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Paula's Choice vs Allies of Skin

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

Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin are skincare brands that offer serums, cleansers, moisturizers, toners, and eye products. The American brand, founded in 1995 and owned by Unilever since 2021, builds its products around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, while the other brand infuses key ingredients like niacinamide. Both brands suit oily skin best, though the first brand also fits combination skin and the second brand suits dry skin. They differ in their formulations and specific product strengths for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin.

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 Allies of Skin products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Paula's Choice vs Allies of Skin products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceAllies of Skin
  • Absorption and Texture Feel 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”
    • “watery consistency — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
    • “sinks easily into damp skin — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”
  • Pores and Texture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “cleared my bumps — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “pores look smaller — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
    • “Woke up looking well-rested — Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream”
  • Glow, Radiance, and Tone Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “gives skin an instant dewy glow — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Helped clear my cystic acne — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
    • “heals blemishes faster — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “Removes all my makeup easily — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
    • “Dramatic impact on acne — Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream”
  • Deep Hydration and Plumping Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “nourished and hydrated — Allies of Skin Peptides & Omegas Firming Eye Cream”
    • “more like a spray serum — Allies of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist”
    • “Skin feels hydrated — Allies of Skin Copper Tripeptide & Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum”
    • “Provides an internal level of hydration without leaving any heavy finish. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formulation 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”
    • “Best retinol for sensitive skin — Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream”
    • “feels super soothing, doesn't trigger redness — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”
  • High Price and Value 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”
    • “Pricey — Allies of Skin Copper Tripeptide & Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum”
  • Packaging Issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “dropper leaks — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “pump head is fixed — Allies of Skin Peptides & Omegas Firming Eye Cream”
    • “bad spritz mechanism — Allies of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist”
  • Unpleasant Scent or Smell Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Distinct rancid smell — Allies of Skin Copper Tripeptide & Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum”
    • “gives a weird fermented stench — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Ineffective Results Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Did not notice any difference in my pores. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
    • “did nothing — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
    • “still not impressed with the results — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”

Paula's Choice vs Allies of Skin routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Paula's Choice vs Allies of Skin routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Paula's Choice vs Allies of Skin routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Allies of Skin: which is better?

Both brands are great choices, as Lovi rates their routines as High or Superior across all skin types. Paula's Choice is often noted for absorption, texture, and blemish control, whereas Allies of Skin excels in deep hydration and plumping.

What is the difference between Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin?

Paula's Choice offers a wider range of fragrance-free products on this page and is often noted for targeting pores and blemishes, whereas Allies of Skin excels in deep hydration and plumping for the products on this page.

Paula's Choice or Allies of Skin for dry skin?

Allies of Skin is rated a Superior fit for dry skin, while Paula's Choice is rated High, making Allies of Skin the better choice for this skin type.

Paula's Choice or Allies of Skin: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer solid options, but Allies of Skin focuses heavily on deep hydration and plumping for the moisturizers on this page. Reviewers note that Allies of Skin provides gentle, effective moisturizers, while Paula's Choice features popular formulas like the Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer.

Which is more affordable, Paula's Choice or Allies of Skin?

Reviewers note that Paula's Choice has a high price and value, while Allies of Skin features a high price point as a negative theme across the products on this page.

Between Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin, which brand performs better for acne and blemish control?

Paula's Choice performs better for acne and blemish control, as reviewers note it does better for acne and blemish control.

Which brand has a better routine fit for mature skin according to the reviews?

Both Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin achieve a High routine fit for mature skin, with Allies of Skin also reaching Superior. Reviewers note that Allies of Skin provides effective anti-aging and brightening serums as well as gentle moisturizers.

What are the main negative review themes associated with Allies of Skin compared to Paula's Choice?

Reviewers on this page frequently mention high price points and packaging issues for both brands, while Allies of Skin is specifically associated with an unpleasant scent or smell. Paula's Choice, by comparison, often faces user feedback regarding ineffective results.

Paula's Choice or Allies of Skin for oily skin?

Both brands are great choices for oily skin, with Allies of Skin rated Superior and Paula's Choice rated High for this skin type. Paula's Choice excels in acne and blemish control as well as pore refinement, whereas Allies of Skin focuses on deep hydration and plumping for the products on this page.

Paula's Choice or Allies of Skin for sensitive skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin offer routines that Lovi rates as High for sensitive skin. Paula's Choice features fragrance-free formulas with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide that help calm the skin.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Paula's Choice or Allies of Skin for acne-prone skin?

Paula's Choice is a better fit for acne-prone skin, as the products on this page are rated Superior for this skin type.

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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