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Paula's Choice vs Elemis

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

Paula's Choice and Elemis are established skincare brands that respectively offer targeted serums, cleansers, moisturizers, toners, and more. The American brand Paula's Choice, founded in 1995, features key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, suiting oily and acne-prone skin best. Meanwhile, the British brand Elemis, founded in 1989, anchors its nourishing formulations in glycerin and shea, suiting mature skin and dry skin best. While both brands rely on hydrating glycerin to significantly increase skin hydration and restore barrier function, they differ in their specific ingredient profiles and ideal skin types.

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

Elemis is a British skincare brand founded in 1989 and owned by L'Occitane Group since 2019.

elemis.comau.elemis.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular Paula's Choice vs Elemis products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceElemis
  • Improving Skin Texture and Smoothness Mostly MentionedOften 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”
    • “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
  • Fast Absorption and Lightweight Texture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy residue behind. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”
    • “absorbs instantly — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “Absorbs almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “weightless serum — Elemis Pro-Collagen Advanced Eye Treatment”
  • Instant and Deep Hydration Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
  • Glow, Radiance, and Brightening Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “Discoloration almost gone — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
    • “healthy glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “instantly fresh glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
  • Pleasant Scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like a spa — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “smells like a holiday — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “smells like a tropical cocktail — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “Doesn't smell at all — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical 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”
    • “improved neck texture — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “My neck doesn't sag... plumps my skin to look more youthful. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
  • High Price and Value Issues Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “Sooooo expensive — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “very expensive — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
  • Packaging Issues and Small Size Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “jar looks half empty — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “tube feels half empty — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “pump broke quickly — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • Unpleasant Smell or Scent Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “smell is overpowering — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”

Paula's Choice vs Elemis routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Paula's Choice vs Elemis routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Paula's Choice vs Elemis routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Elemis: which is better?

Paula's Choice is a better fit overall, offering Superior routine fit for oily, combination, sensitive, acne-prone, mature, and oily acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Elemis is also a strong choice, particularly for hydration and mature or dry skin, though it more often includes fragrance in its formulations.

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

Paula's Choice offers a Superior fit for oily, combination, sensitive, acne-prone, mature, and oily acne-prone skin types with fragrance-free formulas, whereas Elemis provides a High fit for these categories with luxurious textures that often feature added fragrance. Paula's Choice relies on a broad range of key ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide, while Elemis focuses heavily on nourishing elements such as glycerin and shea butter.

Paula's Choice or Elemis for dry skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Elemis achieve a High routine fit for dry skin. Paula's Choice formulas are fragrance-free and feature key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, whereas Elemis offers deeply hydrating moisturizers that help provide a radiant glow.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Paula's Choice cleansers fit oily, acne-prone, and oily acne-prone skin with a Superior Lovi rating, while Elemis cleansers are rated High for those skin types. Reviewers note that Paula's Choice products on this page contain no fragrance, whereas most Elemis cleansers include fragrance.

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

Both brands feature high price points as a common drawback in the products on this page.

Between Paula's Choice and Elemis, which brand offers better anti-aging and firming results?

Paula's Choice offers better anti-aging and firming results, as reviewers highlight its superior anti-aging serums and texture-smoothing products. Additionally, retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

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

How do the fragrance options differ between Paula's Choice and Elemis products?

Paula's Choice offers products on this page that list no fragrance in their ingredients, whereas Elemis has products where most list fragrance and only a few list none.

Which brand performs better for improving skin texture and smoothness: Paula's Choice or Elemis?

Paula's Choice performs better for improving skin texture and smoothness. Reviewers note that its products help deliver smoother skin texture effectively.

Paula's Choice or Elemis for oily skin?

Paula's Choice has a superior routine fit for oily skin compared to Elemis, which has a high fit. The products on this page for Paula's Choice list no fragrance, whereas most Elemis products contain fragrance.

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

Paula's Choice moisturizers are a better fit for oily and blemish-prone skin types on this page, whereas Elemis products on this page offer a more luxurious and intensely hydrating experience suited for dry and mature skin. The products on this page from Paula's Choice are fragrance-free, while most Elemis moisturizers contain added fragrance.

Paula's Choice or Elemis for sensitive skin?

Paula's Choice has a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin, while Elemis has a High fit. Every product on the Paula's Choice page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas most Elemis products contain fragrance.

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

Paula's Choice fits acne-prone skin with a Superior routine level, while Elemis fits at a High level. The products on this page for Paula's Choice contain key ingredients like salicylic acid and green tea, which help reduce skin inflammation and blemishes.

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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