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Paula's Choice vs Olay

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

Paula's Choice and Olay are established skincare lines offering serums, cleansers, moisturizers, and toners. Paula's Choice relies on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, suiting acne-prone and oily skin best, while the brand is celebrated for targeted exfoliants and treatments. Conversely, Olay utilizes niacinamide and glycerin to support dry and acne-prone skin through gentle, deeply nourishing formulations. Both brands differ in their core active philosophies and exact skin compatibility, though each utilizes glycerin to enhance hydration and barrier function.

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 Olay products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Paula's Choice vs Olay products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceOlay
  • Improves Skin Texture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “skin is insanely soft — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Skin feels like silk — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorption 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”
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “absorbs quickly — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
  • Glow, Brightening and Even Tone Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “acne scars faded — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “Discoloration almost gone — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formula 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”
    • “doesn't strip my skin — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
    • “fragrance-free — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
  • Intense and Deep Hydration Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “hydrates the skin — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “My skin feels so hydrated and plump. — Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum”
  • Anti-Aging and Firming Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “skin looks plumper — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
    • “softens lines and wrinkles — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “clears up puffiness — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “Helps my skin and eye wrinkles — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
  • High Price Point Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “expensive for drugstore — Olay Super Serum”
    • “expensive — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “small quantity (0.5 oz) — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Packaging Issues and Flaws 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”
    • “hard to dispense — Olay Super Serum”
  • Unpleasant Smell and Scent Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “smells like plastic — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Smells like plastic — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “too perfumey — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”

Paula's Choice vs Olay routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Paula's Choice vs Olay routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Paula's Choice vs Olay routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Olay: which is better?

Olay delivers superior routine fits for dry sensitive skin, while Paula's Choice products on this page list no added fragrance.

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

Paula's Choice offers a fragrance-free lineup with routines that fit oily, acne-prone, and combination skin well, whereas Olay features options with fragrance and routines that fit dry and mature skin with a Superior level. Both brands provide effective anti-aging and texturizing products, but Olay stands out for intense hydration and a lower price point.

Paula's Choice or Olay for dry skin?

Olay achieves a Superior routine fit for dry skin, whereas Paula's Choice reaches a High fit. Olay helps provide intense hydration, which reviewers often note, while featuring key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin across the products on this page.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Paula's Choice offers better cleansers on this page for oily, acne-prone, and combination skin, where products like the CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser achieve Superior fit levels. Olay cleansers tend to show lower fit levels for those skin types, though they provide a wide range of options across their collection.

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

Olay is more affordable, as Paula's Choice has a high price point. Review themes indicate that Paula's Choice suffers from higher pricing.

Paula's Choice or Olay: which brand has fewer packaging and design issues according to reviewers?

Olay has fewer packaging and design issues compared to Paula's Choice, as reviewers mostly mention packaging flaws for Paula's Choice while noting them only sometimes for Olay.

Paula's Choice or Olay: which is better for deep hydration?

Olay is better for deep hydration, offering intense moisture through products on this page like the Regenerist Ultra Rich Hydrating Moisturizer. Niacinamide and hyaluronic acid help support skin barrier health and moisture retention across many formulas.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Drug Delivery, 2017

Paula's Choice or Olay: which brand offers fragrance-free options across almost all of its products?

Paula's Choice offers fragrance-free options across all of the products on this page, whereas Olay provides fragrance-free options in nearly all of its products with only one containing fragrance. Both brands help shoppers avoid unwanted scents, though Paula's Choice is entirely fragrance-free.

Paula's Choice or Olay for oily skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Olay offer products on this page that fit oily skin at a High level. Reviewers note that both brands help improve skin texture and absorb quickly.

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

Olay delivers superior deep hydration and intense moisture, while Paula's Choice helps target specific skin concerns with active-focused formulations.

Paula's Choice or Olay for sensitive skin?

Olay is superior for sensitive skin, while Paula's Choice is high. Reviewers note that Olay delivers intense hydration and fragrance-free options that may help soothe delicate complexions.

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

When it comes to sunscreens on these pages, Paula's Choice Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 helps dry, combination, and dry sensitive skin with a high Lovi fit level, whereas Olay offers a wider variety of sunscreens including options with anti-aging benefits.

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

Olay is well suited for acne-prone skin, providing a Superior routine fit compared to Paula's Choice, which has a High fit level. Reviewers note that Olay offers intense hydration, while Paula's Choice helps with anti-aging serums.

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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