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Paula's Choice vs Biore

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

Paula's Choice and Biore are two established skincare brands, founded respectively in America in 1995 and in Japan in 1980. The American line offers serums, cleansers, moisturizers, toners, and more, built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, while the Japanese brand is beloved for its thoughtful range of sunscreens, cleansers, masks, and makeup removers. The former products fit oily skin and acne-prone skin best, whereas these gentle creations suit sensitive skin and dry skin best. They differ primarily in their formulation focus, as the former brand utilizes ingredients like glycerin to significantly increase skin hydration and restore barrier function, while the latter consistently delivers reliable daily care through carefully balanced formulas.

Paula's Choice is an American skincare brand founded in 1995 and owned by Unilever since 2021.

unilever.comtracxn.com

Biore is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1980 and owned by Kao Corporation.

biore.comkao.com

This page compares some of the most popular Paula's Choice and Biore products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Paula's Choice vs Biore products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceBiore
  • Lightweight and fast absorption Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy residue behind. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”
    • “absorbs instantly — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “watery consistency — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
    • “melts into skin — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
  • Pore cleansing and clarity Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Gets the gunk out — Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips”
    • “Face feels squeaky clean — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
    • “Helped clear my blackheads — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
    • “cleared my bumps — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
  • Skin texture smoothing Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “skin is insanely soft — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “skin never been this silky — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “Leaves skin feeling clean — Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips”
  • Non-irritating and gentle Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Finally a vitamin C product I can use — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
    • “no stinging — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “Doesn't strip my skin — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
    • “Leaves skin soft, doesn't dry out face. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
  • Excellent makeup base and removal Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “primer-like — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
    • “Removes waterproof mascara, eyeliner, foundation. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
  • Glow, radiance and brightening Often MentionedNot noted
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “acne scars faded — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “Discoloration almost gone — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
  • Unpleasant smell and strong scent Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “smells like hot dog water — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “smells like alcohol — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
    • “Smells like chemicals — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
  • High price and small size Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • Dryness, flaking and irritation Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “peeling and flaking — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “dryness and scaliness — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “burnt skin off — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “Made my skin peel — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
  • Purging and breakouts Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
    • “Caused breakouts, closed comedones, cystic acne. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
    • “skin purged — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”

Paula's Choice vs Biore routines for dry skin

Buy Biore routine · A$214.43 · 92% fitBuy Paula's Choice routine · A$343.82 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Paula's Choice vs Biore routines for oily skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · A$561.22 · 92% fitBuy Biore routine · A$378.72 · 91% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Paula's Choice vs Biore routines for combination skin

Buy Biore routine · A$371.64 · 90% fitBuy Paula's Choice routine · A$437.74 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Biore: which is better?

Paula's Choice and Biore both have their strengths, with Paula's Choice helping smooth skin texture and Biore offering pore cleansing and clarity for the products on this page. For routine fit, Paula's Choice is High for dry skin while Biore is Superior.

What is the difference between Paula's Choice and Biore?

Paula's Choice offers a wide selection of targeted serums and exfoliants that help smooth texture and add glow, whereas Biore provides a smaller range of products on this page focused on makeup removal and pore cleansing.

Paula's Choice or Biore for dry skin?

For dry skin, Paula's Choice has a High routine fit while Biore has a Superior routine fit. Every product listed for both brands on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

Paula's Choice or Biore: which cleanser is better?

Paula's Choice offers cleansers like the CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser with a Superior Lovi fit for oily and acne-prone skin, whereas Biore features cleansers such as the Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser with an Average fit for those skin types.

Which is more affordable, Paula's Choice or Biore?

Biore is often noted for having a high price and small size among its review themes, whereas Paula's Choice reviewers mostly mention a high price and packaging issues.

Between Paula's Choice and Biore, which brand is owned by Unilever?

Paula's Choice is owned by Unilever since 2021.

Paula's Choice or Biore: which has a better routine fit for skin with dark spots?

Biore has a better routine fit for skin with dark spots, rated as Superior, while Paula's Choice is High. The products on this page for Biore include Makeup Remover Perfect Oil and UV Aqua Rich.

Which brand performs better for lightweight and fast absorption?

Paula's Choice performs better for lightweight and fast absorption among the products on this page.

Paula's Choice or Biore for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, Lovi rates both Paula's Choice and Biore as having a Superior routine fit. Paula's Choice helps deliver gentle care with fragrance-free formulations and key ingredients like green tea and hyaluronic acid across the products on this page.

Drug Delivery, 2017Carcinogenesis, 2001

Paula's Choice or Biore: which sunscreen is better?

Paula's Choice offers Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50, which has a high Lovi fit for dry and combination skin, while Biore offers UV Aqua Rich, which has a high Lovi fit for combination skin.

Paula's Choice or Biore for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, both brands offer a Superior routine fit based on the products on this page. Paula's Choice helps with lightweight and fast absorption, whereas Biore focuses on pore cleansing and clarity.

Research behind their key ingredients

Behind this comparison

Lovi compares products by their fit scores, calculated from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

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