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Paula's Choice vs Biore

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

Paula's Choice and Biore are well-established skincare lines founded respectively in 1995 and 1980. The American brand is known for serums, cleansers, moisturizers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, while the Japanese brand is beloved for thoughtful sunscreens, cleansers, masks, and makeup removers. Both fit oily skin best, though the former also suits combination skin, and the latter sensitive skin. They differ primarily in their specific targeted treatments, where the former uses glycerin to increase skin hydration and restore barrier function, and the latter relies on gentle and clarifying formulations for a refreshed complexion.

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

Biore is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1980 and owned by Kao Corporation.

biore.comkao.com

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

Popular Paula's Choice vs Biore products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceBiore
  • Lightweight and fast absorption 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”
    • “melts into skin — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
  • Pore cleansing and clarity Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Gets the gunk out — Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips”
    • “Face feels squeaky clean — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
    • “Helped clear my blackheads — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
    • “cleared my bumps — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
  • Skin texture smoothing Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “Leaves skin feeling clean — Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips”
  • Non-irritating and gentle 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 strip my skin — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
    • “Leaves skin soft, doesn't dry out face. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
  • Excellent makeup base and removal Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “primer-like — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
    • “Removes waterproof mascara, eyeliner, foundation. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
  • Glow, radiance and brightening Often MentionedNot noted
    • “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”
  • Unpleasant smell and strong 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 alcohol — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
    • “Smells like chemicals — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
  • High price and small size Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • Dryness, flaking and irritation Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “peeling and flaking — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “dryness and scaliness — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “burnt skin off — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “Made my skin peel — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
  • Purging and breakouts Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
    • “Caused breakouts, closed comedones, cystic acne. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
    • “skin purged — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”

Paula's Choice vs Biore routines for dry skin

Buy Biore routine · SAR 1,142.88 · 83% fitBuy Paula's Choice routine · SAR 1,588.72 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Paula's Choice vs Biore routines for oily skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · SAR 1,883.71 · 89% fitBuy Biore routine · SAR 1,162.08 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Paula's Choice vs Biore routines for combination skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · SAR 1,601.99 · 89% fitBuy Biore routine · SAR 1,148.89 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Biore: which is better?

Both Paula's Choice and Biore offer strong options, but Paula's Choice delivers superior results for anti-aging and gentle care while Biore excels at pore cleansing and makeup removal. Lovi rates both brands with similar fit levels across most skin types, though Paula's Choice features a much broader range of products on this page.

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

Paula's Choice is founded in the United States and owned by Unilever, whereas Biore is founded in Japan and owned by Kao Corporation. The products on this page show that Paula's Choice features a broader range of specialized treatments, while Biore focuses on targeted solutions like pore strips and cleansers.

Paula's Choice or Biore for dry skin?

Paula's Choice and Biore offer an equal routine fit of High for dry skin. Lovi rates the routine fit for dry skin as High for Paula's Choice and High for Biore.

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

Paula's Choice offers a wider range of cleansers with varying Lovi fit levels across skin types, whereas Biore features targeted options like the Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser. Both brands provide fragrance-free formulas on the products on this page.

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

Biore does better for high price and small size among review themes. Paula's Choice has high price and packaging issues mostly mentioned.

Paula's Choice or Biore: which has a better routine fit for mature skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Biore offer a High routine fit for mature skin. Paula's Choice features specialized anti-aging ingredients like retinol that help stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Which brand does better for pore cleansing and clarity?

Biore does better for pore cleansing and clarity among the products on this page. Reviewers note that Biore excels in pore cleansing and clarity.

When were Paula's Choice and Biore founded and where are they from?

Paula's Choice was founded in the United States in 1995, while Biore was founded in Japan in 1980.

Paula's Choice or Biore for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, Biore achieves a Superior routine fit, while Paula's Choice reaches a High routine fit on this page.

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

Paula's Choice Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 is better than Biore UV Aqua Rich because Lovi rates it higher for dry skin, combination skin, and dry sensitive skin.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Biore offer products on this page that are a High fit for acne-prone skin, meaning Lovi rates them equally for this skin type. Paula's Choice features a larger range with key ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide, while Biore focuses on specific pore-cleansing items.

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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