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Paula's Choice vs Clarins

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

Paula's Choice and Clarins are established skincare brands from America and France that offer diverse formulations for varying complexions. The American brand features serums, cleansers, moisturizers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, while the French brand is loved for luxurious moisturizers, potent serums, soothing eye products, and gentle toners enriched with shea and squalane. Both suit different needs best, as the former fits oily and acne-prone skin, whereas the latter suits sensitive and dry sensitive skin. Ultimately, they differ through their distinct ingredients and targeted treatments, where glycerin increases skin hydration and squalane increases collagen.

Paula's Choice is an American skincare brand founded in 1995 and owned by Unilever since 2021.

unilever.comtracxn.com

Clarins is a French skincare brand founded in 1954 and owned by Famille C (Groupe Clarins).

groupeclarins.comen.wikipedia.orghappi.com

This page compares some of the most popular Paula's Choice and Clarins products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Paula's Choice vs Clarins products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceClarins
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing formula Mostly MentionedOften 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”
    • “absorbs immediately — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
  • Glow and radiance Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “acne scars faded — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “skin drinks it up — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “skin looks brighter immediately — Clarins Cryo-Flash Cream-Mask”
  • Texture smoothing and refinement Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “skin is insanely soft — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “skin never been this silky — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “neck feels smoother — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
  • Deep hydration and softness Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “keeps skin moist — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
    • “woke up with baby soft skin — Clarins Multi-Active Nuit”
    • “no more dry patches — Clarins Super Restorative Night Cream”
  • Anti-aging and firming results Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “visibly tighter, lifted skin — Clarins Super Restorative Night Cream”
    • “plumped my fine lines — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “softened crow's feet — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “skin looks plumper — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
  • Pore cleansing and clarity Often MentionedNot noted
    • “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”
  • High price and small size Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “way too expensive — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “too expensive for results — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
  • Unpleasant smell or scent issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “smells like hot dog water — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “weird glue-like smell — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “smells like perfume — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
  • Packaging and pump issues 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”
    • “dispenses too much product — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
  • Dryness, flaking, and irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “not moisturizing enough — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
    • “caused redness — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “made my face burn — Clarins Cryo-Flash Cream-Mask”
    • “peeling and flaking — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”

Paula's Choice vs Clarins routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Paula's Choice vs Clarins routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Paula's Choice vs Clarins routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Clarins: which is better?

Paula's Choice is better for oily, acne-prone, and combination skin, while both brands offer a High fit for dry sensitive skin and skin with dark spots. Paula's Choice is fragrance-free across the products on this page, whereas most Clarins products contain fragrance.

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

Paula's Choice offers superior fit levels for oily, combination, acne-prone, and oily acne-prone skin, while Clarins is better suited for deep hydration and anti-aging results. Paula's Choice features fragrance-free formulas across the products on this page, whereas almost all Clarins products contain fragrance. Paula's Choice is U.S.-based and owned by Unilever, while Clarins is a French brand owned by Famille C.

Paula's Choice or Clarins for dry skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Clarins achieve a High routine fit for dry skin. Paula's Choice helps address dry skin with fragrance-free formulas and key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, while Clarins helps nourish dry skin using luxurious textures and rich emollients.

Drug Delivery, 2017

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

Paula's Choice is better for pore cleansing and clarity on the products on this page. Lovi fits the Paula's Choice cleansers as Superior for oily and acne-prone skin, while Clarins cleansers have an Average fit for those skin types.

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

Both brands share the same review theme for high price and small size, meaning neither is more affordable than the other based on the products on this page.

Paula's Choice or Clarins: which brand has fragrance-free products?

Paula's Choice offers fragrance-free products, as every product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, while Clarins includes fragrance in almost all of its products on this page.

Which brand provides better anti-aging and firming results, Paula's Choice or Clarins?

Clarins provides better anti-aging and firming results. Retinol, a key ingredient featured in the products on this page, helps stimulate collagen accumulation to address signs of aging.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Paula's Choice or Clarins for oily skin?

Paula's Choice is a better option for oily skin, as Lovi rates its routine fit as Superior compared to an Average level for Clarins. Paula's Choice also excels in pore cleansing and clarity for the products on this page.

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

Paula's Choice is better suited for oily, combination, and acne-prone skin, while Clarins excels in providing deep hydration and anti-aging results for dry, sensitive, and mature skin. Paula's Choice is formulated completely without fragrance across the products on this page, whereas almost all Clarins moisturizers contain fragrance. Niacinamide in Paula's Choice formulations may help reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Paula's Choice or Clarins for sensitive skin?

Paula's Choice has a Superior fit for sensitive skin, whereas Clarins has a High fit. Paula's Choice features fragrance-free formulas across the products on this page, which helps reduce the likelihood of irritation.

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

Paula's Choice is a better fit for acne-prone skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to the Average fit of Clarins. The products on this page help cleanse pores and clarify the skin effectively.

Paula's Choice or Clarins for mature skin?

Paula's Choice offers a Superior fit for mature skin, whereas Clarins has a High fit level. Paula's Choice helps smooth skin texture and clear pores, while Clarins is known for deep hydration and firming results.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

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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