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Paula's Choice vs Simple

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

Paula's Choice and Simple are both Unilever-owned skincare brands offering thoughtful cleansers, toners, and moisturizers built around barrier-supporting glycerin and targeted actives like vitamin C, retinol, and niacinamide. Paula's Choice features serums, exfoliants, and treatments suited best to combination, oily, and acne-prone skin, whereas the British brand is deeply loved for its gentle makeup removers and micellar waters tailored to oily and acne-prone complexions. While both brands harness glycerin to significantly increase skin hydration and restore barrier function, they differ in their specific formulations and origins, with the American line established in 1995 and its counterpart founded in 1960.

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

Simple is a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.

en.wikipedia.orgsec.govprnewswire.comsimple.co.uk

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

Popular Paula's Choice vs Simple products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceSimple
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Does not cause any form of irritation on the skin which I love. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The only cleanser that doesn't turn my face red. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “no artificial perfume — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “Finally a vitamin C product I can use — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
  • Lightweight and fast absorbing texture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Provides an internal level of hydration without leaving any heavy finish. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
    • “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 instantly — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
  • Smoothes skin texture and fades dark spots Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “pores look smaller — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
  • Gentle, non-stripping daily cleansing Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Takes off any makeup residue and makes my face feel refreshed. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Instantly boosts skin's hydration... face doesn't feel dry and tight. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Love that it has absolutely no scent. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “Doesn't strip my skin — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
  • Convenient and affordable value Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “great value for money — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
    • “super affordable — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “No need to rinse... perfect for traveling or lazy nights. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Effective hydration and non-greasy feel Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “banished dryness within days — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “cleared up my dry patches — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
    • “absorbs super fast — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • High price and small bottle size Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “I have to use 4-5 cotton pads to get clean. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • Causes purging, breakouts or irritation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Gave me tiny bumps on my forehead. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “caused major breakouts — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “Gave me tiny red spots — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “peeling and flaking — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
  • Sticky residue or unpleasant scent Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Feels slimy on skin — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “Still feeling a little bit of a film on my skin. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Smells like chemicals — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”

Paula's Choice vs Simple routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Paula's Choice vs Simple routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Paula's Choice vs Simple routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Simple: which is better?

Both Paula's Choice and Simple achieve a High routine fit across all skin types on this page. Paula's Choice helps smooth skin texture and fade dark spots, while Simple is noted for gentle, non-stripping daily cleansing and value-friendly hydration.

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

Paula's Choice offers a wider range of active-focused serums and exfoliants that smooth skin texture and fade dark spots, whereas Simple focuses on gentle, value-friendly daily cleansers and makeup removers. Both brands provide an equal High routine fit across all skin types on this page.

Paula's Choice or Simple for dry skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Simple achieve a High routine fit for dry skin on this page. Paula's Choice helps address dry skin with targeted formulations like its Advanced Replenishing Toner, while Simple offers value-friendly moisturizers such as its Replenishing Rich Moisturiser.

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

Paula's Choice cleansers achieve a Superior Lovi fit level for oily and acne-prone skin types, whereas Simple cleansers reach an Average fit level. Simple cleanser formulas are noted for providing gentle, non-stripping daily cleansing.

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

Simple offers more convenient and affordable value than Paula's Choice, while Paula's Choice has a higher price.

Which brand has more products containing niacinamide, Paula's Choice or Simple?

Paula's Choice offers more products containing niacinamide across the products on this page, whereas Simple features this ingredient in fewer items. Niacinamide helps control skin aging and pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Paula's Choice or Simple: which brand offers better anti-aging serums and skin-smoothing texture?

Paula's Choice offers better anti-aging serums and skin-smoothing texture, as review themes show the brand does better with smooth texture and anti-aging serums. Retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

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

Paula's Choice or Simple: which brand is better for removing makeup gently on sensitive skin?

Simple is better for removing makeup gently on sensitive skin, as its micellar cleansing water is widely noted by reviewers as a gentle, sensitive-skin-friendly makeup remover. Paula's Choice focuses more on advanced serums and exfoliants rather than dedicated makeup removers.

Paula's Choice or Simple for oily skin?

Both brands reach a High fit level for oily skin, but Paula's Choice helps more with smoothing texture and fading dark spots. Simple offers a lightweight and value-friendly option, though Paula's Choice provides more targeted serums and exfoliants.

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

Paula's Choice offers a wider range of moisturizers with more targeted active ingredients, whereas Simple provides budget-friendly options that shoppers find lightweight. Both brands achieve a High routine fit for dry, oily, and combination skin.

Paula's Choice or Simple for sensitive skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Simple achieve a High fit for sensitive skin on Lovi. Paula's Choice helps smooth skin texture and provides lightweight textures, while Simple is noted for gentle daily cleansing.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Simple achieve a High routine fit for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Paula's Choice helps smooth skin texture and provides active options like salicylic acid, while Simple is gentle on sensitive 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

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