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The Ordinary vs Paula's Choice

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

The Ordinary and Paula's Choice are well-known skincare brands that offer serums, cleansers, moisturizers, toners, and more. The Canadian brand centers its formulations around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting dry and sensitive skin best, while the American brand relies on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin C to suit combination and oily skin. Both labels address specific concerns effectively, though they differ in their foundational ingredients and targeted skin types.

The Ordinary is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021.

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

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 The Ordinary and Paula's Choice products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular The Ordinary vs Paula's Choice products

People Say

The OrdinaryPaula's Choice
  • Smoothes skin texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “skin is insanely soft — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
  • Clears acne and blemishes Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “scars and hormonal acne faded — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “faded dark spots — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “Helped clear my cystic acne — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
  • Great value and affordability Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “lasts forever — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “can't beat the price — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “extremely affordable — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy residue behind. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”
    • “absorbs instantly — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “watery consistency — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Finally a cleanser that doesn't sting my face. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “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”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “leaves my skin radiant and clear — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “Provides an internal level of hydration without leaving any heavy finish. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
    • “skin looks plumper — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
  • High price point Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Unpleasant scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Smells like vinegar — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “smell is unbearable — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “has a slight chemical smell — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Breakouts and purging Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “gave me cystic acne — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin purged — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
  • Small tube size and packaging Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “The 50ml tube runs out way too fast. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Wish it came in a pump — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”

The Ordinary vs Paula's Choice routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Paula's Choice routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Paula's Choice routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice: which is better?

The products on this page show that both brands offer effective options, with Lovi rating The Ordinary superior for all skin types and Paula's Choice high for most skin types. Reviewers note that The Ordinary is more affordable, while Paula's Choice provides lighter absorption.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Paula's Choice?

The Ordinary offers better affordability and value, whereas Paula's Choice provides more lightweight absorption in the products on this page. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice for dry skin?

The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit for dry skin, whereas Paula's Choice has a High routine fit. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and signs of skin aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice: which cleanser is better?

Both The Ordinary and Paula's Choice offer cleansers that fit skin types well, with the products on this page providing gentle cleansing options. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides greater value and affordability, while Paula's Choice features lightweight absorption.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Paula's Choice?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers better value and affordability than Paula's Choice. Reviewers frequently note high prices as a drawback for Paula's Choice, whereas affordability is a commonly praised benefit for The Ordinary.

Which brand has more affordable serums according to reviewers?

Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers more affordable serums and great value compared to Paula's Choice.

Do The Ordinary products contain fragrance?

The products on this page for The Ordinary list no fragrance in their ingredients.

What key ingredients are found across Paula's Choice products?

The key ingredients across Paula's Choice products on this page include hyaluronic acid, glycerin, vitamin c, licorice root, niacinamide, salicylic acid, green tea, and vitamin e.

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice for oily skin?

For oily skin, both brands work well, with Lovi giving The Ordinary a Superior routine fit and Paula's Choice a High fit. The products on this page from The Ordinary help with acne-clearing and offer great value, while Paula's Choice offers lightweight absorption.

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and Paula's Choice offer moisturizers on this page that help hydrate and support the skin barrier, with Niacinamide and Hyaluronic acid helping to improve overall skin quality and moisture retention. Lovi rates the routine fit for moisturizers from The Ordinary as Superior and from Paula's Choice as High across multiple skin types.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice for sensitive skin?

Lovi shows that both The Ordinary and Paula's Choice fit sensitive skin with a Superior routine fit. Niacinamide helps control skin aging and pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary is rated Superior for acne-prone skin, compared to Paula's Choice which is rated High. The products on this page help clear acne and blemishes, making them a strong option for breakout-prone skin.

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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