Product record Nº 007 / Serums, vitamin C · E · ferulic
SkipReviv-C 36% Vitamin C Serum with Phloretin & Ferulic Acid
- $66.78
- per gram of active
- $79.00
- retail
- $1.34
- per mL
- Ships in
- Packaging not verified No brand or retailer statement on the bottle — we won’t guess.
- pH
- pH not published the brand states no number, so neither do we
- Data source
- Disclosed by brand Percentages published by Reviv-C on their product page.
- Best for
- Brightening & dark spots · Antioxidant defense
- How it feels
- Lightweight, fast-absorbing serum
- Value
- $79 for 59 mL · $1.34/mL
Bottom line A niche $79 derivative vitamin C serum with phloretin at the right dose — interesting chemistry, thin social proof.
Editorial verdict / Social intelligence
A niche $79 derivative vitamin C serum with phloretin at the right dose — interesting chemistry, thin social proof. 1
- Beauty benefit
- Brightens skin, fades hyperpigmentation, and provides broad antioxidant defense via a multi-layered vitamin C derivative system (25% ethylated ascorbic acid + 11% oil-soluble THD Ascorbate) paired with 2% phloretin and 0.5% ferulic acid — a genuinely interesting formula for users who want the Phloretin CF antioxidant stack without L-ascorbic acid's pH and oxidation constraints.
- Does it work
- Probably, for some users — but the evidence base is thin. The ~130 brand-site reviews average 4.69 stars with reports of firmer, smoother skin and lightening of dark areas. One independent editorial tester (AJK Beauty) found no meaningful improvement after 5-6 weeks and noted congestion. No Amazon presence and no Reddit discussion found. The chemistry is scientifically defensible; the clinical real-world evidence is sparse. See the verified data below →
Consensus strength
Thin~134 reviews on brand-site Judge.me (4.69 stars), one independent editorial review (AJK Beauty, negative), one WIMJ ingredient analysis (87/100 efficacy score), IncIDecoder ingredient breakdown, no Amazon listing found, no Reddit threads found. No derm or YouTube coverage confirmed.
In-store only — no online purchase. e.l.f. Cosmetics on Amazon $16.97
01 / The actives
Read against the original's trio
The reference is the original's disclosed 15 / 1 / 0.5 — 15% L-ascorbic acid, 1% vitamin E, 0.5% ferulic acid. This readout is the apples-to-apples comparison.
Disclosed by brand. Percentages published by Reviv-C on their product page.
- n.d. Ferulic acid the dossier →
Not in this formula: L-ascorbic acid — the original carries 15%.
02 / The full ingredient list
Every ingredient, in label order
Exactly as printed, each token matched to the EU CosIng register and flagged where a CIR safety assessment exists. Highlighted rows are the actives.
| # | Ingredient, as printed | CosIng functions | CIR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 3-O-Ethyl L-Ascorbic Acid label typo → 3-O-ETHYL ASCORBIC ACID |
| — |
| 02 | Dimethyl Isosorbide |
| — |
| 03 | Cyclopentasiloxane |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 04 | Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 05 | Butylene Glycol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 06 | Propylene Glycol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 07 | Ethoxydiglycol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 08 | Isodecyl Neopentanoate |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 09 | Phloretin |
| — |
| 10 | Caprylyl Glycol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 11 | Vitamin E Acetate no CosIng match — shown as printed | no CosIng function record | — |
| 12 | Ferulic Acid |
| — |
| 13 | L-Glutathione no CosIng match — shown as printed | no CosIng function record | — |
| 14 | Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract |
| — |
| 15 | Phenoxyethanol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 16 | Ethylhexylglycerin |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 17 | Alcohol (Denat.) CosIng: ALCOHOL |
| — |
| 18 | Glycerin |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 19 | Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil CosIng: PUNICA GRANATUM SEED OIL |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 20 | Astaxanthin |
| — |
| 21 | Tocotrienols |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 22 | Alpha Lipoic Acid no CosIng match — shown as printed | no CosIng function record | — |
| 23 | Tocopherol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 24 | Lycopene |
| — |
| 25 | Xanthophyll CosIng: XANTHOPHYLLS |
| — |
| 26 | Beta-Carotene |
| — |
| 27 | Superoxide Dismutase |
| — |
27 ingredients as printed · 20 exact CosIng matches · 3 normalized spellings · 1 label typo, matched anyway · 3 with no CosIng match · source: disclosed by brand
03 / The ranking
We ranked it against the $185 original
Where it landed
Nº 7 of 7
9% base-formula match
Skip
Ranked Nº 7 of 7 against the $185 original, with a 9% base-formula match — and we say skip it as a dupe. It contains no L-ascorbic acid at all. Ferulic acid appears in the formula at undisclosed percentages. At $66.78 per disclosed active gram, it also costs more than every clone ranked above it. It may be a fine serum on its own terms; as a stand-in for the original, the products ranked above it get you closer for less.
04 / Where to buy
If you want it anyway
No affiliate relationship possible
Reviv-C doesn't sell online, so there is no link to click and no commission to earn — $79 on the shelf, when it's on the shelf. It is still the best match we measured; that is the whole point of this site.
If your store is out: e.l.f. Cosmetics Bright Icon Vitamin C + E + Ferulic Serum discloses the same 15/1/0.5 trio and is stocked nearly everywhere.
e.l.f. Cosmetics on Amazon $16.97
Some links on this page earn us a commission. It never changes the verdict — the ranking and methodology are public.
05 / What people say
What buyers actually say
Aggregated from 134 verified reviews across 1 source.
What works
- Some 2% phloretin matches SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF dose exactly — the genuine differentiator in this formula 15
2.0% Phloretin Reviews
- Some Users report visibly smoother, firmer skin and lightening of dark spots after 2-4 weeks 1
My skin feels firmer, smoother, and more even-toned, lines and wrinkles are visibly reduced! Reviews
- Some Waterless, anhydrous formula using vitamin C derivatives is inherently more stable and oxidation-resistant than L-ascorbic acid formulas 16
waterless/anhydrous to help the components maintain potency and stability, as water speeds oxidation Reviews
- Some 2oz (60ml) bottle is double the standard 1oz size common among premium vitamin C serums — better per-ml value 1
$79 for 60 ML (approximately $1.32 per ml) Reviews
- Some Ingredient analysis rates the formula strongly — 87/100 efficacy on WIMJ with ferulic acid, phloretin, glutathione, astaxanthin all flagged as actives 3
Efficacy: 87/100 — Strong antioxidant blend including ferulic acid (0.4-0.95%), phloretin (1-1.6%), and glutathione Editorial
- Some May suit users who can't tolerate traditional L-ascorbic acid — derivatives formulate at neutral pH, avoiding the sting of low-pH L-AA serums 78
can be formulated at a higher pH range (4.0-5.50), making it gentler for sensitive skin Editorial
What to know
- Some NOT L-ascorbic acid — the 36% figure is total vitamin C derivatives, not L-AA equivalent; the mechanism and clinical evidence base differ meaningfully from Phloretin CF 63
3-o-ethyl alone should not be considered a worthy one-to-one replacement for L-AA — no clinical studies testing EAA directly on human skin for brightening or collagen benefits Editorial
- Rare One independent 5-6 week editorial test found poor absorption, increased congestion, and no noticeable brightening or hyperpigmentation improvement 4
I haven't really seen that drastic of an improvement to the overall brightness and hyperpigmentation on my skin Editorial
- Rare Heavy, oily texture that doesn't absorb quickly and can block subsequent product absorption — the denatured alcohol adds smell without improving elegance 43
felt unusually heavy and oily, failing to absorb properly within the claimed 30-second timeframe — created an occlusive barrier that prevented other skincare products from absorbing correctly Editorial
- Some Thin brand presence — not on Amazon, no Reddit discussion found, ~134 reviews vs thousands for mainstream vitamin C serums; hard to independently validate brand claims 2
134 reviews on brand's own platform Editorial
- Some At $79 for a niche brand with 134 reviews and no third-party retail presence, the value proposition is harder to justify vs. well-reviewed competitors 3
comparable alternatives exist: skinmade's vitamin C serum at $25.49 (60% similar formula) or Glow Recipe at $45 offer better value propositions Editorial
What you'd only know from the reviews
-
The 'pro-drug' question on 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is unsettled: it does NOT require enzymatic conversion to be active (unlike some ester derivatives like MAP or SAP), but whether it works identically to L-AA in human skin at equivalent doses is unknown — in vitro studies show it quenches only half the free radicals of L-AA at the same concentration. The brand's claim that it is 'direct-acting' and 'no conversion needed' is technically accurate but sidesteps the potency gap. 68
-
THD Ascorbate (Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate) is genuinely oil-soluble and penetrates the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum differently from water-soluble forms — one in vitro study showed 3× greater penetration than pure vitamin C at the same concentration, and it converts to L-ascorbic acid intracellularly via esterase enzymes. The evidence base is still mostly in-vitro with only one small in-vivo study (10 patients), but the mechanism is more biologically credible than many ester derivatives. 910
-
The 2% phloretin dose is the real formula differentiator here — not the '36%' figure, which refers to a blend of derivatives with no L-AA equivalency. Phloretin is an apple-derived polyphenol that blocks glucose transport in melanocytes and amplifies vitamin C penetration; at 2% it matches the SkinCeuticals patented dose. The '36%' marketing headline is misleading for anyone comparing this to L-AA percentages. 13
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06 / Questions
Frequently asked
- What's in Reviv-C 36% Vitamin C Serum with Phloretin & Ferulic Acid?
- Reviv-C 36% Vitamin C Serum with Phloretin & Ferulic Acid lists 27 ingredients. The actives: ferulic acid at an undisclosed percentage — and no L-ascorbic acid at all. Percentages published by Reviv-C on their product page. The full list, matched ingredient-by-ingredient to the EU CosIng register, is on this page.
- Is Reviv-C 36% Vitamin C Serum with Phloretin & Ferulic Acid a good dupe for SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic?
- Ranked Nº 7 of 7 against the $185 original, with a 9% base-formula match — and we say skip it as a dupe. It contains no L-ascorbic acid at all. Ferulic acid appears in the formula at undisclosed percentages. At $66.78 per disclosed active gram, it also costs more than every clone ranked above it. It may be a fine serum on its own terms; as a stand-in for the original, the products ranked above it get you closer for less.
- How much vitamin C does Reviv-C 36% Vitamin C Serum with Phloretin & Ferulic Acid have?
- Reviv-C doesn't disclose a percentage: L-ascorbic acid appears in the ingredient list, but the brand publishes no number — so neither do we.
- Where can I buy Reviv-C 36% Vitamin C Serum with Phloretin & Ferulic Acid?
- In Reviv-C stores only, at $79 — there is no online listing, restocks vary by store, and it sells out. If you can't find it, e.l.f. Cosmetics Bright Icon Vitamin C + E + Ferulic Serum discloses the same trio for $17 and is stocked nearly everywhere.