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Paula's Choice vs Clinique

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

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

Clinique is an American skincare brand founded in 1968 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.combusinesswire.comglossy.co

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

Popular Paula's Choice vs Clinique products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceClinique
  • Lightweight and fast absorbing Mostly MentionedMostly 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 immediately — Clinique moisture surge”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “never irritated my eyes — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “No stinging eyes — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “cools the heat in my cheeks — Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream”
    • “Finally a vitamin C product I can use — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
  • Smoothes texture and refines pores Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “pores look smaller — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
    • “bumps be gone — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “leaves face porcelain smooth — Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula”
  • Glow and radiance Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “softens lines and wrinkles — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “acne scars faded — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “wake up glowing — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
  • Unclogs pores and clears acne Often MentionedNot noted
    • “cleared my bumps — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “Helped clear my cystic acne — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
    • “heals blemishes faster — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
  • Firms and plumps Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “skin looks plumper — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
    • “improved neck texture — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “glass skin look — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “visibly plumped up — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
  • High price and small size Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “jar is too small for the cost — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “quite pricey — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
  • Causes purging or breakouts Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “peeling and flaking — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “skin purged — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “Woke up with whiteheads on my chin — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “gave me tiny bumps — Clinique moisture surge”
  • Unpleasant smell or scent Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Smells like nail polish remover — Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2”
    • “Smells like old oil — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “Has a weird plastic-like smell — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Drying and flaking Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Not hydrating enough for winter. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”
    • “dryness and scaliness — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
    • “Made my skin flaky — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
    • “skin felt tight — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”

Paula's Choice vs Clinique routines for dry skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · S$289.57 · 95% fitBuy Clinique routine · S$253.28 · 95% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Paula's Choice vs Clinique routines for oily skin

Buy Clinique routine · S$486.90 · 94% fitBuy Paula's Choice routine · S$531.12 · 91% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Paula's Choice vs Clinique routines for combination skin

Buy Clinique routine · S$382.80 · 94% fitBuy Paula's Choice routine · S$393.15 · 92% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Clinique: which is better?

Paula's Choice and Clinique are both well-liked options, with Lovi fit levels that are equal across all skin types. Paula's Choice is often noted for smoothing texture and unclogging pores, while Clinique is frequently praised for its gentle, hydrating moisturizers.

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

Paula's Choice outperforms Clinique for lightweight absorption, pore-smoothing texture, and acne-clearing efficacy, while Clinique is often noted for being gentler on sensitive skin. Both brands offer fragrance-free options and achieve equal routine fit levels across all major skin types.

Paula's Choice or Clinique for dry skin?

Both Paula's Choice and Clinique offer a Superior routine fit for dry skin. Paula's Choice helps address dryness through products like the Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner, which has a Superior fit for dry skin, while Clinique features options like the Smart Clinical Repair Lifting Face + Neck Cream that is also well-suited for dry skin.

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

Paula's Choice offers cleansers on this page that are Lovi-rated Superior for oily acne-prone skin, oily skin, acne-prone skin, and combination skin, whereas Clinique's cleansers reach a High fit for dry sensitive and sensitive skin.

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

Both brands share the same level for high price and small size, so neither brand is more affordable.

Paula's Choice or Clinique: which brand offers products with no fragrance?

Both brands offer products with no fragrance, as every product on this page for both Paula's Choice and Clinique lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

Which brand has a wider variety of key ingredients like Vitamin C and Licorice root across its products?

Paula's Choice offers a wider variety of key ingredients across the products on this page, including both Vitamin C and licorice root.

Paula's Choice or Clinique: which brand does better for smoothing texture and refining pores according to review themes?

Paula's Choice does better for smoothing texture and refining pores according to review themes.

Paula's Choice or Clinique for sensitive skin?

Both brands achieve a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin on the products on this page. Paula's Choice helps smooth texture, while Clinique is frequently noted for gentle and non-irritating formulas.

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

Both Paula's Choice and Clinique offer effective moisturizers on this page, with similar routine fit levels for various skin types. Clinique is often noted for its hydrating and lightweight formulas, while Paula's Choice provides targeted options featuring ingredients like ceramides and niacinamide.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

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

Both Paula's Choice and Clinique offer a Superior routine fit for acne-prone skin, though Paula's Choice helps better with unclogging pores and clearing acne. Paula's Choice features fragrance-free products on this page containing salicylic acid and niacinamide, which may reduce blemishes and oiliness.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

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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