🇩🇪Germany

Paula's Choice vs Augustinus Bader

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

Paula's Choice and Augustinus Bader are established skincare houses defined by distinct philosophies and active ingredients. The American brand, founded in 1995 and owned by Unilever since 2021, focuses on serums, cleansers, moisturizers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin C, making it best suited for combination and oily skin. Meanwhile, the German brand founded in 2018 is loved for moisturizers, serums, and eye products that suit dry and mature skin through its proprietary preparations. These two labels ultimately differ in their foundational ingredients and the specific skin types they target.

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

Augustinus Bader is a German skincare brand founded in 2018.

augustinusbader.combeautymatter.compitchbook.com

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

Popular Paula's Choice vs Augustinus Bader products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceAugustinus Bader
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing formula Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “light but nourishing — Augustinus Bader The Cream”
    • “sinks in instantly — Augustinus Bader The Serum”
    • “light gel texture — Augustinus Bader The Eye Cream”
    • “Absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy residue behind. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”
  • Smoothes skin texture and refines 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”
    • “Softens fine lines — Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream”
    • “skin is smoother — Augustinus Bader The Cream”
  • Glow, radiance and brightening Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Instant youthful glow — Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream”
    • “Instantly hydrated — Augustinus Bader The Face Oil”
    • “healthy glow — Augustinus Bader The Serum”
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
  • Deep hydration Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Extremely dry skin saved — Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream”
    • “instantly refreshing — Augustinus Bader The Eye Cream”
  • Anti-aging and firming results Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “skin looks plumper — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
    • “softens lines and wrinkles — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “improved neck texture — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “crow's feet softened — Augustinus Bader The Eye Cream”
  • Unclogs pores and clears acne Often 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”
    • “heals blemishes faster — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
  • High price and expensive for size Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “Sooooo expensive — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
    • “expensive for body lotion — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • Skin purging, breakouts and irritation Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin purged — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “burnt skin off — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “Caused cystic acne — Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream”
    • “bumps on forehead — Augustinus Bader The Cream”
  • 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”
    • “excessive packaging — Augustinus Bader The Serum”
  • Unpleasant smell or scent Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Smells like old crayons — Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream”
    • “Smells like vegetable oil — Augustinus Bader The Face Oil”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”

Paula's Choice vs Augustinus Bader routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Paula's Choice vs Augustinus Bader routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Paula's Choice vs Augustinus Bader routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Augustinus Bader: which is better?

Paula's Choice and Augustinus Bader both offer fragrance-free products, but Augustinus Bader is rated Superior for routine fit across all skin types while Paula's Choice is rated High. Paula's Choice is better for unclogging pores and anti-aging results, whereas Augustinus Bader delivers better glow, deep hydration, and lightweight formulas.

What is the difference between Paula's Choice and Augustinus Bader?

Paula's Choice is better suited for targeting anti-aging and clearing acne, whereas Augustinus Bader excels at providing deep hydration and radiance. Paula's Choice features a wide range of targeted serums and exfoliants, while Augustinus Bader focuses on luxurious moisturizers powered by its proprietary TFC8 ingredient.

Paula's Choice or Augustinus Bader for dry skin?

Augustinus Bader is a superior fit for dry skin, offering deep hydration and lightweight moisturizers. Paula's Choice is also a high fit for dry skin, providing targeted options like hydrating toners and nourishing serums formulated with ingredients such as hyaluronic acid.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Paula's Choice or Augustinus Bader: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer moisturizers for different goals, as Augustinus Bader focuses on deep hydration and radiance while Paula's Choice emphasizes anti-aging and clearing acne. Lovi finds Augustinus Bader's routine fit is Superior for dry skin compared to Paula's Choice's High fit level.

Which is more affordable, Paula's Choice or Augustinus Bader?

Paula's Choice is more affordable than Augustinus Bader, though both brands are frequently noted by reviewers for having a high price. Review data indicates that Paula's Choice is considered expensive for its size, while Augustinus Bader is commonly described as having an extreme price.

Between Paula's Choice and Augustinus Bader, which brand is better for anti-aging and firming results?

Paula's Choice is better for anti-aging and firming results. Retinol helps reduce signs of aging by supporting collagen production in the skin.

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

How do the founding years and corporate ownership of Paula's Choice and Augustinus Bader compare?

Paula's Choice was founded in the United States in 1995 and has been owned by Unilever since 2021, whereas Augustinus Bader was founded in Germany in 2018 and is independently owned.

Which brand performs better for unclogging pores and clearing acne according to review themes?

Paula's Choice performs better for unclogging pores and clearing acne.

Paula's Choice or Augustinus Bader for oily skin?

For oily skin, Paula's Choice and Augustinus Bader both achieve a Superior routine fit on Lovi. Paula's Choice helps unclog pores and clear acne better, while Augustinus Bader provides lighter, faster-absorbing moisturizers and better glow.

Paula's Choice or Augustinus Bader for sensitive skin?

Paula's Choice and Augustinus Bader both achieve a Superior Lovi fit level for sensitive skin. Paula's Choice helps with anti-aging and clearing acne, while Augustinus Bader helps provide deep hydration and radiance.

Paula's Choice or Augustinus Bader for acne-prone skin?

Paula's Choice is a better option for acne-prone skin because it excels at unclogging pores and clearing acne. Reviewers mention that Paula's Choice helps with breakouts, while Augustinus Bader is sometimes noted to cause them.

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play