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Paula's Choice vs Aēsop

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

Paula's Choice and Aēsop are two distinct skincare lines known for thoughtful formulas that support overall skin health and resilience. The American brand, founded in 1995 and owned by Unilever since 2021, builds its serums, cleansers, moisturizers, toners, and more around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c to suit oily skin and combination skin best. Conversely, Aēsop relies on botanical and scientifically validated ingredients for its moisturizers, cleansers, and serums, suiting balanced, combination, and sensitive skin best with gentle yet effective compositions. While both brands offer targeted solutions for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin, they differ in their foundational approach and ideal skin types.

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

Popular Paula's Choice vs Aēsop products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceAēsop
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Provides an internal level of hydration without leaving any heavy finish. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
    • “Absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy residue behind. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”
    • “absorbs instantly — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “absorbs well into the skin — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
  • Improves texture and smoothness Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “bumps be gone — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “skin is insanely soft — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
  • Deep hydration and skin rescue Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “woke up with baby-soft skin — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
    • “Savior of my winter-fueled dry skin. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”
    • “delivers deep hydration that really fills your skin — Aēsop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Intense Serum”
  • Glow, radiance and brightening Mostly MentionedSometimes 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”
    • “Skin appears to be brighter, more radiant. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”
  • Reduces redness and soothes skin Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Reduces inflammation overnight. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”
    • “my small blemishes noticeably diminished — Aēsop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Intense Serum”
    • “calmed redness immediately — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Pleasant scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells divine — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
    • “Soft herbal scent that feels fresh and floral. — Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser”
    • “Doesn't smell at all — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
  • High price and small size Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “Sooooo expensive — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
    • “quantity is too small — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
  • Sticky residue and pilling Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “sticky, oily film — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “pills under makeup — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “feels sticky — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
    • “Thick, almost honey-like, and needs a moment to melt in. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”
  • Unpleasant smell or scent dislike Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “smells like carrots — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
    • “Nasty smell... would not buy again. — Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Packaging issues and leaks Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “dropper leaks — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “dropper can be unpredictable — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
    • “Cap broke immediately — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
    • “The downside is the pump. — Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser”

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Aēsop: which is better?

Paula's Choice is better for lightweight textures, smoother skin, and brightening, with products on this page fitting oily, combination, and acne-prone skin best. Aēsop is better for deep hydration, skin rescue, and reducing redness, with review themes showing it also offers pleasant scents.

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

Paula's Choice fits oily, combination, and acne-prone skin best with lightweight products that help improve texture and radiance, while Aēsop is known for deep hydration and soothing redness. Paula's Choice relies on a broad range featuring ingredients like niacinamide and retinol, whereas the products on this page for Aēsop focus more on balancing gels and antioxidant serums.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Archives of Dermatology, 2007

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

Paula's Choice offers a better range of cleansers for oily and acne-prone skin types, with Lovi fit levels rated as Superior for products like the CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser. Reviewers also note that Paula's Choice delivers lightweight and fast-absorbing formulas.

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

When it comes to affordability, reviewers mostly mention high prices as a drawback for both Paula's Choice and Aēsop, meaning neither brand is considered clearly more affordable than the other.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Paula's Choice or Aēsop?

Paula's Choice fits acne-prone skin best, while Aēsop has only one product on this page with a High fit for acne-prone skin and two with a Low fit or Caution. Paula's Choice products on this page help improve skin texture and manage breakouts.

Which brand offers better options for oily and acne-prone skin based on their brand-focused routines?

Paula's Choice offers better options for oily and acne-prone skin, as its brand-focused routines best fit oily, combination, and acne-prone skin. Lovi rates several of its products on this page as Superior for these skin types.

Between Paula's Choice and Aēsop, which skincare brand has been owned by Unilever since 2021?

Paula's Choice has been owned by Unilever since 2021, whereas Aēsop has been owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2023.

How do the reviewers' opinions on scents differ between Paula's Choice and Aēsop products?

Reviewers note a pleasant scent or luxurious and refreshing scents for Aēsop products, while some also note unpleasant scents, whereas Paula's Choice products are not associated with scent feedback on this page.

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

Paula's Choice offers a wider range of moisturizers with products like the Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer and Replenishing Moisturizer that feature specific fit levels across different skin types. Aēsop features balancing options such as the B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel, which is rated High for combination, acne-prone, and oily acne-prone 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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