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Paula's Choice vs Dermalogica

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

Paula's Choice and Dermalogica are American skincare brands owned by Unilever. The brands offer targeted serums, nourishing moisturizers, gentle cleansers, and more, formulated with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and salicylic acid. Both suit combination skin and oily skin best, while differing in their specific standout treatments for acne-prone, dark spot, and mature skin concerns. Paula's Choice relies on glycerin to significantly increase skin hydration, whereas Dermalogica utilizes salicylic acid to reduce acne lesion counts.

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

Dermalogica is an American skincare brand founded in 1986 and owned by Unilever since 2015.

en.wikipedia.orgcosmeticsbusiness.com

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

Popular Paula's Choice vs Dermalogica products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceDermalogica
  • Improving skin texture and smoothness Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “skin is insanely soft — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “skin never been this silky — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “skin feels smooth as silk — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
  • Fast absorption and lightweight feel Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy residue behind. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”
    • “watery consistency — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
    • “blends seamlessly — Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50”
    • “feels like nothing — Dermalogica Active Moist”
  • Glow, radiance and brightening Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “Discoloration almost gone — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
    • “spots barely visible — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “immediately brighter looking — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
  • Unclogging pores and clearing acne Mostly MentionedRarely 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”
    • “Brings out all the gunk — Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask”
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Saved my dry skin — Dermalogica Super Rich Repair”
    • “super hydrating — Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque”
    • “skin feels hydrated — Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance”
  • Reduces redness and soothes skin Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “helps calm and nourish my skin — Dermalogica Stabilizing Repair Cream”
    • “The redness is better — Dermalogica Stabilizing Repair Cream”
    • “Calms redness — Dermalogica Super Rich Repair”
    • “calmed redness immediately — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • High price and expensive size Often 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”
    • “hefty price tag — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
  • Unpleasant smell or scent Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “smells like hot dog water — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “smells like puke — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
    • “smells like medicine — Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50”
  • Purging, breakouts and skin reactions Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Cystic acne flare-ups — Dermalogica Precleanse”
    • “Caused cystic acne — Dermalogica Super Rich Repair”
    • “gave me acne — Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel”
    • “skin purged — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
  • Packaging issues and leaks Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “dropper leaks — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “dropper can be unpredictable — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
    • “Leaky pump — Dermalogica Precleanse”
    • “pump dispenses too much — Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel”

Paula's Choice vs Dermalogica routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Paula's Choice vs Dermalogica routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Paula's Choice vs Dermalogica routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Dermalogica: which is better?

Both brands are great choices, as Dermalogica achieves a superior routine fit for oily and combination skin, while Paula's Choice excels in improving skin texture and clearing acne. Hyaluronic acid helps provide deep hydration across the products on this page.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Dermalogica is better for oily and combination skin with a Superior Lovi fit level, whereas Paula's Choice is High for both. Both brands are owned by Unilever and offer fragrance-free products on this page, but Dermalogica may help more with deep hydration while Paula's Choice is better for improving skin texture.

Paula's Choice or Dermalogica for dry skin?

Both brands offer a High routine fit for dry skin, with Paula's Choice featuring fragrance-free products rich in hyaluronic acid and glycerin. Dermalogica also performs well here, though reviewers note it is particularly known for deep hydration and soothing moisturizers.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Both Paula's Choice and Dermalogica offer highly rated cleansers, such as the CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser from Paula's Choice and the Special Cleansing Gel from Dermalogica, which both provide a Superior fit for oily acne-prone skin on this page. Reviewers note that Dermalogica cleansers help provide gentle, non-stripping results.

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

Both brands are frequently noted by reviewers for having a high price point. Paula's Choice is specifically mentioned for having an expensive size and high price.

Between Paula's Choice and Dermalogica, which brand is better for improving skin texture and smoothness?

Paula's Choice does better than Dermalogica for improving skin texture and smoothness based on the products on this page. Topical retinol and niacinamide help smooth skin texture and reduce signs of aging.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Antioxidants, 2021

How do Paula's Choice and Dermalogica compare when it comes to deep hydration and moisturization?

When it comes to deep hydration and moisturization, Dermalogica does better than Paula's Choice according to reviewer feedback on this page. Topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and hydration signs, which is a key ingredient featured across products from both brands.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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. Review themes show that the products on this page for Paula's Choice excel in unclogging pores and clearing acne compared to Dermalogica.

Paula's Choice or Dermalogica for oily skin?

Dermalogica is the better choice for oily skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to the High fit level for Paula's Choice. Reviewers also note that Dermalogica delivers deep hydration and soothing moisturizers without feeling greasy.

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

Both brands offer moisturizers that help different skin concerns, with Dermalogica standing out for deep hydration and soothing benefits, while Paula's Choice excels in anti-aging and smoothing textures. For dry skin, both brands provide high routine fit levels, though Dermalogica is especially noted for intense moisturization.

Paula's Choice or Dermalogica for sensitive skin?

Both brands are a High fit for sensitive skin on this page, with every product listing no fragrance in its ingredients. Paula's Choice helps improve skin texture and brightening, while Dermalogica is noted for deep hydration and soothing moisturizers.

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

Both brands offer solid options for sunscreen on the products on this page, with the Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 from Paula's Choice and the Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50 from Dermalogica both achieving a High fit for dry skin. Topical application of hyaluronic acid, which is featured in these lines, helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Paula's Choice is a great choice for acne-prone skin, as the products on this page achieve a High routine fit for this skin type and help clear acne effectively. Reviewers note that Paula's Choice performs better at unclogging pores and clearing acne compared to Dermalogica.

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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