The ingredient, explained

Phloretin

An antioxidant ingredient studied in a topical combination with vitamin C and ferulic acid.

AntioxidantAntiseborrhoeic

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Ingredient guide

What it is and what it does

3--4-hydroxyphenyl--1--2‚4,6-trihydroxyphenyl-propan-1-one; Dihydronaringenin; 4‚2',4',6'-Tetrahydroxydihydrochalcone

About this ingredient: EU CosIng ingredient registry (via Open Beauty Facts taxonomy) ↗

Antioxidant: Limits oxidation, including deterioration of formulation ingredients. This label alone does not show a clinical antioxidant effect in skin.
Antiseborrhoeic: A technical role associated with controlling sebum production.

Function definitions: European Commission ingredient function definitions (SCCNFP/0299/00, pages 16 to 20) ↗

Registry functions describe possible formulation roles, not results for a finished product. A dictionary entry is not an approval or a safety assessment.

A closer look

What the research shows

Human research on a combination

Ten volunteers received the antioxidant mixture or its vehicle on lower-back skin before experimental ultraviolet exposure. The mixture reduced erythema and several biopsy markers of damage measured after exposure.

What this does not tell us

The short experiment cannot isolate phloretin and did not measure long-term ageing or skin-cancer prevention. The abstract does not give ingredient concentrations. The findings do not replace sunscreen or establish results of another formula.

Sources for this summary. PubMed 19146606 ↗

Research review checked Sep 30, 2026

Selected primary sources were reviewed for the existing research brief on 30 September 2026, with exact ingredient, route and combination limitations recorded. This was a bounded editorial review, not a systematic search.