Silymarin CF
Reviewed by SerumTruth Editorial · Price and formula checked 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.
- Every active discloses its concentration
- Costly to use, about $56 a month
- 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
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
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.
Delivery tech plus packaging, and packaging only counts when actives are fragile.
- 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
Disclosure, active breadth, and current-generation or synergistic actives.
- 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
What a month of use costs: full marks at $6 a month or less, the floor at $60 a month or more.
Tap any row to see how its score was built.
Ranks #20 of 27 vitamin c & antioxidants serums we have scored.
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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
What the research says
A 6-month double-blind trial found topical vitamin C linked to a better looking global appearance of photoaged skin versus placebo.
Topical ascorbic acid on photoaged skin. Clinical, topographical and ultrastructural evaluation: double-blind study vs. placebo. Experimental Dermatology, 2003. PubMed ↗
A study of the active, not this exact product. What matters for the score is whether this serum uses it at a comparable dose.
Higher-scoring alternatives
Same category, better SerumProof score. Worth a look before you buy.
Revision history
- July 11, 2026Price and formula rechecked
- July 10, 2026Review published
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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.