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Paula's Choice vs Olay

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

Paula's Choice and Olay are established skincare lines offering serums, cleansers, moisturizers, and toners. Paula's Choice relies on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, suiting oily and combination skin best with targeted options for acne, dark spots, and mature concerns. Meanwhile, Olay features nourishing niacinamide and glycerin to care for sensitive and acne-prone skin through dedicated eye products, creams, and more. While the first brand centers on formulations for specific complexions, both utilize ingredients like glycerin to support hydration.

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 Olay products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Paula's Choice vs Olay products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceOlay
  • Improves Skin Texture Mostly 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 feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Skin feels like silk — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorption Mostly 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”
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “absorbs quickly — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
  • Glow, Brightening and Even Tone Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formula 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”
    • “doesn't strip my skin — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
    • “fragrance-free — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
  • Intense and Deep Hydration Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “hydrates the skin — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “My skin feels so hydrated and plump. — Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum”
  • Anti-Aging and Firming Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “skin looks plumper — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
    • “softens lines and wrinkles — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “clears up puffiness — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “Helps my skin and eye wrinkles — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
  • High Price Point Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “expensive for drugstore — Olay Super Serum”
    • “expensive — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “small quantity (0.5 oz) — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Packaging Issues and Flaws 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”
    • “hard to dispense — Olay Super Serum”
  • Unpleasant Smell and Scent Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “smells like plastic — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Smells like plastic — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “too perfumey — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”

Paula's Choice vs Olay routines for dry skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · $198.70 · 84% fitBuy Olay routine · $154.40 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Paula's Choice vs Olay routines for oily skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · $384.42 · 89% fitBuy Olay routine · $296.19 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Paula's Choice vs Olay routines for combination skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · $353.90 · 89% fitBuy Olay routine · $286.61 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Olay: which is better?

Both brands provide a High routine fit across all skin types on these pages. Paula's Choice tends to do better for glow and brightening, while Olay delivers stronger deep hydration and a lower price point.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer high routine fit across all skin types, but they differ in reviews and formulation highlights. Paula's Choice excels in glow and brightening, whereas Olay is noted for intense hydration.

Paula's Choice or Olay for dry skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer a High routine fit for dry skin. Paula's Choice helps deliver hydration using ingredients like hyaluronic acid, while Olay provides intense and deep hydration with options such as Regenerist Ultra Rich Hydrating Moisturizer.

Drug Delivery, 2017

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

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer a range of cleansers with varying fit levels for different skin types, making neither brand universally superior. For instance, the products on this page show that the CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser from Paula's Choice achieves a Superior fit for oily and acne-prone skin, whereas Olay's Regenerating Cream Cleanser provides a High fit for acne-prone skin.

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

Olay is more affordable, as Paula's Choice has a high price point.

Between Paula's Choice and Olay, which brand offers better results for anti-aging and firming?

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer equal anti-aging and firming results, as both brands achieve a High routine fit level for mature skin. Ingredients like retinol help stimulate collagen accumulation in aged skin.

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

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

Both brands offer entirely fragrance-free options for the products on this page, except for one Olay toner that lists fragrance in its ingredients. Every Paula's Choice product on the page lists no fragrance.

Which brand performs better for glow, brightening, and achieving an even skin tone?

Paula's Choice performs better for glow, brightening, and achieving an even skin tone. Both brands feature helpful ingredients like niacinamide, which may reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Paula's Choice or Olay for oily skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer a High routine fit level for oily skin. Paula's Choice features fragrance-free products on this page, while Olay is noted for intense hydration.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer moisturizers on this page with a high fit for various skin types. Reviewers note that Olay excels in providing intense hydration, while Paula's Choice is often recognized for its anti-aging serums.

Paula's Choice or Olay for sensitive skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin. Paula's Choice features fragrance-free products on this page, while Olay has a mix of fragrance-free and scented options.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer sunscreens on the products on this page, but neither brand is distinctly rated higher than the other for sun protection. Olay provides options like the Regenerist Whip Face Moisturizer SPF 25, while Paula's Choice includes the Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer high routine fit levels for acne-prone skin, so either brand helps depending on your specific preferences. Paula's Choice features fragrance-free formulas across all the products on this page, whereas Olay provides intense hydration and lightweight feel.

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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