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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 established skincare brands, founded respectively in America in 1995 and France in 1935. The American brand offers serums, cleansers, moisturizers, toners, and more, built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, suiting combination skin and oily skin best. Conversely, the French brand 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 to suit sensitive skin and mature skin best. While both utilize key ingredients like glycerin to significantly increase skin hydration and restore barrier function, they differ in their heritage, foundational active ingredients, and ideal skin types.

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

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Paula's Choice vs Lancôme routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Paula's Choice vs Lancôme routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Lancôme: which is better?

Paula's Choice and Lancôme are both great, with Paula's Choice standing out for acne, pores, and brightening, while Lancôme excels in hydration and deep moisture. Paula's Choice features fragrance-free formulas across the products on this page, whereas many Lancôme products contain added fragrance.

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

Paula's Choice focuses on targeted ingredient treatments that help with skin-smoothing, brightening, and acne clearing, whereas Lancôme is known for deep hydration and luxurious moisturizers. Paula's Choice products on this page list no fragrance, while many Lancôme products include fragrance.

Paula's Choice or Lancôme for dry skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Lancôme achieve a High routine fit for dry skin. Paula's Choice offers products on this page with fragrance-free formulas, while Lancôme provides deep hydration and a pleasant scent.

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

Paula's Choice is better for cleansers on this page, as its CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser fits oily and acne-prone skin best with a Superior rating, whereas Lancôme's Crème Radiance receives a Warning for all skin types.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Lancôme share high price as a frequently mentioned drawback by reviewers on the products on this page.

Which brand has no fragrance in every product, Paula's Choice or Lancôme?

Paula's Choice has no fragrance in every product on this page, while Lancôme includes fragrance in most of its products.

Paula's Choice or Lancôme for oily skin?

Both brands achieve a High routine fit for oily skin, but Paula's Choice is often preferred for acne-clearing benefits and pore care. Reviewers note that Lancôme offers deep hydration and fast-absorbing moisturizers, while Paula's Choice focuses on targeted serums and texture improvement.

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

Paula's Choice and Lancôme both offer effective moisturizers, with Paula's Choice providing fragrance-free formulas while Lancôme focuses on deep hydration and lightweight textures. For dry skin, the products on this page show that both brands achieve a High routine fit.

Paula's Choice or Lancôme for sensitive skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Lancôme fit sensitive skin at a High level on the products on this page. Paula's Choice is fragrance-free across its range, while Lancôme includes fragrance in most of its formulas.

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

Paula's Choice is better suited for acne-prone skin because the products on this page achieve a High routine fit and focus specifically on acne clearing and pores. Lancôme also reaches a High routine fit for acne-prone skin, but Paula's Choice is rated higher for clearing acne and improving pores.

Paula's Choice or Lancôme for mature skin?

Paula's Choice is a better fit for mature skin, achieving a High routine fit compared to Lanc$$$'s Average fit on this page. Retinol helps reduce signs of aging and stimulates collagen accumulation in mature skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Paula's Choice or Lancôme for skin with dark spots?

Both Paula's Choice and Lancôme achieve a High routine fit for skin with dark spots, but Paula's Choice is often preferred for brightening and tone. Niacinamide, featured across Paula's Choice products on this page, helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

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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