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The Ordinary vs Paula's Choice

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

The Ordinary and Paula's Choice are two distinct skincare lines offering serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and more. The Canadian brand centers on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting dry and dry sensitive skin best, whereas the American brand builds its formulations around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c for oily and mature skin. Both feature targeted solutions for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin, yet they differ in their foundational ingredients and specific target skin types.

The Ordinary is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021.

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Paula's Choice products

People Say

The OrdinaryPaula's Choice
  • Smoothes skin texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “skin is insanely soft — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
  • Clears acne and blemishes Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “scars and hormonal acne faded — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “faded dark spots — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “Helped clear my cystic acne — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
  • Great value and affordability Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “lasts forever — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “can't beat the price — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “extremely affordable — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedOften 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 in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Finally a cleanser that doesn't sting my face. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “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”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “leaves my skin radiant and clear — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “Provides an internal level of hydration without leaving any heavy finish. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
    • “skin looks plumper — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
  • High price point Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Unpleasant scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Smells like vinegar — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “smell is unbearable — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “has a slight chemical smell — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Breakouts and purging Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “gave me cystic acne — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin purged — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
  • Small tube size and packaging Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “The 50ml tube runs out way too fast. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Wish it came in a pump — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”

The Ordinary vs Paula's Choice routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs Paula's Choice routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Paula's Choice routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better affordability and value, while the products on this page for Paula's Choice provide lightweight absorption. Both brands perform equally well for smoothing skin texture, gentleness, and hydration.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Paula's Choice?

The Ordinary provides great value and affordability for shoppers, whereas Paula's Choice tends to have a higher price point. For acne-prone skin, Paula's Choice achieves a Superior routine fit while The Ordinary reaches a High fit level.

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice for dry skin?

For dry skin, The Ordinary fits better with a Superior routine level compared to Paula's Choice at High. The products on this page help provide great value and affordability, and niacinamide may help control skin aging and pigmentation.

Antioxidants, 2021

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice: which cleanser is better?

For cleansers, neither brand is universally better, but they cater to different preferences based on the products on this page. The Ordinary offers options like the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser which fits dry skin at a Superior level, while Paula's Choice features the CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser which is a Superior fit for oily and acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Paula's Choice?

The Ordinary provides better value and affordability, whereas Paula's Choice has a high price point.

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice for dark spots?

For skin with dark spots, The Ordinary fits best with a Superior routine level while Paula's Choice reaches a High fit level on this page. Niacinamide may help reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Which brand is better for mature skin, The Ordinary or Paula's Choice?

For mature skin, both The Ordinary and Paula's Choice achieve a Superior routine fit level. Retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin to address signs of aging.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice for oily skin?

Both The Ordinary and Paula's Choice fit oily skin equally well, as Lovi rates their routines as Superior for this skin type. Niacinamide helps control skin aging and pigmentation, and the products on this page list no fragrance.

Antioxidants, 2021

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice: which moisturizer is better?

The products on this page for The Ordinary offer a superior routine fit for dry skin compared to Paula's Choice, which has a high fit level. Reviewers mention that niacinamide helps with reducing pigmentation, and hyaluronic acid may improve hydration and signs of aging.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit, whereas Paula's Choice has a High fit level on this page. Reviewers note that both brands are gentle and non-irritating.

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Paula's Choice is a superior fit compared to The Ordinary. The products on this page help clear acne and blemishes effectively.

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice for dry sensitive skin?

For dry sensitive skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit, whereas Paula's Choice has a High fit. Reviewers note that niacinamide may help reduce cutaneous 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

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