🇺🇸United States

Paula's Choice vs Simple

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

Paula's Choice and Simple are established skincare brands offering distinct approaches to daily care. Paula's Choice relies on serums, cleansers, moisturizers, and toners featuring hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin C to suit oily and combination skin best. Conversely, Simple provides gentle moisturizers, makeup removers, cleansers, and toners enriched with niacinamide and glycerin that are well-suited for acne-prone and oily skin. While both brands utilize glycerin to improve skin hydration and barrier function, the American brand focuses on targeted treatments with acids and retinol, whereas the British brand emphasizes soothing, balanced formulations.

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

Simple is a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.

en.wikipedia.orgsec.govprnewswire.comsimple.co.uk

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

Popular Paula's Choice vs Simple products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceSimple
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Does not cause any form of irritation on the skin which I love. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The only cleanser that doesn't turn my face red. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “no artificial perfume — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “Finally a vitamin C product I can use — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
  • Lightweight and fast absorbing texture 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”
    • “sinks in instantly — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
  • Smoothes skin texture and fades dark spots Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “pores look smaller — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
  • Gentle, non-stripping daily cleansing Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Takes off any makeup residue and makes my face feel refreshed. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Instantly boosts skin's hydration... face doesn't feel dry and tight. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Love that it has absolutely no scent. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “Doesn't strip my skin — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
  • Convenient and affordable value Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “great value for money — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
    • “super affordable — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “No need to rinse... perfect for traveling or lazy nights. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Effective hydration and non-greasy feel Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “banished dryness within days — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “cleared up my dry patches — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
    • “absorbs super fast — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • High price and small bottle size Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “I have to use 4-5 cotton pads to get clean. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • Causes purging, breakouts or irritation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Gave me tiny bumps on my forehead. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “caused major breakouts — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “Gave me tiny red spots — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “peeling and flaking — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
  • Sticky residue or unpleasant scent Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Feels slimy on skin — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “Still feeling a little bit of a film on my skin. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Smells like chemicals — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”

Paula's Choice vs Simple routines for dry skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · $198.70 · 84% fitBuy Simple routine · $128.28 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Paula's Choice vs Simple routines for oily skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · $384.42 · 89% fitBuy Simple routine · $280.29 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Paula's Choice vs Simple routines for combination skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · $353.90 · 89% fitBuy Simple routine · $259.77 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Simple: which is better?

Paula's Choice and Simple perform equally well overall, as Lovi rates their routines as having an equal level of fit across all skin types. Paula's Choice helps smooth skin texture and provides lightweight, fast-absorbing serums, whereas Simple is more gentle on sensitive skin and offers convenient, affordable value.

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

Paula's Choice offers a wider range of targeted specialty serums and exfoliants with ingredients like salicylic acid and retinol, while Simple focuses on gentle, value-friendly basics like micellar waters and simple moisturizers. Both brands are owned by Unilever and offer fragrance-free products on this page.

Paula's Choice or Simple for dry skin?

Paula's Choice and Simple both provide a High routine fit for dry skin on the products on this page. Paula's Choice helps with targeted anti-aging serums and a wider array of specialty ingredients like hyaluronic acid, while Simple is known for offering gentle, value-friendly moisture.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Paula's Choice offers cleansers on this page that reach a Superior Lovi fit level for oily and acne-prone skin, whereas Simple cleansers on this page achieve only an Average or Low fit for those skin types.

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

Simple is more affordable, offering convenient and budget-friendly value across the products on this page compared to Paula's Choice, which reviewers note for its high price.

Between Paula's Choice and Simple, which brand has been founded earlier?

Simple was founded earlier in 1960 in the United Kingdom, whereas Paula's Choice was founded in 1995 in the United States.

Which brand's products have key ingredients that include Hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C?

Paula's Choice products on this page include Hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C as key ingredients, whereas Simple products do not list them.

How do the review themes compare regarding gentle on sensitive skin between Paula's Choice and Simple?

Simple does better than Paula's Choice regarding being gentle on sensitive skin.

Paula's Choice or Simple for oily skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Simple achieve a High routine fit for oily skin, making them equally well-suited options on this page.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Simple offer products with an equal routine fit for moisturizers on this page. Paula's Choice is known for lightweight and fast-absorbing textures, while Simple is noted for value-friendly and effective hydration.

Paula's Choice or Simple for sensitive skin?

Both brands offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin on the products on this page. Paula's Choice helps smooth texture, while Simple is noted as gentle on sensitive skin.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Simple achieve a High routine fit for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Paula's Choice features targeted exfoliants like salicylic acid, while Simple offers gentle, value-friendly cleansers and micellar waters.

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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