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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 brands offering serums, cleansers, moisturizers, and more. Paula's Choice, founded in 1995 and owned by Unilever since 2021, centers its formulations around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, suiting oily and combination skin best. Conversely, RoC is a French brand founded in 1957 and owned by Bridgepoint Group plc since 2024, beloved for targeted treatments featuring glycerin and retinol that cater ideally to mature and acne-prone skin. While both brands harness glycerin to increase skin hydration and restore barrier function, they differ in their heritage, ownership, and signature active ingredients.

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

Buy RoC routine · SAR 1,037.98 · 90% fitBuy Paula's Choice routine · SAR 1,588.72 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Paula's Choice vs RoC routines for oily skin

Buy RoC routine · SAR 1,218.27 · 90% fitBuy Paula's Choice routine · SAR 1,883.71 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Paula's Choice vs RoC routines for combination skin

Buy RoC routine · SAR 1,205.08 · 90% fitBuy Paula's Choice routine · SAR 1,601.99 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or RoC: which is better?

Both brands offer effective options, with RoC excelling in anti-aging and deep hydration while Paula's Choice provides fragrance-free formulas with lightweight and fast-absorbing benefits. RoC may help with wrinkle reduction through retinol, whereas Paula's Choice is unlikely to cause strong scent irritation since every product on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

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

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

Paula's Choice and RoC offer very different formulas, with Paula's Choice featuring fragrance-free products across the products on this page while RoC includes some scented options. RoC often delivers stronger anti-aging and deep hydration results, whereas Paula's Choice helps provide lightweight, fast-absorbing formulas.

Paula's Choice or RoC for dry skin?

For dry skin, RoC offers a Superior routine fit, while Paula's Choice provides a High routine fit. RoC is often noted for deep hydration and wrinkle reduction with key ingredients like glycerin, retinol, and hyaluronic acid, though some products may feature strong fragrance.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Both brands offer cleansers that perform well, but Paula's Choice features fragrance-free cleansers across the products on this page. RoC's BARRIER RENEW GEL-TO-FOAM CLEANSER achieves a High fit level for dry, sensitive, oily, and acne-prone skin types.

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

RoC offers better value for the products on this page, whereas Paula's Choice is mostly mentioned by reviewers for having a high price. Retinol helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in aging 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, as some of its products on this page list fragrance in their ingredients, whereas every product on the Paula's Choice page lists no fragrance.

Which brand is better for anti-aging and wrinkle reduction, Paula's Choice or RoC?

RoC does better for anti-aging and wrinkle reduction on the products on this page. Retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

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

Paula's Choice or RoC for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi finds RoC a Superior fit and Paula's Choice a High fit. RoC is favored for deep hydration and non-greasy formulas, while Paula's Choice features fragrance-free products on this page.

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

Both brands offer effective moisturizers, but Paula's Choice is formulated entirely without fragrance across the products on this page. RoC focuses heavily on anti-aging and deep hydration, helping improve mature skin with ingredients like retinol.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Paula's Choice or RoC for sensitive skin?

Both Paula's Choice and RoC offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin. Paula's Choice products on this page list no fragrance, while RoC includes fragrance in some of its formulas.

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 provide sun protection, but the products on this page from RoC achieve a higher fit level for dry and oily skin types.

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

For acne-prone skin, both brands offer products on this page with a Superior fit level. RoC achieves a Superior routine fit, while Paula's Choice features fragrance-free formulas across all products.

Paula's Choice or RoC for mature skin?

For mature skin, Lovi finds RoC to have a Superior routine fit, while Paula's Choice has a High routine fit. RoC is favored for anti-aging and wrinkle reduction, whereas the products on this page from Paula's Choice list no fragrance in their ingredients.

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

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