Paula's Choice Clear Daily Skin Clearing Treatment for mature skin
Benzoyl Peroxide
Salicylic Acid
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract
Allantoin
BisabololCaution
- CautionNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A poor match for mature skin; the serums alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with mature skin: fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of firmness. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate treatment for acne-prone skin due to benzoyl peroxide, which effectively reduces acne lesions, but is not ideal for your normal skin type as it can be drying.
- While bisabolol and allantoin offer some soothing benefits, the primary active ingredient is not targeted towards your main goal of reducing wrinkles and fine lines.
How to apply
- Use this serum in your PM routine. Start by applying it 3 times a week, and work up to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply this serum after your toner and before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- You can apply the serum on dry skin for the best results against fine lines.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the sensitive eye area.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsThis benzoyl peroxide treatment is highly effective at clearing acne, including cystic and hormonal types, with many users experiencing rapid results and a pleasant matte finish. A notable number of reviews mention that the product can be drying, necessitating the use of a good moisturizer to avoid flaking.
Highlights
Effective acne clearance Often Mentioned
- “Clears cystic acne, hormonal breakouts, back acne, prevents future zits.”
Fast acting Often Mentioned
- “Results seen overnight, significant clearing in weeks, "magic" speed.”
Drying and flaking Often Mentioned
- “Causes dry patches, peeling skin, requires heavy moisturizing.”
Gentle formulation Sometimes Noted
- “Less irritating than drugstore BP, lightweight texture, matte finish, non-greasy.”
Long-lasting value Sometimes Noted
- “A little goes a long way, tube lasts months, worth the investment.”
Bleaches fabrics Sometimes Noted
- “Bleaches towels, pillowcases, clothes, hair.”
Expensive price Sometimes Noted
- “Pricey compared to drugstore alternatives, small tube size.”
Fades redness Rarely Noted
- “Helps calm inflammation, reduces redness, improves skin tone.”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Leaky cap, spills easily, difficult to dispense small amounts.”
Sensitizing and stinging Rarely Noted
- “Burns upon application, stings sensitive skin, causes redness.”
Sources: lovi.care, paulaschoice.com, sephora.ph, amazon.com, influenster.com, youtube.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with Paula's Choice Clear Daily Skin Clearing Treatment for mature skin?
This treatment is a poor fit because it can be drying on normal skin and does not target your goal of reducing wrinkles and fine lines. A treatment for mature skin needs to be exceptionally safe with no risk of irritation, effectively target wrinkles and fine lines with high-quality ingredients, and contain potent antioxidants, hydrating components, and skin-repairing ingredients.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2022
Which ingredients make this treatment a poor fit for mature skin?
This treatment is a poor fit because it relies on benzoyl peroxide, which can leave mature skin dry and is not targeted towards reducing wrinkles and fine lines. A treatment for mature skin needs high-quality anti-aging ingredients, potent antioxidants, nourishing oils and peptides, and hydrating components that smooth and keep skin safe from irritation.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2022
What does Benzoyl Peroxide do for mature skin?
Benzoyl peroxide is unlikely to provide specific anti-aging benefits for mature skin and is primarily used to clear acne. Because it tends to dry the skin, mature skin needs a gentle, hydrating cleanser and a rich moisturizer containing ceramides to protect the skin barrier while treating breakouts.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
What does Salicylic Acid do for mature skin?
Salicylic acid helps smooth and firm mature skin by boosting collagen and elasticity while reducing roughness and wrinkles. It is unlikely to cause irritation when used correctly, but this skin type also needs extra hydrating ingredients to stay soft and plump.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for mature skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine, after cleansing and before moisturizing, but it is a poor match for mature skin because it can leave normal skin dry and does not help smooth out wrinkles and fine lines. Mature skin needs products with nourishing and firming ingredients that add moisture and target signs of aging.
Can I use this treatment with retinol, and in what order?
Using this treatment with retinol may easily dry out and irritate your skin because both ingredients are very strong. To use them safely, apply retinol on separate nights or use a gentle moisturizer with soothing ingredients to help calm dryness and protect your skin barrier.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020
How often should I use it?
This treatment is a poor match for your mature skin, but if you do use it, once a week is a safe starting point. Benzoyl peroxide may dry out your skin and is not designed to smooth wrinkles, so mature skin needs gentle moisturizers, antioxidants, retinoids, and daily sunscreen instead.
Facial Plastic Surgery, 2014The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020
Can this treatment clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for mature skin?
This treatment is unlikely to clog pores since its main ingredient helps clear acne, but it can be very drying on mature skin. A product of this type needs extra hydrating and firming ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid or peptides, to keep dry and mature skin smooth.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical benzoyl peroxide may improve acne more effectively than placebo or no treatment, while showing little to no difference compared with adapalene or clindamycin, but with an increased risk of treatment discontinuation due to adverse effects compared to placebo.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020Once-daily fixed-dose clindamycin phosphate 1.2%/benzoyl peroxide 3.1%/adapalene 0.15% gel achieved superior treatment success (52.5%) and greater reductions in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesions compared to vehicle (8.1%) and dyad component gels in participants with moderate-to-severe acne over 12 weeks.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2022Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical clindamycin phosphate 1.2%/adapalene 0.15%/benzoyl peroxide 3.1% gel achieved significantly greater treatment success and lesion reductions compared to vehicle in participants with moderate-to-severe acne.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2023Daily application of adapalene 0.3%/benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel reduced and prevented atrophic acne scar formation, achieving a total scar count change of -15.5% versus +14.4% for vehicle over 24 weeks in 67 subjects with moderate or severe facial acne.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2018Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.
Advanced Science, 2025Topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018Application of an alpha-bisabolol-containing cream produced a significant skin-lightening effect in pigmented skin compared to a vehicle control in the majority of female subjects after 8 weeks.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2010The combination of allantoin, bisabolol, D-panthenol and dipotassium glycyrrhizinate reduces UVB-induced PGE2, inflammatory cytokines, and mitochondrial superoxide in human epidermal keratinocytes.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Benzoyl Peroxide, Propylene Glycol, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Citrate, Laureth-4, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Edta, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score 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.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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