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Paula's Choice vs Elemis

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

Paula's Choice and Elemis are established skincare brands offering serums, cleansers, moisturizers, toners, and more. Paula's Choice relies on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c to best suit oily and combination skin, while the British brand harnesses nourishing ingredients like glycerin and shea to best suit mature and dry sensitive skin. Both lines feature targeted solutions for concerns such as acne-prone skin, dark spots, and aging, yet they differ through distinct active formulations and their respective American and British heritages.

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

Elemis is a British skincare brand founded in 1989 and owned by L'Occitane Group since 2019.

elemis.comau.elemis.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular Paula's Choice vs Elemis products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceElemis
  • Improving Skin Texture and Smoothness Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “bumps be gone — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “skin is insanely soft — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
  • Fast Absorption and Lightweight Texture 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”
    • “Absorbs almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “weightless serum — Elemis Pro-Collagen Advanced Eye Treatment”
  • Instant and Deep Hydration Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
  • Glow, Radiance, and Brightening Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “Discoloration almost gone — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
    • “healthy glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “instantly fresh glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
  • Pleasant Scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like a spa — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “smells like a holiday — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “smells like a tropical cocktail — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “Doesn't smell at all — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical 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”
    • “improved neck texture — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “My neck doesn't sag... plumps my skin to look more youthful. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
  • High Price and Value Issues Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “Sooooo expensive — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “very expensive — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
  • Packaging Issues and Small Size Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “jar looks half empty — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “tube feels half empty — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “pump broke quickly — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • Unpleasant Smell or Scent Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “smell is overpowering — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”

Paula's Choice vs Elemis routines for dry skin

Buy Elemis routine · SAR 3,641.86 · 82% fitBuy Paula's Choice routine · SAR 1,588.72 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Paula's Choice vs Elemis routines for oily skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · SAR 1,883.71 · 89% fitBuy Elemis routine · SAR 2,382.67 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Paula's Choice vs Elemis routines for combination skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · SAR 1,601.99 · 89% fitBuy Elemis routine · SAR 2,337.01 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Elemis: which is better?

Paula's Choice may fit better if you want targeted anti-aging and smoothing options without added fragrance, while Elemis tends to provide more luxurious textures and deep hydration.

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

Paula's Choice performs better for improving skin texture and anti-aging, while Elemis provides superior instant and deep hydration. The products on this page for Paula's Choice are fragrance-free, whereas most Elemis products contain fragrance.

Paula's Choice or Elemis for dry skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Elemis achieve a High routine fit level for dry skin. Paula's Choice offers fragrance-free products with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, while Elemis delivers hydrating moisturizers backed by reviews praising its deep hydration.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Paula's Choice is a better choice for cleansers because the products on this page list no fragrance, whereas most Elemis cleansers contain added fragrance. Lovi rates the Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser as a Superior fit for oily and acne-prone skin.

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

Both brands frequently receive shopper mentions regarding a high price point, meaning neither is definitively more affordable.

Between Paula's Choice and Elemis, which brand offers a better selection of fragrance-free products?

Paula's Choice offers a better selection of fragrance-free products because every product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients. In contrast, only 4 of the 22 products on the Elemis page list no fragrance.

How do the founding years and corporate ownerships of Paula's Choice and Elemis compare?

Paula's Choice was founded in 1995 in the United States and has been owned by Unilever since 2021, whereas Elemis was founded in 1989 in the United Kingdom and is owned by the L'Occitane Group since 2019.

Which brand performs better for anti-aging and firming according to review themes?

Paula's Choice performs better for anti-aging and firming according to review themes. Retinol may help stimulate collagen accumulation and improve naturally aged skin.

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

Paula's Choice or Elemis for sensitive skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Elemis have a High routine fit for sensitive skin. Paula's Choice has fragrance-free products on this page, while Elemis reviewers sometimes note skin irritation and strong fragrance.

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

Elemis is a better choice for moisturizers, as it is particularly known for delivering instant and deep hydration with luxurious textures. Paula's Choice also offers effective moisturizers, but the products on this page lean more heavily toward serums and treatments.

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

Both brands provide a High routine fit for acne-prone skin, but Paula's Choice is formulated entirely without added fragrance, whereas most Elemis products on this page contain fragrance. Retinol helps reduce acne-related concerns and stimulates collagen in aged skin.

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

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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