulta listing.

$52.00 for 30 mL → $17.58 per gram of active — 2.8× cheaper per active gram than the original's $50.04.

price on Amazon ($52.00) — not recommended as a dupe

04 / Cosmetic Skin Solutions

The winner
$13.02 per g of active
$38.50 retail · 30 mL
11% base formula · 4th of 6

Cosmetic Skin Solutions Phloretin Serum Advanced Formula

Shared formula DNA 2 of 8 original ingredients present
Aqua dipropylene glycol alcohol denat. ascorbic acid butylene glycol triethyl citrate phloretin ferulic acid

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
Cosmetic Skin Solutions is the closest thing to a dupe that actually ships today: phloretin is present in the formula alongside 10% L-ascorbic acid and ferulic acid, on an Ethoxydiglycol base shared with the original. 2 of the original's 8 base ingredients.
What differs
Percentages for phloretin and ferulic acid are undisclosed. The 10% L-ascorbic acid is the same as the original. The brand does not publish stabilization data, and no Amazon listing exists — direct mail-order only. This is not a patent-validated stabilized formula.
Who it's for
The closest real phloretin option if you are willing to mail-order from a small brand. At $38.50 it is roughly one-fifth the original's price. Go in knowing the phloretin % is undisclosed and concentration may be lower. We earn nothing on this pick — there is no affiliate link.
Ships in
Packaging not verified No brand or retailer statement on the bottle — we won’t guess.
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
Disclosed by brand Percentages published by Cosmetic Skin Solutions on their product page.

$38.50 for 30 mL → $13.02 per gram of active — 3.8× cheaper per active gram than the original's $50.04.

05 / Maelove

Skip
Maelove Glow Maker Vitamin C Serum bottle
$7.43 per g of active
$32.95 retail · 30 mL
11% base formula · 5th of 6

Maelove Glow Maker Vitamin C Serum

Shared formula DNA 2 of 8 original ingredients present
Aqua dipropylene glycol alcohol denat. ascorbic acid butylene glycol triethyl citrate phloretin ferulic acid

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
L-ascorbic acid and ferulic acid both present — 2 of the original's 8 ingredients shared. No phloretin.
What differs
No phloretin, no tyrosinase-inhibiting activity. Padded formula with botanicals (aloe, grape seed, magnolia bark). At $7.43 per active gram it costs more than G&G with a weaker base-formula match.
Who it's for
Skip. Higher cost, lower match, no phloretin — nothing it does that a better-positioned option doesn't do cheaper.
Ships in
Packaging not verified No brand or retailer statement on the bottle — we won’t guess.
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
Disclosed by brand Percentages published by Maelove on their product page.

$32.95 for 30 mL → $7.43 per gram of active — 6.7× cheaper per active gram than the original's $50.04.

price on Amazon ($39.90) — not recommended as a dupe

06 / Reviv-C

Skip
$66.78 per g of active
$79.00 retail · 59 mL
9% base formula · lowest of 6

Reviv-C 36% Vitamin C Serum with Phloretin & Ferulic Acid

Shared formula DNA 3 of 8 original ingredients present
Aqua dipropylene glycol alcohol denat. ascorbic acid butylene glycol triethyl citrate phloretin ferulic acid

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
Real phloretin present at 2% — the same disclosed percentage as the original — plus ferulic acid. The two ingredients that make Phloretin CF distinctive are both in this formula.
What differs
No L-ascorbic acid — the vitamin C forms here are derivatives (3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate), which absorb differently and lack the same low-pH penetration mechanism. At $79.00 for 59 mL it is the most expensive candidate on this page. No Amazon listing.
Who it's for
An interesting alternative if you want real phloretin but tolerate the vitamin C derivative substitution. Not a strict Phloretin CF dupe — the vitamin C chemistry is different. At $66.78 per active gram it is the most expensive per active here after the original.
Ships in
Packaging not verified No brand or retailer statement on the bottle — we won’t guess.
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
Disclosed by brand Percentages published by Reviv-C on their product page.

$79.00 for 59 mL → $66.78 per gram of active — 0.7× cheaper per active gram than the original's $50.04.

05 / Methodology

How we verified this

Verified 2026-06-13

Every formula on this page was tokenized — split into its individual INCI ingredients — and matched against the EU CosIng ingredient database, so "Aqua," "Water," and "Eau" all resolve to the same ingredient.

The base-formula match score works like this: sharing a rare ingredient counts far more than sharing a common one. Almost every serum contains water and glycerin — that proves nothing. Almost nothing contains Ethoxydiglycol or Laureth-23, so when a candidate shares those with the original, it says something real about how the formula was built. (For the statisticians: it is an IDF-weighted Jaccard similarity over the normalized ingredient lists.)

Scores are computed, not opinions. The verdict tags are our editorial read of the actives, the scores, and the prices — and the methodology stays public so you can disagree with us precisely.

Where the ingredient lists come from

  1. Disclosed by brand

    Ingredient percentages published by the brand itself, on its own product page — the strongest provenance.

  2. From retailer listing

    Ingredients and percentages taken from a retailer product listing. Feeds can lag a reformulation, and we flag that wherever it applies.

Sources for this report

  • Brand DTC product pages (live crawl 2026-06)
  • Ulta.com product feed (crawled 2026-06)
  • Dermstore product page (Wayback-cached 2026-06)

06 / Questions

Frequently asked

Is there a dupe for SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF?
Not a true dupe — phloretin barely exists in mass-market skincare. Of the 6 candidates we measured, none discloses the original's exact 10% L-ascorbic acid, 2% Phloretin, 0.5% Ferulic acid combination. Cosmetic Skin Solutions Phloretin Serum ($38.50) is the closest: real phloretin present, same vitamin C concentration (10%), ferulic acid present — but phloretin and ferulic percentages are undisclosed. It is mail-order only.
What makes SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF different from C E Ferulic?
Phloretin replaces vitamin E as the second active. At 2%, phloretin is a polyphenol flavonoid that inhibits tyrosinase — blocking melanin synthesis. Phloretin CF is formulated specifically for hyperpigmentation and oily/combination skin. C E Ferulic (15% vitamin C + vitamin E + ferulic) is more general-purpose antioxidant defense.
Why is there no affordable Phloretin CF dupe?
Two reasons: raw material cost and formulation complexity. Phloretin is a specialty flavonoid that barely appears in mass-market skincare at any meaningful percentage. Unlike L-ascorbic acid (a commodity), phloretin at 2% with patented-level stabilization requires significant R&D. The patent has expired, but the barrier is manufacturing capability, not legal protection.
Is Geek & Gorgeous C-Glow a Phloretin CF dupe?
No. G&G C-Glow contains 15% L-ascorbic acid and 0.5% ferulic acid but no phloretin. It is a strong vitamin C + ferulic serum and the best option on Amazon at $14.90, but it does not deliver phloretin's tyrosinase-inhibiting activity. It scores highest on this list because of strong vitamin C overlap, not because it replicates the formula.
What does phloretin do for skin?
Phloretin is a polyphenol derived from apple bark that inhibits tyrosinase, the enzyme that drives melanin synthesis. At 2% in an acidic low-pH base, it combines with vitamin C's own brightening effects to target hyperpigmentation, post-inflammatory marks, and uneven tone. It also has antioxidant properties, but its primary distinguishing function in Phloretin CF is pigment-pathway interruption.
Can I use Phloretin CF every day?
SkinCeuticals positions Phloretin CF as a daily morning serum. The 10% vitamin C concentration is lower than C E Ferulic (15%), making it better suited for oilier or more reactive skin types. Like any L-ascorbic acid formula, it is best used under sunscreen — ferulic acid enhances the formula's photoprotective benefits.
Is Phloretin CF or C E Ferulic better?
Different formulas for different goals. C E Ferulic (15% vitamin C + vitamin E + ferulic acid) is general-purpose antioxidant defense with a higher vitamin C concentration. Phloretin CF (10% vitamin C + 2% phloretin + ferulic acid) is specifically formulated for oily/combination skin with hyperpigmentation concerns. The phloretin-vs-tocopherol substitution reflects two different treatment intentions.

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