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Paula's Choice vs Avène

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

Paula's Choice and Avène are respected skincare brands that offer serums, cleansers, moisturizers, and toners formulated with key ingredients like glycerin to support hydration and barrier function. The American brand, founded in 1995, features formulations built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c that suit dry skin and oily acne-prone skin best. Meanwhile, the French brand, founded in 1990, provides gentle moisturizers, protective sunscreens, targeted serums, and soothing cleansers that cater best to oily acne-prone skin and combination skin. While both rely on glycerin, they differ in their origin, founding years, ownership, and specific product strengths for various skin concerns.

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

Avène is a French skincare brand founded in 1990 and owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre.

pierre-fabre.comavene.co.ukaveneusa.com

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

Popular Paula's Choice vs Avène products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceAvène
  • Lightweight and fast absorption Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “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”
    • “immediate radiance boost — Avène Vitamin Activ Cg Radiance Concentrated Serum”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “leaves face clean but not dry — Avène Cleanance”
    • “Nothing has ever worked to soothe or heal my skin like these before. — Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm”
    • “Perfect cleanser for sensitive skin. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
    • “Finally a vitamin C product I can use — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
  • Smooth texture and anti-aging Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “skin is insanely soft — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “skin never been this silky — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “skin looks plumper — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
    • “skin instantly felt firmer — Avène Hyaluron Activ B3 Concentrated Plumping Serum”
  • Unclogs pores and controls acne Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “cleared my bumps — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “Helped clear my cystic acne — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
    • “Keeps me matte for hours — Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel”
  • Barrier repair, deep hydration and soothing Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Calmed my angry red skin overnight — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
    • “Saves my skin in winter — Avène Cold Cream”
    • “Healed my over-exfoliated skin in days — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
  • High price and small size Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Its a bit pricey but so worth it!! — Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm”
    • “a bit pricey — Avène Cleanance”
    • “Tiny tube for the money — Avène Cold Cream”
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • Causes dryness, purging, and irritation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Left my face tight — Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel”
    • “it didn't do anything for my dark circles — Avène RetrinAL EYES”
    • “no difference — Avène Antirougeurs Fort Relief Concentrate”
    • “peeling and flaking — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
  • Packaging issues and product flaws Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “turned orange in weeks — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “dropper leaks — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “dropper can be unpredictable — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
    • “bring it back — Avène Antirougeurs Fort Relief Concentrate”

Paula's Choice vs Avène routines for dry skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · S$289.57 · 95% fitBuy Avène routine · S$285.32 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Paula's Choice vs Avène routines for oily skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · S$531.12 · 91% fitBuy Avène routine · S$455.29 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Paula's Choice vs Avène routines for combination skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · S$393.15 · 92% fitBuy Avène routine · S$410.57 · 90% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Avène: which is better?

Paula's Choice is rated Superior for almost all skin types on the products on this page, whereas Avène ranges from Superior to Average. Paula's Choice helps with lightweight absorption and anti-aging, while Avène helps soothe irritation and redness.

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

Paula's Choice helps deliver lightweight texture, unclog pores, and smooth skin with anti-aging serums, whereas Avène helps soothe irritation, repair skin barriers, and provide deep hydration. Lovi finds that Paula's Choice has a Superior routine fit across nearly all skin types, while Avène's routine fit is Superior for oily acne-prone, combination, and acne-prone skin, but High or Average for others.

Paula's Choice or Avène for dry skin?

Paula's Choice is a better fit for dry skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Avène's High level. The products on this page help deliver deep hydration with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Paula's Choice offers a superior cleanser fit on the products on this page for oily skin, oily acne-prone skin, and acne-prone skin, while Avène provides a high fit for oily acne-prone skin and acne-prone skin. Paula's Choice is fragrance-free across all cleansers, whereas some Avène cleansers may contain fragrance.

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

The products on this page do not list specific prices, but reviewers mostly mentioned high price and packaging issues for Paula's Choice, while Avène reviewers sometimes noted the price point as well.

Paula's Choice or Avène: which brand has fragrance-free products?

Paula's Choice has fragrance-free products, as every product on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients. In contrast, Avène includes fragrance in several of the products on this page.

Which brand is better for mature skin and skin with dark spots, Paula's Choice or Avène?

Paula's Choice is better for mature skin and skin with dark spots, as Lovi rates its routine fit as Superior for both compared to Avène's High fit level. Paula's Choice features key ingredients like Vitamin C and retinol, which helps brighten pigmentation and stimulate collagen accumulation in aged skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Paula's Choice or Avène: which brand is owned by Unilever?

Paula's Choice is owned by Unilever, having been acquired by the company in 2021.

Paula's Choice or Avène for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi rates Paula's Choice as a Superior fit and Avène as a High fit. Paula's Choice helps unclog pores and control acne, while Avène provides effective oil control and a gentle deep clean.

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

Paula's Choice achieves a Superior routine fit for dry skin on the products on this page, whereas Avène reaches a High fit. Paula's Choice features formulations without added fragrance across the products on this page, while Avène includes fragrance in several of its moisturizers.

Paula's Choice or Avène for sensitive skin?

Paula's Choice is a better fit for sensitive skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Avène at High. Paula's Choice features fragrance-free formulas across all the products on this page.

Paula's Choice or Avène: which sunscreen is better?

Paula's Choice sunscreen helps provide a High fit for dry and combination skin types on the products on this page. Avène sunscreen achieves a Superior fit for oily skin.

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

Paula's Choice is a Superior fit for acne-prone skin on this page, while Avène is a Superior fit. Paula's Choice helps unclog pores and control acne better than Avène.

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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