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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 established skincare brands catering to various complexions through targeted formulations. The American brand founded in 1995 offers serums, cleansers, moisturizers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin C, making it best suited for oily and acne-prone skin. Meanwhile, the other brand is loved for its luxurious moisturizers, potent serums, and targeted eye products formulated with niacinamide, suiting dry and acne-prone skin best. While both brands address similar concerns like dark spots and mature skin, they differ in their texture profiles and foundational ingredients, such as glycerin restoring barrier function versus niacinamide improving signs of aging.

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

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

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

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Questions and answers

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

Both brands are great, but Paula's Choice is often favored for its variety of targeted exfoliants and serums, while Allies of Skin is well known for deep hydration and plumping.

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

Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin both fit acne-prone, mature, and oily skin well, but Paula's Choice is often noted for absorption and texture, while Allies of Skin stands out for deep hydration and plumping. The products on this page from both brands list no fragrance in their ingredients.

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

Allies of Skin is a superior choice for dry skin, offering a routine fit of Superior compared to Paula's Choice's High level. Allies of Skin excels at providing deep hydration and plumping for the products on this page.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin offer effective moisturizers on this page, with Allies of Skin providing a Superior routine fit for dry skin and dry sensitive skin compared to Paula's Choice's High fit. Reviewers note that Allies of Skin delivers gentle, effective moisturizers and deep hydration, while Paula's Choice features popular options like its Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer.

Which is more affordable, Paula's Choice or Allies of Skin?

Both brands are noted by reviewers for having a high price point, so neither stands out as clearly more affordable than the other.

Which brand has better review themes for absorption and texture feel?

Paula's Choice does better for absorption and texture feel.

Do Paula's Choice products contain any fragrance?

Paula's Choice products on this page are formulated without any fragrance listed in their ingredients.

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

Both brands offer an equal Lovi fit level of Superior for oily skin. Paula's Choice features oil-focused formulas like its CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser, while Allies of Skin provides balancing options such as the Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Allies of Skin offer a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin. Reviewers note that products from both brands are generally gentle and non-irritating.

Paula's Choice or Allies of Skin for acne-prone skin?

Both brands are a Superior fit for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Paula's Choice leans on a wider variety of key ingredients across the products, while Allies of Skin is also noted for effective anti-aging and brightening serums.

Paula's Choice or Allies of Skin for skin with dark spots?

Allies of Skin is a better fit than Paula's Choice for skin with dark spots, earning a Superior routine fit compared to Paula's Choice's High rating. Niacinamide, featured across Allies of Skin's products, may help suppress melanosome transfer to improve pigmentation.

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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