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Beauty of Joseon vs Paula's Choice

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

Beauty of Joseon and Paula's Choice are two distinct skincare lines established respectively in 2016 and 1995. Beauty of Joseon is loved for its thoughtful serums, masks, moisturizers, sunscreens, and more that feature star ingredients like niacinamide, glycerin, and hyaluronic, suiting dry skin and sensitive skin best with gentle daily care. Conversely, the American brand offers serums, cleansers, moisturizers, toners, and more, built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, which fit oily skin and acne-prone skin best. While both brands utilize powerful humectants to nourish the complexion, they differ significantly in their geographic heritage, founding years, and targeted skin types.

Beauty of Joseon is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by Goodai Global Inc. since 2019.

kbeautywiki.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.comgoodai-global.com

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

Popular Beauty of Joseon vs Paula's Choice products

People Say

Beauty of JoseonPaula's Choice
  • Texture and Application Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “feels like a light moisturizer — Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics”
    • “sinks in instantly — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water”
    • “Absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy residue behind. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”
    • “absorbs instantly — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formula Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “no irritation at all — Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum”
    • “cleansed my face gently without making my skin feel irritated — Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser”
    • “doesn't irritate my sensitive skin — Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel”
    • “Finally a vitamin C product I can use — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Saved my dry winter skin — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
    • “doesn't dry my skin like other cleansers — Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm”
    • “eyes look less tired — Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum”
    • “Provides an internal level of hydration without leaving any heavy finish. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
  • Smooths Skin Texture Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “bumps be gone — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “skin is insanely soft — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel”
  • Pore and Oil Control Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “less shiny by noon — Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel”
    • “pores look cleaner — Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Refreshing Pore Mask”
    • “cleared my bumps — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “pores look smaller — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
  • Glow and Radiance Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “gives a glass skin look — Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum”
    • “Gives me that chok-chok dewy look — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “Discoloration almost gone — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
  • Scent and Fragrance Issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like cooking oil — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil”
    • “smells like cheese — Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “smells like hot dog water — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
  • High Price and Value Issues Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • Breakouts and Purging Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Broke me out in cystic acne — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
    • “gave me cystic acne — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil”
    • “skin purged — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “caused cystic acne — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”

Beauty of Joseon vs Paula's Choice routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Beauty of Joseon vs Paula's Choice routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Beauty of Joseon vs Paula's Choice routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice: which is better?

Beauty of Joseon and Paula's Choice both fit dry skin, skin with dark spots, and dry sensitive skin equally well, while Paula's Choice is better suited for oily, combination, sensitive, acne-prone, and mature skin. Beauty of Joseon stands out for hydration and gentle formulas, whereas Paula's Choice excels at smoothing skin texture. Niacinamide helps reduce pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer, and hyaluronic acid provides anti-aging effects and improves skin quality.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

What is the difference between Beauty of Joseon and Paula's Choice?

Beauty of Joseon focuses best on dry and sensitive skin with gentle formulas, while Paula's Choice specializes in oily and acne-prone skin with targeted treatments like exfoliants.

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice for dry skin?

Both brands are a good choice for dry skin, as they each achieve a High fit level for dry skin routines. Beauty of Joseon is noted for its deep hydration and moisture benefits, while the products on this page for Paula's Choice also include nourishing options like the Advanced Replenishing Toner.

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice: which cleanser is better?

Both brands offer effective options, but Beauty of Joseon stands out for providing a more gentle and non-irritating formula. Paula's Choice excels in pore and oil control, making both brands equally matched in that category.

Which is more affordable, Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice?

Beauty of Joseon offers better value on this page, whereas reviewers mostly mention high price and value issues for Paula's Choice.

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice for oily skin?

Paula's Choice is a better fit for oily skin, as the products on this page offer a Superior routine fit compared to Beauty of Joseon's High fit level.

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice: which moisturizer is better?

Beauty of Joseon offers moisturizers that are well-suited for dry, sensitive, and dark spot-prone skin, with options like the Dynasty Cream and Red Bean Water Gel showing high fit levels for these skin types. Paula's Choice features moisturizers tailored for oily and acne-prone skin, such as the Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer and Clinical Ceramide-Enriched Firming Moisturizer.

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice for sensitive skin?

Beauty of Joseon and Paula's Choice both fit sensitive skin at a High level on this page. Beauty of Joseon is noted for gentle, non-irritating formulas, while Paula's Choice features advanced targeted treatments.

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice: which sunscreen is better?

Beauty of Joseon and Paula's Choice both offer effective sunscreens, with the Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics achieving a High Lovi fit level for dry, sensitive, and oily skin, while Paula's Choice features the Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 which also reaches a High fit level for dry and combination skin types.

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice for acne-prone skin?

Paula's Choice is a Superior fit for acne-prone skin, whereas Beauty of Joseon is a High fit. Reviewers note that Paula's Choice smooths skin texture effectively, while Beauty of Joseon offers gentle, non-irritating formulas.

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice for mature skin?

Paula's Choice is a better fit for mature skin, achieving a Superior routine fit level compared to Beauty of Joseon's Average level. Paula's Choice features specialized anti-aging ingredients like retinol that help stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice for skin with dark spots?

Both Beauty of Joseon and Paula's Choice fit skin with dark spots at a High level. Niacinamide, a key ingredient shared across the products on this page, helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice for dry sensitive skin?

Beauty of Joseon and Paula's Choice both fit dry sensitive skin at a High level. Reviewers note that Beauty of Joseon is better for gentle, non-irritating formulas and deep hydration.

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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