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CeraVe vs Paula's Choice

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

CeraVe and Paula's Choice are American skincare brands founded in 2005 and 1995, respectively. CeraVe offers dependable moisturizers, gentle cleansers, targeted serums, and protective sunscreens featuring hyaluronic acid and glycerin, suiting mature skin and dry skin best. Meanwhile, Paula's Choice provides serums, cleansers, moisturizers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, fitting oily skin and acne-prone skin best. While both brands use hydration-boosting ingredients to support skin health, they differ in their primary formulations and targeted skin types.

CeraVe is an American skincare brand founded in 2005 and owned by L'Oréal since 2017.

en.wikipedia.orghappi.comloreal-finance.comcerave.com

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

Popular CeraVe vs Paula's Choice products

People Say

CeraVePaula's Choice
  • Texture and Lightweight Feel Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Absorbs into skin without residue — CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Sinks right into your skin — CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy residue behind. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”
    • “absorbs instantly — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
  • Fragrance-Free and Gentle Formulas Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't leave face tight — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “no burning sensation — CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum”
    • “No scent, no irritation — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “Finally a vitamin C product I can use — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
  • Acne and Oil Control Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “cleared my bumps — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “Helped clear my cystic acne — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
    • “pores look smaller — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
    • “dialed back oiliness — CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Saved my dry winter skin — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “woke up with plump skin — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”
    • “cured my dry patches — CeraVe Eye Repair Cream”
    • “Provides an internal level of hydration without leaving any heavy finish. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
  • Skin Texture Improvement Sometimes NotedMostly 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”
    • “smoother complexion — CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum”
  • Skin Tone and Mark Correction Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “acne scars faded — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “calmed redness immediately — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “spots barely visible — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “lightened dark spots — CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum”
  • Price Point Concerns Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive Vaseline — CeraVe Healing Ointment”
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Packaging Issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “no safety seal included — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”
  • Breakouts and Purging Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Gave me cystic acne — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “gave me closed comedones — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “skin purged — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “caused cystic acne — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”

CeraVe vs Paula's Choice routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

CeraVe vs Paula's Choice routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

CeraVe vs Paula's Choice routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

CeraVe or Paula's Choice: which is better?

Both brands perform well, with CeraVe offering superior hydration and gentle, fragrance-free formulas, while Paula's Choice is better for acne, oil control, and skin texture improvement.

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

CeraVe focuses more on deep hydration and gentle barrier repair with ingredients like ceramides, while Paula's Choice specializes more in advanced exfoliants and targeted treatments like BHA and vitamin C.

CeraVe or Paula's Choice for oily skin?

For oily skin, Paula's Choice is a better fit than CeraVe because it has a Superior routine fit compared to CeraVe's High routine fit. Paula's Choice also does better for acne and oil control among the products on this page.

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

Both CeraVe and Paula's Choice offer cleansers that fit sensitive skin well. CeraVe offers cleansers for dry skin with a Lovi fit level of Superior, while Paula's Choice offers cleansers that fit oily and acne-prone skin with a Lovi fit level of Superior.

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

CeraVe is more affordable, whereas price point concerns are frequently noted for Paula's Choice on this page.

CeraVe or Paula's Choice for sensitive skin?

Both CeraVe and Paula's Choice fit sensitive skin well, with Lovi giving CeraVe a High level and Paula's Choice a Superior level. CeraVe formulas focus on fragrance-free and gentle care, while Paula's Choice offers advanced specialized treatments.

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

CeraVe does better for hydration and moisture across the products on this page, while Paula's Choice focuses more on specialized treatments.

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

Both brands are great choices for acne-prone skin, with CeraVe offering a High routine fit and Paula's Choice providing a Superior fit. Paula's Choice does better for acne and oil control, while CeraVe is noted for effective cleansers for acne and oil.

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

CeraVe offers superior options for dry, dry sensitive, and mature skin among the products on this page, while Paula's Choice provides alternatives with high fit levels. Reviewers note that CeraVe delivers deep hydration and fragrance-free formulas.

CeraVe or Paula's Choice for combination skin?

Paula's Choice is a better fit for combination skin, offering a Superior routine compared to CeraVe's High fit.

CeraVe or Paula's Choice for mature skin?

Both CeraVe and Paula's Choice fit mature skin with a Superior level on this page. CeraVe features products like Skin Renewing Night Cream, while Paula's Choice offers items like Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster.

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

CeraVe or Paula's Choice for skin with dark spots?

Both CeraVe and Paula's Choice fit skin with dark spots at a High level on this page. Paula's Choice does better for skin tone and mark correction.

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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