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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 two skincare lines built around thoughtful formulations for diverse complexions. The American brand developed by its founder in 1995 and owned by Unilever since 2021 offers serums, cleansers, moisturizers, toners, and more, built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, suiting combination skin and oily skin best. Meanwhile, the second brand is warmly loved for its targeted moisturizers, eye products, serums, cleansers, and more, which thoughtfully pair niacinamide and glycerin, suiting acne-prone skin and mature skin best. Both options differ primarily in their core ingredient profiles 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

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

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Paula's Choice vs Olay routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Paula's Choice vs Olay routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Olay: which is better?

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer a High routine fit across all skin types, with Paula's Choice excelling in glow and brightening while Olay provides more intense hydration. Reviewers note that Paula's Choice features fragrance-free products across its whole page, whereas Olay has strong scent issues in some products.

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

Paula's Choice and Olay both deliver a High routine fit across all skin types, but they differ in reviewer highlights where Paula's Choice helps with glow and brightening while Olay provides more intense and deep hydration. The products on this page for both brands feature key ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, which help improve skin quality and combat signs of aging.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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 features fragrance-free products with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, while Olay provides options known for intense hydration, though one toner on this page contains fragrance.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer cleansers with high fit levels for oily and acne-prone skin types on this page. Reviewers note that Paula's Choice products feature completely fragrance-free formulas across the entire range, whereas Olay includes options with fragrance.

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

Olay does better on the price point than Paula's Choice, while the products on this page for both brands share an High routine fit across all skin types.

Paula's Choice or Olay: which brand offers better options for glow, brightening, and even tone?

Paula's Choice offers better options for glow, brightening, and even tone. The products on this page help improve skin brightness and pigmentation through ingredients like niacinamide and vitamin C.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Which brand has more fragrance issues, Paula's Choice or Olay?

Olay has more fragrance issues than Paula's Choice, as Olay reviewers sometimes note scent problems and one Olay toner contains fragrance, whereas every Paula's Choice product on this page lists no fragrance.

Paula's Choice or Olay: which brand is better for anti-aging and firming?

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer an equal level of anti-aging and firming benefits for the products on this page. Retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

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

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 formulas across the products on this page, while Olay is often noted for providing intense hydration.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer moisturizers with a High routine fit for all skin types. Olay is better for intense hydration, while Paula's Choice helps improve glow and even skin tone across the products on this page.

Paula's Choice or Olay for sensitive skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer a High routine fit level for sensitive skin based on the products on this page. Paula's Choice provides entirely fragrance-free formulations across its range, while Olay features mostly fragrance-free options alongside a few scented products.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer sunscreens on their pages, with routine fits that are equal. Paula's Choice features the Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50, while Olay provides options such as the Regenerist Whip Face Moisturizer SPF 25 and Complete All Day Moisturizer SPF 15.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer a High routine fit for acne-prone skin. Paula's Choice features fragrance-free formulas and includes targeted ingredients like salicylic acid, while Olay provides intense hydration with options containing niacinamide.

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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