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Beauty of Joseon vs Paula's Choice

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

Beauty of Joseon and Paula's Choice are two distinct skincare brands offering specialized serums, moisturizers, and more for targeted needs. Founded in 2016, Beauty of Joseon uses niacinamide, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid to suit dry skin and sensitive skin best. Meanwhile, the American brand features hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin C, catering to dry skin and oily acne-prone skin. Ultimately, both differ through their unique formulations, origins, and specific ingredient profiles.

Beauty of Joseon is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by Goodai Global Inc. since 2019.

kbeautywiki.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.comgoodai-global.com

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

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

Popular Beauty of Joseon vs Paula's Choice products

People Say

Beauty of JoseonPaula's Choice
  • Texture and Application Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “feels like a light moisturizer — Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics”
    • “sinks in instantly — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water”
    • “Absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy residue behind. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”
    • “absorbs instantly — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formula Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “no irritation at all — Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum”
    • “cleansed my face gently without making my skin feel irritated — Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser”
    • “doesn't irritate my sensitive skin — Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel”
    • “Finally a vitamin C product I can use — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Saved my dry winter skin — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
    • “doesn't dry my skin like other cleansers — Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm”
    • “eyes look less tired — Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum”
    • “Provides an internal level of hydration without leaving any heavy finish. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
  • Smooths Skin Texture Rarely NotedMostly 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”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel”
  • Pore and Oil Control Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “less shiny by noon — Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel”
    • “pores look cleaner — Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Refreshing Pore Mask”
    • “cleared my bumps — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “pores look smaller — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
  • Glow and Radiance Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “gives a glass skin look — Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum”
    • “Gives me that chok-chok dewy look — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “Discoloration almost gone — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
  • Scent and Fragrance Issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like cooking oil — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil”
    • “smells like cheese — Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “smells like hot dog water — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
  • High Price and Value Issues Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • Breakouts and Purging Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Broke me out in cystic acne — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
    • “gave me cystic acne — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil”
    • “skin purged — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “caused cystic acne — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”

Beauty of Joseon vs Paula's Choice routines for dry skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · S$289.57 · 95% fitBuy Beauty of Joseon routine · S$57.44 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Beauty of Joseon vs Paula's Choice routines for oily skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · S$531.12 · 91% fitBuy Beauty of Joseon routine · S$81.33 · 78% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Beauty of Joseon vs Paula's Choice routines for combination skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · S$393.15 · 92% fitBuy Beauty of Joseon routine · S$53.82 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice: which is better?

Paula's Choice achieves superior routine fit across most skin types, including mature skin. Reviewers note that Beauty of Joseon is better for gentle, non-irritating formulas and deep hydration, while Paula's Choice is favored for smoothing skin texture.

What is the difference between Beauty of Joseon and Paula's Choice?

Beauty of Joseon offers gentle, highly moisturizing formulas well-suited for sensitive skin, whereas Paula's Choice provides superior anti-aging and exfoliating treatments for mature and oily skin. Both brands feature fragrance-free ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, which help reduce pigmentation and improve skin hydration.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice for dry skin?

Paula's Choice offers a superior routine for dry skin, whereas Beauty of Joseon has a high fit for dry skin. Paula's Choice features formulations that help maintain moisture balance and support barrier repair.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice: which cleanser is better?

Both Beauty of Joseon and Paula's Choice offer cleansers with strong skin fits, though Paula's Choice tends to excel for oily and acne-prone skin types while Beauty of Joseon is widely noted for gentle formulas. Reviewers frequently highlight the gentle, non-irritating nature of Beauty of Joseon cleansers.

Which is more affordable, Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice?

Beauty of Joseon offers better value, whereas high price is a commonly noted issue for Paula's Choice.

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

Beauty of Joseon was founded in South Korea in 2016 and is owned by Goodai Global Inc., whereas Paula's Choice was founded in the United States in 1995 and is owned by Unilever.

Which brand performs better for mature skin and skin with dark spots according to the routine fit ratings?

Paula's Choice performs better for mature skin with a Superior routine fit, while Beauty of Joseon has an Average fit. For skin with dark spots, Paula's Choice achieves a Superior routine fit compared to a High fit for Beauty of Joseon.

What are the main differences in the review feedback regarding fragrance and pricing between the two brands?

Reviewers note that both brands share fragrance issues, while Beauty of Joseon does better with pricing and value issues compared to Paula's Choice.

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice for sensitive skin?

Both brands offer products with a High fit for sensitive skin, but Beauty of Joseon is noted by reviewers for having a gentler, less irritating formula. Paula's Choice features key ingredients like niacinamide and green tea, which help soothe the skin and reduce irritation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Carcinogenesis, 2001

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer effective moisturizers, but Beauty of Joseon is particularly praised for providing deep hydration and gentle formulas, while Paula's Choice focuses on targeted performance. Reviewers note that Beauty of Joseon may offer better value, whereas Paula's Choice often features advanced active ingredients for specific skin concerns.

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice for acne-prone skin?

Beauty of Joseon and Paula's Choice both fit acne-prone skin well, with Beauty of Joseon being rated High and Paula's Choice rated Superior. Niacinamide helps reduce skin pigmentation, which may benefit acne-prone skin.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Beauty of Joseon or Paula's Choice: which sunscreen is better?

Beauty of Joseon offers the Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics sunscreen, which fits dry skin, sensitive skin, and skin with dark spots at a High level on this page. Paula's Choice features the Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50, which also fits dry skin at a High level.

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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