🇸🇬Singapore

Paula's Choice vs Olay

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

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

Popular Paula's Choice vs Olay products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceOlay
  • Improves Skin Texture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “skin is insanely soft — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Skin feels like silk — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “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 quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “absorbs quickly — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
  • Glow, Brightening and Even Tone Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “acne scars faded — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “Discoloration almost gone — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formula Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “doesn't strip my skin — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
    • “fragrance-free — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
  • Intense and Deep Hydration Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “hydrates the skin — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “My skin feels so hydrated and plump. — Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum”
  • Anti-Aging and Firming Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “skin looks plumper — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
    • “softens lines and wrinkles — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “clears up puffiness — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “Helps my skin and eye wrinkles — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
  • High Price Point Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “expensive for drugstore — Olay Super Serum”
    • “expensive — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “small quantity (0.5 oz) — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • Packaging Issues and Flaws Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “dropper leaks — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “dropper can be unpredictable — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
    • “Cap broke immediately — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
    • “hard to dispense — Olay Super Serum”
  • Unpleasant Smell and Scent Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “smells like plastic — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Smells like plastic — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “too perfumey — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”

Paula's Choice vs Olay routines for dry skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · S$289.57 · 95% fitBuy Olay routine · S$248.06 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Paula's Choice vs Olay routines for oily skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · S$531.12 · 91% fitBuy Olay routine · S$485.72 · 81% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Paula's Choice vs Olay routines for combination skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · S$393.15 · 92% fitBuy Olay routine · S$383.33 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Olay: which is better?

Paula's Choice is rated Superior across all skin types on this page, making it a better fit than Olay overall. While Olay is more affordable, Paula's Choice helps deliver targeted anti-aging and brightening results with key ingredients like niacinamide and retinol.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

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

Paula's Choice offers a superior Lovi routine fit across all skin types, whereas Olay provides a high routine fit. Paula's Choice features fragrance-free formulas across the products on this page, while Olay includes fragrance in select items.

Paula's Choice or Olay for dry skin?

Paula's Choice is a better fit for dry skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Olay's High fit level. Both brands provide fragrance-free options across most of the products on this page.

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

Paula's Choice offers a superior Lovi fit for oily, acne-prone, and combination skin types across the cleansers on this page, whereas Olay's cleanser options are rated lower for those specific skin concerns.

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

Olay is more affordable, as Paula's Choice has a high price point.

Paula's Choice or Olay: which brand has better anti-aging and firming benefits?

Both Paula's Choice and Olay perform equally well for anti-aging and firming benefits based on the reviews on this page. Lovi rates routine fit for mature skin as Superior for Paula's Choice and High for Olay.

Which brand offers better glow, brightening, and even tone results?

Paula's Choice does better for glow, brightening, and even tone results compared to Olay. The products on this page help reduce skin pigmentation and improve tone using ingredients like niacinamide.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Paula's Choice or Olay: which brand has more packaging issues and flaws?

Paula's Choice does better with fewer packaging issues and flaws compared to Olay.

Paula's Choice or Olay for oily skin?

Paula's Choice achieves a Superior fit level for oily skin, whereas Olay achieves a High fit level. Both brands include fragrance-free options across the products on this page.

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

Paula's Choice has a Superior routine fit for dry skin, whereas Olay has a High fit level. Both brands include key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin in their moisturizers.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Paula's Choice or Olay for sensitive skin?

Paula's Choice offers a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin, whereas Olay has a High fit. Reviewers note that both brands provide a gentle and non-irritating formula.

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

Paula's Choice offers a Superior routine fit for sunscreens on this page, whereas Olay provides a High fit. Both brands formulate their sunscreens with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin to help provide hydration alongside UV protection.

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

Paula's Choice has a Superior routine fit for acne-prone skin, while Olay has a High fit. Paula's Choice provides multiple products featuring salicylic acid and niacinamide, which help clear pores and reduce blemishes.

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play