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Paula's Choice vs RoC

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

Paula's Choice and RoC are established skincare lines offering serums, cleansers, moisturizers, toners, and more. The American brand, founded in 1995, builds its formulas around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, suiting acne-prone skin and oily skin best. Conversely, the French brand, founded in 1957, is beloved for expertly formulated options anchored by hardworking ingredients like glycerin and retinol, suiting dry skin and skin with dark spots best. While both brands utilize glycerin to significantly increase skin hydration and restore barrier function, only the latter features retinol to significantly reduce fine wrinkles and increase collagen.

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

RoC is a French skincare brand founded in 1957 and owned by Bridgepoint Group plc since 2024.

en.wikipedia.orgprnewswire.combeautymatter.com

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

Popular Paula's Choice vs RoC products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceRoC
  • Skin texture improvement and smoothing 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”
    • “diminished my forehead lines — RoC Derm Correxion Fill + Treat Serum”
    • “face looked smoother — RoC Daily Resurfacing Disks”
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing formulas 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 instantly — RoC Derm Correxion Fill + Treat Serum”
  • Anti-aging and wrinkle reduction Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “wrinkles look less deep — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
    • “Fine lines definitely softer — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “crow's feet are fading — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum”
    • “softens lines and wrinkles — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
  • Non-irritating and gentle formulas Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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 leave my skin feeling tight — RoC BARRIER RENEW® GEL-TO-FOAM CLEANSER”
    • “No irritation for me — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Deep hydration Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin is no longer dry — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Max Hydration Cream”
    • “Areas stay hydrated all day — RoC Multi Correxion Hydrate + Plump Eye Cream”
    • “My skin looks smoother and hydrated. — RoC Derm Correxion Contour Cream”
    • “Provides an internal level of hydration without leaving any heavy finish. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
  • Non-greasy formulas Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs nicely — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
    • “Absorbs easily and quickly — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “absorbs quickly without residue — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Max Hydration Cream”
  • Unpleasant smell or strong fragrance Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “smells like perfume — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
    • “smell is too strong — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum”
    • “perfume smell is too strong — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Max Hydration Cream”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Skin irritation and burning Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “burnt skin off — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “caused cystic acne — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
    • “ruined my skin barrier — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “caused redness and stinging — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
  • High price and value concerns Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “small bottle — RoC Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Daily Serum”
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”

Paula's Choice vs RoC routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Paula's Choice vs RoC routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Paula's Choice vs RoC routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or RoC: which is better?

RoC tends to perform better for dry skin and anti-aging care, while Paula's Choice is often favored for lightweight formulas and value. Both brands offer effective options depending on your specific skin concerns and preferences.

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

Paula's Choice and RoC offer different strengths, with RoC performing better for deep hydration and anti-aging wrinkle reduction, while Paula's Choice provides more lightweight and fast-absorbing formulas. RoC relies heavily on retinol to stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Paula's Choice or RoC for dry skin?

For dry skin, RoC has a Superior routine fit, while Paula's Choice has a High routine fit. RoC achieves this through hydrating products like the Multi Correxion Line Smoothing Max Hydration Cream, whereas Paula's Choice relies on fragrance-free options like the Advanced Replenishing Toner.

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

For cleansers, both brands offer good options, but Paula's Choice helps oily and acne-prone skin with a Superior Lovi fit level across multiple cleansers like the CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser. RoC also provides strong options, such as the BARRIER RENEW GEL-TO-FOAM CLEANSER, which achieves a High Lovi fit level for dry and sensitive skin.

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

RoC is more affordable, as reviewers sometimes note its good value, whereas reviewers mostly mention high prices and packaging issues for Paula's Choice.

Paula's Choice or RoC for anti-aging and wrinkle reduction?

RoC does better for anti-aging and wrinkle reduction on the products on this page. Retinol helps reduce signs of aging in human skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

Which brand has a stronger fragrance, Paula's Choice or RoC?

RoC has a stronger fragrance, with reviewers sometimes noting a strong fragrance and scent and some products listing fragrance in their ingredients. In contrast, the products on this page for Paula's Choice list no fragrance in their ingredients.

Paula's Choice or RoC for oily skin?

Both brands fit oily skin well with a High routine fit. The products on this page for Paula's Choice suit oily skin and acne-prone skin best.

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

For moisturizers, Paula's Choice and RoC both offer solid options depending on your skin's needs. RoC provides a Superior routine fit for dry skin, while the products on this page for Paula's Choice avoid added fragrance entirely.

Paula's Choice or RoC for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both Paula's Choice and RoC offer a High routine fit. Paula's Choice products on this page list no fragrance, which helps minimize potential irritation.

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

Paula's Choice Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 and RoC Barrier Renew AM Moisturizer SPF 30 both offer High fit levels for dry, combination, sensitive, and mature skin types on the products on this page. RoC's sunscreen also provides a High fit for oily skin and skin with dark spots, whereas Paula's Choice sunscreen is rated Average for those skin types.

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

For acne-prone skin, both brands work well since Paula's Choice has a High routine fit and RoC has a Superior routine fit. RoC is a good choice for anti-aging benefits, while Paula's Choice helps target acne with ingredients like salicylic acid and green tea extract.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2013

Paula's Choice or RoC for dry sensitive skin?

For dry sensitive skin, RoC is the better choice because Lovi rates its routine as High, whereas Paula's Choice is rated Average.

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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