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Paula's Choice vs Lancôme

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

Paula's Choice and Lancôme are two distinct skincare brands founded respectively in America in 1995 and in France in 1935. The American brand is known for serums, cleansers, moisturizers, toners, and more, built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, while Lancôme is deeply loved for its thoughtful array of moisturizers, eye products, serums, toners, and more, which are carefully formulated with nourishing glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and adenosine. Paula's Choice products fit oily skin and combination skin best, whereas the French brand suits sensitive skin and mature skin best, thanks to these gentle and restorative active ingredients. Both labels differ in their targeted solutions, parent companies, and specific active formulations designed to improve skin hydration and barrier function.

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

Lancôme is a French skincare brand founded in 1935 and owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 1964.

loreal.comen.wikipedia.orgcosmeticsbusiness.com

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

Popular Paula's Choice vs Lancôme products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceLancôme
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs quickly — Lancôme RÉNERGIE”
    • “absorbs almost instantly — Lancôme Génifique Ultimate”
    • “absorbs instantly — Lancôme Advanced Génifique Eye Cream”
    • “absorbs instantly — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
  • Skin Smoothing and Texture Improvement Mostly MentionedSometimes 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”
    • “Skin feels cushiony soft — Lancôme Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate”
  • Hydration and Moisture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “gives my skin an instant dewy glow — Lancôme Tonique Confort”
    • “keeps the skin soft and hydrated — Lancôme HYDRA ZEN”
    • “The product provides deep hydration and visible rejuvenation. — Lancôme Advanced Génifique Night Cream”
    • “Provides an internal level of hydration without leaving any heavy finish. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
  • Brightening, Radiance, and Tone Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “acne scars faded — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “calmed redness immediately — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “Skin looks lit from within — Lancôme Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate”
  • Gentle and Sensitive Skin Care Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “instantly soothed my skin — Lancôme Génifique Ultimate”
    • “Doesn't sting my eyes — Lancôme Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover”
  • Acne Clearing and Pores Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “cleared my bumps — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “Helped clear my cystic acne — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
    • “pores look smaller — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
  • High Price and Value Issues Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “Sooooo expensive — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
    • “super expensive — Lancôme Absolue Precious Oil”
    • “expensive as hell — Lancôme RÉNERGIE”
  • Irritation, Dryness, and Breakouts Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “didn't notice much change in wrinkles — Lancôme Génifique Ultimate”
    • “Leaves a greasy film — Lancôme Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover”
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Lancôme Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate”
    • “peeling and flaking — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
  • Scent, Residue, and Texture Flaws Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “smells like hot dog water — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “My only issue with it is the fragrance. — Lancôme Hydra Zen Gel Cream”
    • “scent is too strong — Lancôme Absolue Revitalizing Eye Cream”

Paula's Choice vs Lancôme routines for dry skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · $198.70 · 84% fitBuy Lancôme routine · $370.99 · 63% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Paula's Choice vs Lancôme routines for oily skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · $384.42 · 89% fitBuy Lancôme routine · $659.39 · 67% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Paula's Choice vs Lancôme routines for combination skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · $353.90 · 89% fitBuy Lancôme routine · $493.87 · 66% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Lancôme: which is better?

Paula's Choice is generally better for acne, pores, and brightening, while Lancôme is often favored for deep hydration and pleasant scent. Across all skin types, Lovi fit for Paula's Choice is High and for Lancôme is Average.

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

Paula's Choice has High routine fit across all skin types, whereas Lancome has Average routine fit across all skin types. Paula's Choice delivers better results for acne, pores, skin smoothing, brightening, and tone, while Lancome offers better deep hydration and texture and absorption.

Paula's Choice or Lancôme for dry skin?

Paula's Choice is a better fit for dry skin, offering High routine fit compared to Lancôme's Average fit. The products on this page help deliver deep hydration with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Paula's Choice cleansers generally fit oily, acne-prone, and combination skin with a Superior level, whereas the products on this page for Lancôme include formulas that may present warnings for multiple skin types. Paula's Choice helps clear pores and soothe the skin, while every product on its page lists no fragrance.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Lancôme share a high price point among the products on this page.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Paula's Choice or Lancôme?

Paula's Choice has more fragrance-free products, as every product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, while only 3 of the 14 products on Lancôme's page are fragrance-free.

Paula's Choice or Lancôme: which brand is better for brightening and reducing dark spots?

Paula's Choice is better for brightening and reducing dark spots, as the products on this page frequently use targeted ingredients like niacinamide and vitamin C to help even out skin tone. Lovi rates Paula's Choice as having a High routine fit for skin with dark spots.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Paula's Choice or Lancôme for oily skin?

Paula's Choice is a better fit for oily skin, as Lovi rates its routine as High while Lancôme's routine is rated Average. Paula's Choice offers multiple fragrance-free products on this page tailored for oily and acne-prone skin, whereas most of Lancôme's products on this page include fragrance.

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

Paula's Choice moisturizers are generally a better fit, offering High routine fits for specific skin types compared to the lower ratings seen across Lancôme products on this page.

Paula's Choice or Lancôme for sensitive skin?

Paula's Choice is a better fit for sensitive skin, achieving a High routine fit level compared to Lancôme's Average. The products on this page for Paula's Choice list no fragrance in their ingredients, whereas most Lancôme products include fragrance.

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

Paula's Choice is a better fit for acne-prone skin, with the products on this page achieving a High routine fit compared to Lancôme's Average fit. Paula's Choice features targeted treatments like exfoliants and cleansers that help with acne clearing and pores, while every product on its page lists no fragrance.

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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