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Paula's Choice vs Olay

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

Paula's Choice and Olay are skincare brands offering a variety of serums, cleansers, moisturizers, and toners. Paula's Choice relies on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, suiting oily and mature skin best. Conversely, Olay formulates its products with niacinamide and glycerin to serve mature and acne-prone skin. Ultimately, the brands differ through their distinct ingredient profiles and targeted treatment approaches.

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 Olay products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Paula's Choice vs Olay products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceOlay
  • Improves Skin Texture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “skin is insanely soft — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Skin feels like silk — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorption 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”
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “absorbs quickly — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
  • Glow, Brightening and Even Tone Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “acne scars faded — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “Discoloration almost gone — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formula 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”
    • “doesn't strip my skin — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
    • “fragrance-free — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
  • Intense and Deep Hydration Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “hydrates the skin — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “My skin feels so hydrated and plump. — Olay Regenerist Regenerating 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”
    • “clears up puffiness — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “Helps my skin and eye wrinkles — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
  • High Price Point Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “expensive for drugstore — Olay Super Serum”
    • “expensive — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “small quantity (0.5 oz) — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Packaging Issues and Flaws Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “dropper leaks — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “dropper can be unpredictable — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
    • “Cap broke immediately — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
    • “hard to dispense — Olay Super Serum”
  • Unpleasant Smell and Scent Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “smells like plastic — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Smells like plastic — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “too perfumey — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”

Paula's Choice vs Olay routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Paula's Choice vs Olay routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Paula's Choice vs Olay routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Olay: which is better?

Paula's Choice is better for oily and acne-prone skin, where Lovi rates its routines as Superior compared to Olay's High. Both brands achieve equal Lovi fit levels for most other skin types, such as dry and sensitive skin.

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

Paula's Choice fits oily skin, acne-prone skin, and oily acne-prone skin at a Superior level, whereas Olay fits these skin types at a High level. Both brands achieve a Superior level for mature skin. Paula's Choice does better for glow, brightening, and even tone, while Olay does better for intense and deep hydration.

Paula's Choice or Olay for dry skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer a High routine fit level for dry skin. The products on this page for both brands feature key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin that help provide hydration.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Drug Delivery, 2017

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

Paula's Choice is better suited for oily and acne-prone skin types, with cleansers like CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser showing Superior fit levels. Olay offers good options as well, though the products on this page show varying fit levels across different skin types.

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

Olay is more affordable than Paula's Choice, as Paula's Choice has a high price point while Olay is noted for being better on price.

Which brand performs better for mature skin between Paula's Choice and Olay?

Both Paula's Choice and Olay reach a Superior Lovi fit level for mature skin, meaning they are equally well-suited for this skin type based on their routines. Paula's Choice features the Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster and RESIST Triple Active Total Repair Serum, while Olay offers the Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream and Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer to target aging concerns.

Paula's Choice or Olay: which is better for dark spots?

Paula's Choice and Olay perform equally well for skin with dark spots, with both brands achieving a High Lovi fit level. Niacinamide, a key ingredient featured across products on this page, helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

How do Paula's Choice and Olay compare regarding fragrance in their products?

Paula's Choice offers products on this page that list no fragrance in their ingredients. Olay also provides mostly fragrance-free products on this page, although the Oil Minimizing Clean Toner contains fragrance.

Paula's Choice or Olay for oily skin?

Paula's Choice fits oily skin better, with a Lovi fit level of Superior compared to Olay's High.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer effective moisturizers on this page, but Paula's Choice is a better fit for oily or acne-prone skin, while Olay is a strong option for intense hydration and mature skin.

Paula's Choice or Olay for sensitive skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer a high routine fit for sensitive skin among the products on this page. Reviewers note that both brands provide gentle and non-irritating formulas.

Paula's Choice or Olay: which sunscreen is better?

Paula's Choice offers a higher routine fit for oily and acne-prone skin, while Olay provides options with a strong focus on intense hydration and anti-aging. Both brands feature products on this page that are formulated without added fragrance.

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

Paula's Choice is better suited for acne-prone skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Olay's High level. The products on this page help target blemishes with key ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

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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