Silymarin CF
Reviewed by SerumTruth Editorial · Updated July 2026
A well-evidenced antioxidant serum aimed squarely at oilier skin, with the salicylic acid earning its place rather than padding the label. It costs like the SkinCeuticals name, and the tinted dropper still browns over time. If your skin does not get on with the richer C E Ferulic, this is the version to reach for.
- Evidence21 / 30
Strength of the research behind the key actives
- Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid): strong evidence
- Silymarin: limited evidence
- Ferulic Acid: moderate evidence
- Salicylic Acid: moderate evidence
- Score is the average of the key actives’ evidence grades.
- Potency21 / 25
Dosed at studied levels, not fairy-dusted
- Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid) (15%): dosed at a studied level
- Silymarin (0.5%): dosed at a studied level
- Ferulic Acid (0.5%): dosed at a studied level
- Salicylic Acid (0.5%): dosed at a studied level
- Potency tracks how strongly the actives are dosed, led by the strongest, not how many there are.
- Delivery & stability12 / 20
Delivery tech + packaging that protects fragile actives
- Delivery: standard
- Packaging: tinted glass
- Air- or light-sensitive actives (Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid), Ferulic Acid), so packaging is scored.
- Formulation9 / 10
Disclosure, active breadth, and ingredient generation
- 4 of 4 actives disclose a concentration
- 4 key actives (breadth credit caps at 3)
- Current-generation or synergistic: Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid), Silymarin, Ferulic Acid
- Value4 / 15
What a month of use costs vs. the category
- About $56 per month to use
- $185 for 30 ml, used about once a day (about 0.3 ml each time), so a bottle lasts about 3.3 months
- Frequency is set by Salicylic Acid, which is used no more than 7x a week, so a bottle stretches further
- Band: $6/month or less earns full marks, $60/month or more hits the floor.
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What’s inside
| Active | Disclosed | Dose |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid) | 15% | Studied |
| Silymarin | 0.5% | Studied |
| Ferulic Acid | 0.5% | Studied |
| Salicylic Acid | 0.5% | Studied |
A vitamin C serum built for oily and blemish-prone skin: 15% L-ascorbic acid with 0.5% ferulic acid and 0.5% salicylic acid, plus silymarin rounding out the antioxidant side. It is oil-free and thinner than C E Ferulic, and the salicylic adds a little surface exfoliation the classic version does not have. Same low pH and the same amber tinted-glass dropper, so the same oxidation clock applies once it is open.
How it’s delivered
Air- and light-sensitive actives (vitamin C, copper peptides) lose potency fast in the wrong packaging, so delivery and the bottle are scored, not just what’s on the label.
The actives, explained
Cosmetic information for general education, not medical advice. The SerumProof score reflects our reading of publicly available research and formulation disclosures. See how scoring works.