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Some By Mi vs Paula's Choice

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

Some By Mi and Paula's Choice are well-regarded skincare brands that offer serums, cleansers, toners, and moisturizers. The Korean brand features niacinamide, centella asiatica, and salicylic acid to suit dry sensitive skin and dark spots, while the American brand relies on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c for oily skin and acne-prone skin. Both lines differ in their targeted formulations, with the former emphasizing gentle soothing and the latter focusing on targeted active solutions.

Some By Mi is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by JKL Partners since 2021.

kedglobal.compreqin.comtracxn.com

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

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

Popular Some By Mi vs Paula's Choice products

People Say

Some By MiPaula's Choice
  • Texture Smoothing Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “Skin became smoother — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorbing Often MentionedMostly 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”
    • “absorbs quickly — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream”
  • Brightening and Glow Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Fades dark spots — Some By Mi Galactomyces Pure Vitamin C Glow Serum”
    • “skin looks visibly brighter — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Anti Blemish Serum”
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “acne scars faded — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Gentle Formula Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Zero irritation or redness — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum”
    • “doesn't strip dry my skin — Some By Mi Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask”
    • “Surprisingly gentle — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “Finally a vitamin C product I can use — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Reduces pimples — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “cleared my cystic acne — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Acne Clear Foam”
    • “Helped clear my cystic acne — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
    • “heals blemishes faster — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Lasts 100 hours as claimed — Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream”
    • “Absorbs quickly — Some By Mi Galactomyces Pure Vitamin C Glow Serum”
    • “lightweight texture — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Advanced Triple Action Eye Cream”
    • “Provides an internal level of hydration without leaving any heavy finish. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
  • Strong Scent and Fragrance Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “smells like hot dog water — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “weird glue-like smell — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “overwhelming citrus fragrance — Some By Mi V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen”
  • High Price Point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive — Some By Mi Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask”
    • “Too expensive for 50ml — Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream”
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Drying and Dehydration Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “not moisturizing enough — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream”
    • “Skin felt tight — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “peeling and flaking — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “Not hydrating enough for winter. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”

Some By Mi vs Paula's Choice routines for dry skin

Buy Some By Mi routine · A$222.98 · 93% fitBuy Paula's Choice routine · A$343.82 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Some By Mi vs Paula's Choice routines for oily skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · A$561.22 · 92% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · A$301.59 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Some By Mi vs Paula's Choice routines for combination skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · A$437.74 · 89% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · A$224.16 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Some By Mi or Paula's Choice: which is better?

Both brands are great, but they suit different needs because Some By Mi fits best for skin with dark spots, dry skin, and dry sensitive skin, while Paula's Choice fits best for oily skin, acne-prone skin, and oily acne-prone skin. Reviewers note that Some By Mi offers a more gentle formula, whereas Paula's Choice provides better texture smoothing.

What is the difference between Some By Mi and Paula's Choice?

Some By Mi is best for dry sensitive skin and skin with dark spots, whereas Paula's Choice is best for oily and acne-prone skin. Niacinamide helps reduce pigmentation, which is a key ingredient used across the products on this page.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Some By Mi or Paula's Choice for dry skin?

Some By Mi is the better choice for dry skin, as Lovi rates its routine fit as Superior compared to High for Paula's Choice. Reviewers note that Some By Mi helps deliver hydration and moisture, while niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and manage skin aging.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Some By Mi or Paula's Choice: which cleanser is better?

Both Some By Mi and Paula's Choice offer cleansers that target various skin needs, but Some By Mi is better for dry sensitive skin while Paula's Choice fits oily acne-prone skin best. Reviewers mention that Some By Mi cleansers provide deep pore cleansing, while Paula's Choice cleansers help maintain a clear complexion.

Which is more affordable, Some By Mi or Paula's Choice?

Some By Mi is more affordable than Paula's Choice, as Paula's Choice is often noted for a high price point.

Between Some By Mi and Paula's Choice, which brand is better suited for treating skin with dark spots?

Some By Mi is better suited for treating skin with dark spots, as Lovi rates its brand-focused routine fit as Superior compared to Paula's Choice's High. Niacinamide, a key ingredient featured across Some By Mi products on this page, helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

How do Some By Mi and Paula's Choice compare when it comes to fragrance and scent?

When it comes to fragrance, both brands do well since every product on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients. However, reviewers note that Paula's Choice does better at avoiding a strong scent, whereas Some By Mi sometimes has a strong or medicinal scent.

Which brand performs better for dry sensitive skin: Some By Mi or Paula's Choice?

Some By Mi performs better for dry sensitive skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Paula's Choice's High level. Niacinamide helps improve skin barrier function and reduce pigmentation for sensitive skin types.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Some By Mi or Paula's Choice for oily skin?

Paula's Choice fits oily skin better, matching a Superior routine level compared to Some By Mi's High level.

Some By Mi or Paula's Choice: which moisturizer is better?

Both Some By Mi and Paula's Choice offer moisturizers on this page, and your choice may depend on your specific skin type and goals. Some By Mi products on this page are generally known for hydration and moisture, while Paula's Choice focuses more on texture smoothing and anti-aging benefits.

Some By Mi or Paula's Choice for sensitive skin?

Both Some By Mi and Paula's Choice are a Superior fit for sensitive skin on the products on this page. Some By Mi brings gentler formulas, while Paula's Choice offers smoothing textures.

Some By Mi or Paula's Choice: which sunscreen is better?

Both brands offer sunscreens on this page, with Some By Mi featuring the V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen and Paula's Choice offering the Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50. Lovi rates the V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen as High for oily skin, acne-prone skin, sensitive skin, dry sensitive skin, dry skin, mature skin, oily acne-prone skin, combination skin, and skin with dark spots. Meanwhile, Lovi rates the Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 as High for dry skin, combination skin, and dry sensitive skin, and Average for acne-prone skin, oily skin, oily acne-prone skin, skin with dark spots, sensitive skin, and mature skin.

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

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