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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 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 · 97% fit

Paula's Choice vs Olay routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% 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 brands offer products on this page that perform well, with Olay achieving a Superior routine fit for sensitive and mature skin while Paula's Choice achieves a High fit for those skin types. Reviewers note that Paula's Choice is better for glow, brightening, and even tone, whereas Olay provides more intense and deep hydration.

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

Paula's Choice and Olay both offer high fit levels across most skin types, though Olay provides superior routine fit for sensitive and mature skin. Paula's Choice performs better for glow, brightening, and even tone, whereas Olay excels in intense and deep hydration. Paula's Choice features fragrance-free products on this page, while Olay has a few scent issues.

Paula's Choice or Olay for dry skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer a High routine fit level for dry skin. Paula's Choice features fragrance-free formulas across the products on this page, while Olay is noted by reviewers for providing intense and deep hydration.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Drug Delivery, 2017

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

Paula's Choice offers a cleaner overall formulation across the products on this page, as every item is completely fragrance-free, whereas Olay includes fragrance in one toner. Both brands provide effective cleansing options with strong fit levels for various skin types.

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

Olay is more affordable, as Paula's Choice faces frequent feedback regarding its high price point.

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

Paula's Choice and Olay perform equally well for anti-aging and firming according to reviewers. Both brands offer products on this page that help improve mature skin.

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

Which brand offers more fragrance-free options, Paula's Choice or Olay?

Paula's Choice offers slightly more fragrance-free options because every product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas Olay has 26 of 27 products fragrance-free with one fragranced option.

How do Paula's Choice and Olay compare regarding hydration and skin texture improvement?

Both Paula's Choice and Olay are equal when it comes to improving skin texture for the products on this page. However, Olay provides more intense and deep hydration compared to Paula's Choice.

Paula's Choice or Olay for oily skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer a high routine fit for oily skin. Paula's Choice features fragrance-free products on this page and is noted for its glow and brightening effects.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer sunscreens on this page with similar routine fit levels for various skin types. Olay provides intense hydration, while Paula's Choice focuses on anti-aging and brightening benefits.

Paula's Choice or Olay for sensitive skin?

Olay is a Superior fit for sensitive skin, while Paula's Choice is a High fit.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Olay fit acne-prone skin at a High level on this page. Paula's Choice features fragrance-free products with ingredients like salicylic acid, while Olay offers options that provide intensive hydration and gentle care.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2013

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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