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Paula's Choice vs Dermalogica

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

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

Dermalogica is an American skincare brand founded in 1986 and owned by Unilever since 2015.

en.wikipedia.orgcosmeticsbusiness.com

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

Popular Paula's Choice vs Dermalogica products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceDermalogica
  • Improving skin texture and smoothness Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “skin feels smooth as silk — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
  • Fast absorption and lightweight feel Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy residue behind. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”
    • “watery consistency — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
    • “blends seamlessly — Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50”
    • “feels like nothing — Dermalogica Active Moist”
  • Glow, radiance and brightening Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “Discoloration almost gone — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
    • “spots barely visible — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “immediately brighter looking — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
  • Unclogging pores and clearing acne Mostly MentionedRarely 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”
    • “Brings out all the gunk — Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask”
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Saved my dry skin — Dermalogica Super Rich Repair”
    • “super hydrating — Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque”
    • “skin feels hydrated — Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance”
  • Reduces redness and soothes skin Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “helps calm and nourish my skin — Dermalogica Stabilizing Repair Cream”
    • “The redness is better — Dermalogica Stabilizing Repair Cream”
    • “Calms redness — Dermalogica Super Rich Repair”
    • “calmed redness immediately — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • High price and expensive size Often 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”
    • “hefty price tag — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
  • Unpleasant smell or scent Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “smells like hot dog water — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “smells like puke — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
    • “smells like medicine — Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50”
  • Purging, breakouts and skin reactions Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Cystic acne flare-ups — Dermalogica Precleanse”
    • “Caused cystic acne — Dermalogica Super Rich Repair”
    • “gave me acne — Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel”
    • “skin purged — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
  • Packaging issues and leaks Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “dropper leaks — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “dropper can be unpredictable — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
    • “Leaky pump — Dermalogica Precleanse”
    • “pump dispenses too much — Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel”

Paula's Choice vs Dermalogica routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Paula's Choice vs Dermalogica routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Paula's Choice vs Dermalogica routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Dermalogica: which is better?

Paula's Choice is better for improving skin texture, unclogging pores, and brightening, while Dermalogica is better for deep hydration and soothing. For dry sensitive skin, Lovi rates Dermalogica as High and Paula's Choice as Average.

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

Paula's Choice is better for improving skin texture, unclogging pores, and brightening, while Dermalogica excels in deep hydration and soothing redness. Lovi shows that routine fit for dry sensitive skin is Superior for Dermalogica and Average for Paula's Choice.

Paula's Choice or Dermalogica for dry skin?

For dry skin, Dermalogica is the better choice because Lovi rates its routine as Superior, whereas Paula's Choice is rated High. Additionally, the products on this page for Dermalogica help deliver intense hydration and soothing moisturizers.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Dermalogica offer highly effective cleansers, with Paula's Choice excelling in unclogging pores and clearing acne while Dermalogica stands out for deep hydration and soothing sensitive skin. Lovi shows that Paula's Choice is a Superior fit for oily and acne-prone skin types, whereas Dermalogica is a Superior fit for dry sensitive skin.

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

Both brands are similarly positioned as high-priced options, as high price and expensive size are noted for Paula's Choice while a high price point is mostly mentioned for Dermalogica.

Which brand does better at improving skin texture and smoothness?

Paula's Choice does better at improving skin texture and smoothness than Dermalogica. Both brands offer fragrance-free formulations containing key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin that help support overall skin health.

Paula's Choice or Dermalogica for oily skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Dermalogica are a High fit for oily skin. The products on this page help tackle oiliness with gentle cleansers and targeted exfoliants while avoiding heavy fragrances.

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

Dermalogica provides deeper hydration and moisturization than Paula's Choice, making it a better choice for dry skin types. For dry sensitive skin, Lovi rates Dermalogica's routine as High compared to Paula's Choice at Average.

Paula's Choice or Dermalogica for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both brands offer products on this page that achieve a High Lovi fit level. Reviewers note that Dermalogica provides soothing moisturizers and gentle cleansers, while Paula's Choice features fragrance-free formulas across all products.

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

Both brands offer sunscreens on this page, with Dermalogica achieving a High Lovi fit level across all evaluated skin types and Paula's Choice ranging from High to Average depending on the skin type. Topical hyaluronic acid, found across both product lines, helps support skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Both brands fit acne-prone skin well, with Lovi rating Paula's Choice High and Dermalogica High. Reviewers note that Paula's Choice does better at unclogging pores and clearing acne.

Paula's Choice or Dermalogica for dry sensitive skin?

Dermalogica is better for dry sensitive skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to the Average fit of Paula's Choice. Topical hyaluronic acid, found in the products on this page, helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Paula's Choice or Dermalogica for oily acne-prone skin?

Dermalogica is a better fit for oily acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to High for Paula's Choice. Both brands offer products that help manage breakouts, but Dermalogica provides stronger overall hydration and soothing care for this skin type.

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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