Our #1 Vitamin C Serum Now Comes in a ‘Silymarin’ Version That Fights Breakouts
Christine is a beloved former Adore Beauty staffer and our resident go-to when it comes to trialling skincare products for acne-prone, blemish-prone skin.
When I was a teenager, I could count the number of pimples I had on one hand.
Then, along came adulthood and everything changed.
Not only did I find myself navigating adult acne, but my inability to stop myself from picking my pimples also left me with a heavy scattering of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (those little pinky red/brown spots left behind once a pimple has healed).
A green colour correcting concealer quickly became my best friend.
Why? Because trying to manage oil production, reduce blemishes and the look of pores AND fade hyperpigmentation, all at the same time, is tricky.
Or… it was, until cult cosmeceutical skincare brand SkinCeuticals went and turned their best-selling vitamin C serum into a version specifically for oily and blemish-prone skin.
If vitamin C serums usually break you out or irritate your blemishes, keep reading for my honest SkinCeuticals Silymarin review.
(Including why it’s called silymarin.)
What Is Vitamin C?
So far, I’ve given you a dose of vitamin Christine, but before we get into my SkinCeuticals Silymarin review, we need to cover what vitamin C for skin actually does.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant skincare ingredient.
There are many different forms of vitamin C, but the most common one clinically-proven to be highly effective is L-ascorbic acid.
For a more in-depth look at the wonders of vitamin C, you can read or listen to this episode of Adore Beauty’s Skincare School podcast.
Along with my retinoid or vitamin A for acne, vitamin C is one of my hyperpigmentation-fighting heroes.
When used consistently over a few months, vitamin C benefits for skin include:
- Fading the appearance of discolouration and uneven skin tone.
- Repairing and protecting the skin from existing and future environmental damage.
- Brightening for a more radiant-looking complexion.
- Improving the appearance of signs of ageing like fine lines and wrinkles.
Only problem is, vitamin C is a notoriously unstable ingredient.
This means if you have sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, or have never used a vitamin C serum before, it can irritate the skin or cause you to break out.
What Are SkinCeuticals Vitamin C Serums?
If you’re looking for the best vitamin C serum, SkinCeuticals vitamin C serums are God tier.
They’re the gold standard of brightening serums because the patented formulas have lots of evidence behind them to prove their efficacy.
Plus, the fact they’re best-sellers, despite smelling like hot dog water, really says it all.
You’ve probably heard of the famous $228 SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic serum, but did you know there are actually a few different formulas designed to suit different skin types?
Let’s quickly reintroduce the existing cult SkinCeuticals vitamin C serums for normal, dry, oily and sensitive skin types:
- SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum - 30ml - The original and best-selling vitamin C, Adore's founder Kate Morris and Senior Editor Amy Clark are both fans. The formula is best for normal to dry skin, and contains 15 per cent L-ascorbic acid, vitamin E and ferulic acid.
- SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF - Beloved by Beauty IQ Uncensored host Hannah Furst, this one is great for normal to combination/oily skin types. The formula is less irritating, containing 10 percent L-ascorbic acid, ferulic acid and antioxidant phloretin.
- SkinCeuticals Serum 10 AOX+ (30ml) - A beginner antioxidant serum formulated for sensitive skin, with 10 per cent L-ascorbic acid and 0.2 per cent ferulic acid (delivered using a patented delivery method for minimal irritation), plus hyaluronic acid, glycerin and vitamin B5 (panthenol).
Shop them here:
We explain the difference between these cult vitamin C serums further in our SkinCeuticals vitamin C reviews YouTube video below.
What Is SkinCeuticals Silymarin?
I know what you're thinking... what the heck is 'silymarin'?
This antioxidant ingredient, which could very well pass as a Hogwarts house, is derived from milk thistle.
SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF 30ml is a potent oil-free vitamin C serum specifically formulated for oily and blemish-prone skin.
It's scientifically proven to refine skin texture, even out skin tone, reduce oiliness, minimise the look of pores and visibly improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
It contains the same percentage of L-ascorbic acid and ferulic acid as the C E Ferulic formula (15 per cent and 0.5 per cent).
But what makes this the best vitamin C serum for blemish-prone skin is the 0.5 per cent silymarin and 0.5 per cent salicylic acid.
If that last ingredient sounds familiar, that's because salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid (or BHA) ingredient used in a lot of acne skin care and pimple spot treatments.
In less fancy terms, Silymarin CF delivers all the brightening goodness of vitamin C, without increasing the likelihood of acne flareups or breakouts.
For those who like impressive scientific stats, this serum has been clinically proven to:
- Reduce oil oxidation (which can lead to breakouts) by up to 76 per cent.
- Reduce oiliness by 16 per cent in one week.
- Improve the look of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation by 13 per cent in four weeks.
- Deliver significant improvement in key signs of visible ageing in eight weeks:
- 25 per cent improvement in clarity.
- 38 per cent improvement in skin texture.
- 24 per cent improvement in the look of fine lines.
- 38 per cent improvement in skin radiance.
- Improve overall skin appearance by 41 per cent in eight weeks.
Shop SkinCeuticals Silymarin vitamin C serum here:
How to Use SkinCeuticals Silymarin Serum.
The best way to use any vitamin C serum is in the morning after cleansing, and before any other serums, moisturiser and sunscreen.
I've been applying four to five drops on dry skin. If you're new to vitamin C, you might like to start slow by using every second or third day to avoid irritation as this formula is very potent.
The other *very important* thing to know is, you must wear an adequate amount of a broad spectrum sunscreen over the top every single day.
If you don't, you might as well tip this expensive serum down the drain.
Pinky promise me you'll apply your SPF every morning as directed? OK, good.
My SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF Review.
SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF 30ml does have a hint of the deli meat scent the SkinCeuticals vitamin C serums are known for, but it's not nearly as smelly as C E Ferulic.
Being the lazy gal that I am, the light, watery texture is right up my alley too. It sinks into the skin quickly with just about no residue at all.
What about the results, you cry?
Disclaimer: I’ve only been trialling this product for a few weeks, and as the stats show, you won't see dramatic results until around the eight-week mark.
That being said, I’m impressed with the results so far.
In my humble opinion, I noticed quite an improvement in my overall skin appearance fairly quickly.
Particularly with the subtle fading of the post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation marks on my cheeks.
I stared at selfies of my skin taken before and during this trial, trying to figure out if the increased glow was some kind of skincare placebo effect...
Then, the blokiest bloke at work brought up my "glowing" skin one morning on a video call with our entire team.
Naturally, I awkwardly deflected the compliment, mumbling about my laptop's high-definition camera.
But the radiance from the serum was later verified by multiple unrelated parties using a number of different devices.
Is SkinCeuticals Vitamin C Worth the Money?
Final verdict... straight up, this is not a wallet-friendly product. At all.
Honestly, I feared trialling this product because falling in love with it would mean I'd need to have a serious chat with myself about whether I could give up my homewares obsession to be able to afford the skincare investment.
If you have blemish-prone skin, and the budget, I’d recommend giving this SkinCeuticals vitamin C serum a go.
Because if these are the results I'm seeing after just a few weeks, you better believe I'll be repurchasing Silymarin when the silly bottle inevitably runs out.
You can learn more about vitamin C in our Skincare Nerds vitamin C YouTube video below.
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