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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 that offer serums, cleansers, moisturizers, toners, and eye products. The American brand, founded in 1995 and owned by Unilever since 2021, is known for formulations built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, suiting oily skin and mature skin best. Meanwhile, Allies of Skin is deeply loved for rich moisturizers and targeted treatments built around niacinamide, suiting dry skin and mature skin best. Both differ through their specific formulations, with the former featuring key ingredients like glycerin to significantly increase skin hydration and restore barrier function, and the latter utilizing potent ingredients to improve skin aging signs and decrease hyperpigmentation.

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 · 96% fit

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

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

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

Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin both offer strong options, with Paula's Choice standing out for pore care, acne control, and a broader ingredient range across the products on this page, while Allies of Skin tends to excel in deep hydration and gentle formulations.

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

Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin both offer fragrance-free skincare products, but Paula's Choice is best for oily skin, mature skin, and oily acne-prone skin, while Allies of Skin fits dry skin, mature skin, and sensitive skin. Reviewers note that Allies of Skin provides deep hydration and plumping, whereas Paula's Choice excels in absorption, texture, pore care, and blemish control.

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

Allies of Skin is the better choice for dry skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to High for Paula's Choice. Reviewers also note that Allies of Skin delivers deep hydration and plumping for dry skin types.

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

When comparing the moisturizers on this page, Allies of Skin is a superior fit for dry and sensitive skin types, while Paula's Choice works well for oily and acne-prone skin. Both brands offer fragrance-free formulas, but Allies of Skin focuses heavily on 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 between the two brands.

Between Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin, which brand performs better for deep hydration and plumping?

Allies of Skin does better for deep hydration and plumping compared to Paula's Choice. The products on this page help deliver effective, hydrating results.

How do the founding years and corporate ownership of Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin compare?

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

Which brand does better regarding absorption and texture feel based on reviewer feedback?

Paula's Choice does better regarding absorption and texture feel based on reviewer feedback.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin achieve a Superior routine fit for oily skin. Paula's Choice features a wider range of products on this page tailored specifically for oily and acne-prone skin types.

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

For sensitive skin, Allies of Skin achieves a Superior routine fit while Paula's Choice reaches a High fit on the products on this page. Reviewers note that Allies of Skin provides gentle, effective moisturizers and calming serums, although some users mention initial skin reactions.

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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