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SKIN1004 vs Paula's Choice

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

SKIN1004 and Paula's Choice are two distinct skincare brands offering toners, moisturizers, serums, cleansers, sunscreens, and masks. The Korean brand centers on centella asiatica, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide, while the American brand relies on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c. Both options suit acne-prone skin and oily skin best, yet they differ in origin, founding years, and specific formulations.

SKIN1004 is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2012 and owned by Goodai Global Inc. since 2024.

mk.co.krpitchbook.comtracxn.comgoodai-global.com

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 SKIN1004 and Paula's Choice products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular SKIN1004 vs Paula's Choice products

People Say

SKIN1004Paula's Choice
  • Lightweight texture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “sunk in like a dream — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum”
    • “Texture is on the thinner side... surprisingly lightweight. — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil”
    • “Provides an internal level of hydration without leaving any heavy finish. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
    • “Absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy residue behind. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”
  • Hydration and soothing Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “calmed my angry skin — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Toning Toner”
    • “Gives my dehydrated skin a moisture surge — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Watergel Sheet Ampoule Mask”
    • “Eliminated redness on my easily irritated skin — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Watergel Sheet Ampoule Mask”
    • “instantly hydrates — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
  • Skin smoothing and texture Sometimes NotedMostly 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 super soft — SKIN1004 Zombie Pack”
  • Brightening and complexion Rarely NotedOften 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”
    • “Gives a nice glow — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Boosting Toner”
  • Effective cleansing Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “doesn't strip my skin — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Cleansing Gel Foam”
    • “Dissolves waterproof mascara and sunscreen effortlessly. — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil”
    • “cleared my bumps — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “Removes all my makeup easily — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
  • Gentle formulation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “doesn't burn my eyes — SKIN1004 Probio-Cica Bakuchiol Eye Cream”
    • “Does not sting my eyes or irritate my sensitive skin. — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil”
    • “Finally a vitamin C product I can use — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
    • “Doesn't strip my skin — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
  • Small size or high price Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Price is quite steep — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Watergel Sheet Ampoule Mask”
    • “wish it came in larger size — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Poremizing Light Gel Cream”
    • “Pricey for daily use — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Quick Calming Pad”
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • Scent dislikes Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like wet dog — SKIN1004 Zombie Pack”
    • “Has a strong herbal/citrus scent I didn't enjoy. — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil”
    • “smells a bit like plastic — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Cleansing Gel Foam”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Insufficient hydration or dryness Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “not enough for dry skin — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Poremizing Light Gel Cream”
    • “not moisturizing enough — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Toning Toner”
    • “peeling and flaking — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “Not hydrating enough for winter. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”
  • Irritation and eye discomfort Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Made my vision blurry/foggy for a while after rinsing. — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil”
    • “painful tightness — SKIN1004 Zombie Pack”
    • “burnt skin off — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “caused cystic acne — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”

SKIN1004 vs Paula's Choice routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

SKIN1004 vs Paula's Choice routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

SKIN1004 vs Paula's Choice routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

SKIN1004 or Paula's Choice: which is better?

Both SKIN1004 and Paula's Choice offer an equal High routine fit for most skin types, while SKIN1004 does better for hydration and soothing, and Paula's Choice does better for skin smoothing, texture, brightening, and complexion. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and signs of skin aging, and niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

What is the difference between SKIN1004 and Paula's Choice?

SKIN1004 does better for hydration and soothing, while Paula's Choice does better for skin smoothing and texture and brightening and complexion. Reviewers mostly mention high price and packaging issues for Paula's Choice and small size or high price and scent dislikes for SKIN1004.

SKIN1004 or Paula's Choice for dry skin?

Both SKIN1004 and Paula's Choice fit dry skin well, offering a High routine fit level. SKIN1004 does better for hydration and soothing, while Paula's Choice excels at skin smoothing and texture.

SKIN1004 or Paula's Choice: which cleanser is better?

Both SKIN1004 and Paula's Choice offer cleansers with effective cleansing, and their individual options feature Lovi fit levels ranging from Superior to High across multiple skin types.

Which is more affordable, SKIN1004 or Paula's Choice?

Paula's Choice is often noted by reviewers for high prices, while SKIN1004 is mentioned for small size or high price.

Which brand performs better for hydration and soothing according to reviewers?

SKIN1004 performs better for hydration and soothing according to reviewers.

What are the key ingredients found across SKIN1004 products compared to Paula's Choice?

SKIN1004 features key ingredients like Centella asiatica, Hyaluronic acid, Niacinamide, and Panthenol across its products on this page. In contrast, Paula's Choice relies on Hyaluronic acid, Glycerin, Vitamin C, Licorice root, Niacinamide, Salicylic acid, Green tea, and Vitamin E.

SKIN1004 or Paula's Choice for oily skin?

Both SKIN1004 and Paula's Choice fit oily skin at a High level. SKIN1004 leans into lightweight and soothing toners and moisturizers, while Paula's Choice is noted for smooth texture and anti-aging serums.

SKIN1004 or Paula's Choice: which moisturizer is better?

Both SKIN1004 and Paula's Choice offer moisturizers that help address various skin needs without added fragrance. SKIN1004 focuses on centella and hydration, while Paula's Choice relies on key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin to support skin texture and moisture.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

SKIN1004 or Paula's Choice for sensitive skin?

SKIN1004 is a better choice for sensitive skin, offering a High routine fit compared to the Average fit of Paula's Choice. SKIN1004 does better for hydration and soothing, while both brands list no fragrance in their products on this page.

SKIN1004 or Paula's Choice: which sunscreen is better?

SKIN1004 offers sunscreens like the Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum, which has a High to Superior fit across most skin types, whereas Paula's Choice features the Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 with a High fit for dry and combination skin and an Average fit for other skin types.

SKIN1004 or Paula's Choice for acne-prone skin?

Both SKIN1004 and Paula's Choice offer an equal High routine fit for acne-prone skin. SKIN1004 stands out for hydration and soothing, while Paula's Choice does better for skin smoothing and texture.

SKIN1004 or Paula's Choice for dry sensitive skin?

SKIN1004 fits dry sensitive skin better than Paula's Choice, offering a High routine fit compared to an Average fit for Paula's Choice. SKIN1004 features soothing hydration and includes key ingredients like sodium hyaluronate which helps support skin quality.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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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