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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 offering thoughtful moisturizers, targeted serums, cleansers, toners, and more, built around key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, vitamin c, and niacinamide. Paula's Choice fits oily skin and acne-prone skin best, while Allies of Skin suits dry skin and oily acne-prone skin best due to their carefully balanced formulations. Both differ in their specific product lineups and founding backgrounds, with the American brand founded in 1995 focusing on glycerin to increase hydration, and the other brand known for advanced eye products infused with niacinamide to improve aging signs.

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 · 98% fit

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

See multi-brand routine · 97% 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, but Paula's Choice is better for pores and texture, while Allies of Skin does better for deep hydration and plumping.

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

Paula's Choice offers a wide selection of targeted serums and exfoliants that help with texture, pores, and blemish control, whereas Allies of Skin focuses on effective moisturizers and calming treatments that provide deep hydration and plumping.

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

Allies of Skin is a superior fit for dry skin, whereas Paula's Choice is a high fit. Both brands offer products on this page that are fragrance-free.

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

Both brands offer solid moisturizer choices, but Paula's Choice is a better fit for oily skin while Allies of Skin tends to excel for dry skin. Paula's Choice focuses on targeted hydration without heaviness, whereas Allies of Skin delivers deep hydration and plumping for drier complexions.

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

Reviewers note a high price point for both Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin, making affordability comparable depending on the specific product.

Which brand performs better for deep hydration and plumping?

Allies of Skin performs better for deep hydration and plumping based on reviewer feedback. Sodium hyaluronate helps improve hydration and skin quality.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

What are the main company details and founding years for Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin?

Paula's Choice was founded in 1995 in the United States and has been owned by Unilever since 2021. Allies of Skin was founded in 2016 and is owned by Allies Group Pte. Ltd.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin offer a Superior routine fit for oily skin. Paula's Choice features fragrance-free products on this page that are particularly well-suited for oily, acne-prone, and oily acne-prone skin types.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin are a Superior fit for sensitive skin on Lovi. Reviewers note that both brands offer fragrance-free options that help minimize the likelihood of initial irritation.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin are a Superior fit for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Reviewers note that Paula's Choice is better for acne and blemish control, while Allies of Skin offers effective moisturizers and calming serums.

Paula's Choice or Allies of Skin for skin with dark spots?

Allies of Skin is a superior fit for skin with dark spots, whereas Paula's Choice offers a high fit. Niacinamide may help reduce skin pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

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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