🇬🇧United Kingdom

Paula's Choice skincare

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

Paula's Choice's products on this page cover serums, cleansers, moisturizers, toners, and more, built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c. Paula's Choice products fit oily skin and acne-prone skin best. For acne-prone skin, Lovi rates the Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner highest; for skin with dark spots, the 1% Retinol Treatment; and for mature skin, the Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant. Its key ingredients: glycerin significantly increased skin hydration and restored barrier function.

This page covers some of the most popular Paula's Choice products; for the whole Paula's Choice range, with a fit score for every product, use the Lovi app.

Paula's Choice serums and treatments

Other Paula's Choice products

People Say

★4.5Overall rating based on 30.5k+ reviews

Reviewers most often praise Paula's Choice for improved skin texture, lightweight textures, and effective acne and breakout reduction. The most common complaints are skin irritation or dryness and high prices for small quantities.

Highlights

  • Smooth texture and anti-aging serums Sometimes Noted
    • “skin becomes very smooth — 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “softens lines and wrinkles — 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “acne scars faded — 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
  • High price and packaging issues Mostly Mentioned
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “tiny tube — 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “turned orange in weeks — C15 Super Booster”

Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, sephora.com, paulaschoice.com, paulaschoice.com.au, sephora.sg, and more

Questions and answers

Is Paula's Choice good for oily skin?

Yes, Paula's Choice is well-suited for oily skin. Lovi rates the Paula's Choice-focused routine for oily skin as Superior.

Is Paula's Choice worth it?

Paula's Choice may be worth it for shoppers seeking fragrance-free formulas with active ingredients like retinol and niacinamide. Lovi rates the brand-focused routines Superior for oily, acne-prone, combination, and sensitive skin, and High for dry skin. However, reviewers mostly mention high prices and packaging issues as drawbacks.

Which Paula's Choice moisturizer is best for dry skin?

The Replenishing Moisturizer is best for dry skin, followed by the Clinical Ceramide-Enriched Firming Moisturizer and the Water-Infusing Electrolyte Moisturizer. Lovi rates the Replenishing Moisturizer High for dry skin, while the other two rate Average. The Replenishing Moisturizer helps smooth dry areas, and ceramide-dominant formulas help support the skin barrier.

Does Paula's Choice cause breakouts?

Paula's Choice is unlikely to cause breakouts, as the Paula's Choice products on this page are formulated without fragrance and feature a range of lightweight hydrators and exfoliants. Lovi rates the brand's routine Superior for acne-prone skin.

Is Paula's Choice fragrance-free?

Yes, the Paula's Choice products on this page are fragrance-free, as every product lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

What are the key ingredients in Paula's Choice products?

The key ingredients across the Paula's Choice products on this page include hyaluronic acid, glycerin, vitamin C, licorice root, niacinamide, salicylic acid, green tea, and vitamin E.

Drug Delivery, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

How do I build a Paula's Choice skincare routine?

To build a Paula's Choice routine for dry skin, start your morning with CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser, followed by Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner, Replenishing Moisturizer, and DIVE-IN Mild Sunscreen. In the evening, use Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream as a pre-cleanser, CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser, Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster, and Replenishing Moisturizer. Once a week, add Vita Essential Mask to your evening routine after cleansing.

Where can I buy Paula's Choice, and how much does it cost?

Paula's Choice is available in United Kingdom stores, and prices on the page range from £13.00 to £58.00 with most products falling between £31.00 and £49.00.

What are good alternatives to Paula's Choice?

Good alternatives to Paula's Choice that also have dedicated pages on Lovi include CeraVe, Cetaphil, Neutrogena, Kiehl's, Dermalogica, and Good Molecules.

Paula's Choice vs CeraVe: which is better?

Paula's Choice and CeraVe both perform at a high level, so the better choice depends on your specific skin type. Lovi rates the Paula's Choice-focused routine Superior for oily skin, sensitive skin, combination skin, and acne-prone skin, and High for dry skin.

Who owns Paula's Choice, and where is it from?

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

Is Paula's Choice cruelty-free?

Yes: Leaping Bunny lists Paula's Choice as cruelty-free.

Leaping Bunny

Is Paula's Choice good for dry skin?

Yes, Paula's Choice is good for dry skin, and Lovi rates the Paula's Choice-focused routine High for dry skin. The Paula's Choice products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients, which helps avoid irritation. Topical hyaluronic acid, featured in the brand's key ingredients, benefits skin quality and signs of skin aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Drug Delivery, 2017

Which Paula's Choice cleanser is best for oily skin?

The CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser is the best choice, as Lovi rates it Superior for oily skin, whereas the CALM Ultra-Gentle Cleanser and Hydrating Gel-To-Cream Cleanser are rated Average.

Is Paula's Choice good for sensitive skin?

Yes, Paula's Choice is generally good for sensitive skin. Lovi rates the Paula's Choice-focused routine Superior for sensitive skin, and the Paula's Choice products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients.

Which Paula's Choice sunscreen is best for sensitive skin?

The Paula's Choice sunscreen on this page for sensitive skin is Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50. Lovi rates this sunscreen Average for sensitive skin.

Is Paula's Choice good for acne-prone skin?

Yes, Paula's Choice is well suited for acne-prone skin. Lovi rates the Paula's Choice-focused routine Superior for acne-prone skin.

Is Paula's Choice good for mature skin?

Yes, Paula's Choice is well suited for mature skin, with the Paula's Choice products on this page rated Superior for mature skin. Ingredients like retinol help improve the look of aging skin by supporting collagen and smoothing texture.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

Research behind Paula's Choice's key ingredients

Behind these ratings

Lovi rates every product from its 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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