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Paula's Choice vs Simple

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

Paula's Choice and Simple are established skincare brands offering distinct approaches to daily care. Paula's Choice relies on serums, cleansers, moisturizers, and toners featuring hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin C to suit oily and combination skin best. Conversely, Simple provides gentle moisturizers, makeup removers, cleansers, and toners enriched with niacinamide and glycerin that are well-suited for acne-prone and oily skin. While both brands utilize glycerin to improve skin hydration and barrier function, the American brand focuses on targeted treatments with acids and retinol, whereas the British brand emphasizes soothing, balanced formulations.

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

Simple is a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.

en.wikipedia.orgsec.govprnewswire.comsimple.co.uk

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

Popular Paula's Choice vs Simple products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceSimple
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Does not cause any form of irritation on the skin which I love. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The only cleanser that doesn't turn my face red. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “no artificial perfume — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “Finally a vitamin C product I can use — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
  • Lightweight and fast absorbing texture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “absorbs instantly — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “sinks in instantly — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
  • Smoothes skin texture and fades dark spots Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “pores look smaller — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
  • Gentle, non-stripping daily cleansing Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Takes off any makeup residue and makes my face feel refreshed. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Instantly boosts skin's hydration... face doesn't feel dry and tight. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Love that it has absolutely no scent. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “Doesn't strip my skin — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
  • Convenient and affordable value Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “great value for money — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
    • “super affordable — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “No need to rinse... perfect for traveling or lazy nights. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Effective hydration and non-greasy feel Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “banished dryness within days — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “cleared up my dry patches — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
    • “absorbs super fast — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • High price and small bottle size Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “I have to use 4-5 cotton pads to get clean. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • Causes purging, breakouts or irritation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Gave me tiny bumps on my forehead. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “caused major breakouts — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “Gave me tiny red spots — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “peeling and flaking — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
  • Sticky residue or unpleasant scent Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Feels slimy on skin — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “Still feeling a little bit of a film on my skin. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Smells like chemicals — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”

Paula's Choice vs Simple routines for dry skin

Buy Simple routine · SAR 891.11 · 83% fitBuy Paula's Choice routine · SAR 1,588.72 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Paula's Choice vs Simple routines for oily skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · SAR 1,883.71 · 89% fitBuy Simple routine · SAR 1,151.23 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Paula's Choice vs Simple routines for combination skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · SAR 1,601.99 · 89% fitBuy Simple routine · SAR 983.37 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Simple: which is better?

Both Paula's Choice and Simple offer a High routine fit across all skin types, so neither brand is universally better than the other. Paula's Choice tends to be better for lightweight texture, smoothing skin texture, and fading dark spots, while Simple excels in gentle daily cleansing, sensitive-skin-friendly makeup removal, and affordable value.

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

Paula's Choice offers a wider range of targeted serums and exfoliants with ingredients like vitamin C and retinol, whereas Simple focuses on budget-friendly and gentle daily cleansers and makeup removers. Both brands provide fragrance-free options and achieve equal routine fit levels across all skin types.

Paula's Choice or Simple for dry skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Simple achieve a High routine fit for dry skin on this page. Paula's Choice helps smooth skin texture and provides lightweight, fast-absorbing products, while Simple offers gentle, non-stripping daily cleansing and value-friendly moisturizers.

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

Paula's Choice is better for targeted concerns like oily or acne-prone skin, where cleansers on this page achieve a superior Lovi fit level, whereas Simple focuses on gentle, non-stripping daily cleansing that achieves an average Lovi fit level for similar skin types.

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

Simple offers more convenient and affordable value than Paula's Choice, whose products on this page are mostly noted for having a high price.

Which brand has more products containing niacinamide, Paula's Choice or Simple?

Paula's Choice offers more products containing niacinamide across the products on this page than Simple.

What are the main fragrance ingredients found across Paula's Choice and Simple products?

Every product on this page for both Paula's Choice and Simple lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

Paula's Choice or Simple for oily skin?

Both brands have a High routine fit for oily skin, making them equally suitable options on this page. Paula's Choice is often noted for lightweight and fast-absorbing textures, while Simple offers gentle, non-stripping daily cleansing.

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

Paula's Choice offers moisturizers on this page that provide lightweight and fast-absorbing textures, while Simple provides budget-friendly, value-friendly options. Both brands achieve high routine fit levels for dry, oily, and combination skin types.

Paula's Choice or Simple for sensitive skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Simple offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin on this page. Paula's Choice helps smooth skin texture and provides lightweight and fast-absorbing formulas, whereas Simple provides gentle, non-stripping daily cleansing and value-friendly products.

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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