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The Ordinary vs Paula's Choice

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

The Ordinary and Paula's Choice are prominent skincare brands offering serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and more. The Canadian brand centers on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane to suit sensitive and dry sensitive skin best, while the American brand relies on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c for oily and combination skin. Both lines address specific concerns like acne, dark spots, and aging through targeted formulations, yet differ fundamentally in their ingredient philosophies and ideal skin matches.

The Ordinary is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021.

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

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Paula's Choice products

People Say

The OrdinaryPaula's Choice
  • Smoothes skin texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “skin is insanely soft — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
  • Clears acne and blemishes Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “scars and hormonal acne faded — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “faded dark spots — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “Helped clear my cystic acne — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
  • Great value and affordability Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “lasts forever — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “can't beat the price — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “extremely affordable — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedOften 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”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Finally a cleanser that doesn't sting my face. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “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”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “leaves my skin radiant and clear — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “Provides an internal level of hydration without leaving any heavy finish. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
    • “skin looks plumper — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
  • High price point Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Unpleasant scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Smells like vinegar — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “smell is unbearable — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “has a slight chemical smell — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Breakouts and purging Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “gave me cystic acne — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin purged — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
  • Small tube size and packaging Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “The 50ml tube runs out way too fast. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Wish it came in a pump — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”

The Ordinary vs Paula's Choice routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 814.57 · 90% fitBuy Paula's Choice routine · SAR 1,588.72 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Paula's Choice routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 867.55 · 92% fitBuy Paula's Choice routine · SAR 1,883.71 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Paula's Choice routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 981.41 · 92% fitBuy Paula's Choice routine · SAR 1,601.99 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice: which is better?

Both The Ordinary and Paula's Choice are great, but The Ordinary is typically considered a better value option and provides superior routine fit across most skin types on this page. Reviewers frequently note that The Ordinary delivers great value and affordability, while Paula's Choice is often associated with a higher price point.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Paula's Choice?

Both brands offer fragrance-free skincare, but The Ordinary tends to be more affordable and is noted for great value serums, whereas Paula's Choice is often highlighted for lightweight absorption and has a higher price point. The products on this page provide great routine fit levels for various skin types across both lines.

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice for dry skin?

The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit for dry skin, whereas Paula's Choice has a High routine fit. Hyaluronic acid helps provide hydration and plumping for the skin.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice: which cleanser is better?

Both The Ordinary and Paula's Choice offer well-reviewed cleansers on this page, but they cater to slightly different preferences. The Ordinary features options like the Glucoside Foaming Cleanser and Squalane Cleanser, while Paula's Choice provides alternatives such as the CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Paula's Choice?

The Ordinary offers better value and affordability than Paula's Choice according to the reviews on the products on this page.

Which brand is better for clearing acne, The Ordinary or Paula's Choice?

The Ordinary does better than Paula's Choice for clearing acne and blemishes among the products on this page. Topical application of ingredients like niacinamide may help control skin aging and pigmentation.

Antioxidants, 2021

How do the founding years and ownership of The Ordinary and Paula's Choice compare?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. Paula's Choice was founded in the United States in 1995 and is owned by Unilever.

Which brand performs better for smoothing skin texture according to review themes?

Both The Ordinary and Paula's Choice perform equally well for smoothing skin texture according to review themes. Lovi rates the routine fit for both brands as Superior across most skin types.

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice for oily skin?

The Ordinary is a strong choice for oily skin, offering superior routine fit compared to Paula's Choice, which has a high fit. The products on this page help manage oil and blemishes effectively while remaining fragrance-free.

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and Paula's Choice offer moisturizers with a high Lovi fit for dry and sensitive skin, but The Ordinary stands out for offering great value and affordability. Hyaluronic acid helps bind moisture to the skin to improve hydration.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is a strong choice for sensitive skin because the products on this page achieve a Superior Lovi fit level for this skin type. Niacinamide helps control pigmentation and supports skin aging care.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

The Ordinary or Paula's Choice for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary is a strong choice for acne-prone skin, with the products on this page offering a Superior routine fit for this skin type. Reviewers note that the brand helps clear acne and blemishes effectively while remaining affordable and great value.

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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