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Cetaphil vs Paula's Choice

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

Cetaphil and Paula's Choice are American skincare brands offering thoughtfully formulated cleansers, moisturizers, serums, and toners. Cetaphil features nourishing ingredients like glycerin, niacinamide, and panthenol to suit combination skin and acne-prone skin best, while the other brand utilizes hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c to fit oily skin and combination skin. Through their core ingredients, glycerin increases hydration and restores barrier function, niacinamide decreases hyperpigmentation and improves aging signs, and panthenol improves hydration and accelerates wound healing. Ultimately, both differ primarily in their specific targeted formulations and ideal skin types.

Cetaphil is an American skincare brand founded in 1947 and owned by Galderma Group AG.

en.wikipedia.orgcetaphil.co.uk

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 Cetaphil and Paula's Choice products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Cetaphil vs Paula's Choice products

People Say

CetaphilPaula's Choice
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “The only thing my reactive skin tolerates. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “No breakouts since switching to this. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “cleans without stripping — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “Finally a vitamin C product I can use — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy absorption Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Absorbs quickly into skin without residue — Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion”
    • “Absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy residue behind. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”
    • “absorbs instantly — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
  • Hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “cleared up flaky skin — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “healed my dry patches — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft, not tight. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “Provides an internal level of hydration without leaving any heavy finish. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
  • Skin smoothing and texture Rarely NotedMostly 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 felt softer after one use — Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser”
  • Oil control and acne reduction Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “cleared my bumps — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “Helped clear my cystic acne — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
    • “bumps be gone — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “Removes excess oil without drying. — Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser”
  • Brightening and complexion Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “Discoloration almost gone — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
    • “immediate glow — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “skin looks more radiant — Cetaphil Vitamin C Serum”
  • Unpleasant smells Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Overpowering masking fragrance — Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar”
    • “smells like masking fragrance — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “smells like hot dog water — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
  • High price point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive for drugstore — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Caused breakouts and purging Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused whiteheads — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Broke me out bad — Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser”
    • “caused small bumps — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “skin purged — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”

Cetaphil vs Paula's Choice routines for dry skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · $198.70 · 84% fitBuy Cetaphil routine · $134.48 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Cetaphil vs Paula's Choice routines for oily skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · $384.42 · 89% fitBuy Cetaphil routine · $331.64 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Cetaphil vs Paula's Choice routines for combination skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · $285.23 · 89% fitBuy Paula's Choice routine · $353.90 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Cetaphil or Paula's Choice: which is better?

Both brands are equally matched, as Lovi rates their routines as having high fit levels across all skin types. Cetaphil does better for gentleness on sensitive skin and moisture, while Paula's Choice does better for skin smoothing, oil control, and brightening.

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

Cetaphil does better at being gentle on sensitive skin and providing hydration and moisture, while Paula's Choice does better at skin smoothing and texture, oil control and acne reduction, and brightening and complexion. Reviewers note that Paula's Choice has a high price and packaging issues, whereas Cetaphil has a lower price point but may cause breakouts and purging.

Cetaphil or Paula's Choice for dry skin?

Both Cetaphil and Paula's Choice achieve a High Lovi fit level for dry skin on this page. Cetaphil stands out for hydration and moisture, while Paula's Choice offers advanced anti-aging serums and texture improvements.

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

Both Cetaphil and Paula's Choice offer cleansers that fit oily, combination, and acne-prone skin at a High or Superior level on the products on this page. Reviewers note that Cetaphil provides gentle, non-stripping cleansers, while Paula's Choice features options that help with oil control and acne reduction.

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

Cetaphil is more affordable than Paula's Choice, as Paula's Choice frequently draws reviewer mentions for a high price point while Cetaphil is noted as better on price.

Between Cetaphil and Paula's Choice, which brand is better for skin smoothing and texture?

Paula's Choice does better for skin smoothing and texture. The products on this page help improve skin texture with key ingredients like retinol, which may stimulate collagen accumulation.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

How do the fragrance options compare between Cetaphil and Paula's Choice products?

Cetaphil and Paula's Choice are both largely fragrance-free, as the products on this page for Paula's Choice list no fragrance, and 26 of the 27 Cetaphil products list no fragrance with only the Oily Skin Cleanser containing it.

Which brand performs better for brightening and complexion improvement?

Paula's Choice performs better for brightening and complexion improvement. The products on this page help improve skin texture and tone using key ingredients like Niacinamide and Vitamin C.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Cetaphil or Paula's Choice for oily skin?

Both Cetaphil and Paula's Choice achieve a High routine fit for oily skin. Paula's Choice specializes in oil control and acne reduction, while Cetaphil is recognized for gentle, non-stripping cleansers.

Cetaphil or Paula's Choice: which moisturizer is better?

Both Cetaphil and Paula's Choice offer moisturizers with a high Lovi fit for dry skin, while Cetaphil is rated better for sensitive skin and Paula's Choice is noted for its anti-aging serums.

Cetaphil or Paula's Choice for sensitive skin?

Both Cetaphil and Paula's Choice fit sensitive skin at a High routine level, and Lovi rates both brands as High for sensitive skin. Cetaphil does better for being gentle on sensitive skin, while Paula's Choice features the products on this page with no fragrance.

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

Cetaphil is better for sensitive skin sun protection, as the products on this page feature options like Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 which has a Superior fit level for sensitive skin, compared to Paula's Choice.

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

Both Cetaphil and Paula's Choice fit acne-prone skin at a High level. Cetaphil is notable for gentle, non-stripping cleansers, while Paula's Choice helps with oil control and acne reduction through targeted treatments.

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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