🇬🇧United Kingdom

Paula's Choice vs Simple

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

Paula's Choice and Simple are well-regarded Unilever-owned skincare brands offering thoughtfully crafted products for diverse skin needs. Paula's Choice features targeted serums, cleansers, moisturizers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, suiting oily and acne-prone skin best. Meanwhile, Simple provides gentle moisturizers, makeup removers, cleansers, and toners formulated with niacinamide and glycerin, which suit acne-prone skin and skin with dark spots. Ultimately, they differ through their specific ingredient combinations and the range of targeted treatments available for particular concerns like dark spots, acne, and aging.

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

unilever.comtracxn.com

Simple is a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.

en.wikipedia.orgsec.govprnewswire.comsimple.co.uk

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

Popular Paula's Choice vs Simple products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceSimple
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Does not cause any form of irritation on the skin which I love. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The only cleanser that doesn't turn my face red. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “no artificial perfume — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “Finally a vitamin C product I can use — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
  • Lightweight and fast absorbing texture Mostly MentionedOften 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 instantly — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
  • Smoothes skin texture and fades dark spots Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “pores look smaller — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
  • Gentle, non-stripping daily cleansing Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Takes off any makeup residue and makes my face feel refreshed. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Instantly boosts skin's hydration... face doesn't feel dry and tight. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Love that it has absolutely no scent. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “Doesn't strip my skin — Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser”
  • Convenient and affordable value Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “great value for money — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
    • “super affordable — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “No need to rinse... perfect for traveling or lazy nights. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Effective hydration and non-greasy feel Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “banished dryness within days — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “cleared up my dry patches — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
    • “absorbs super fast — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • High price and small bottle size Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “I have to use 4-5 cotton pads to get clean. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “surprisingly small bottle — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
  • Causes purging, breakouts or irritation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Gave me tiny bumps on my forehead. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “caused major breakouts — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “Gave me tiny red spots — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “peeling and flaking — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
  • Sticky residue or unpleasant scent Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Feels slimy on skin — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “Still feeling a little bit of a film on my skin. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Smells like chemicals — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “smells like grain — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”

Paula's Choice vs Simple routines for dry skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · £210.78 · 86% fitBuy Simple routine · £136.73 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Paula's Choice vs Simple routines for oily skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · £280.77 · 92% fitBuy Simple routine · £221.50 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Paula's Choice vs Simple routines for combination skin

Buy Paula's Choice routine · £235.40 · 90% fitBuy Simple routine · £185.60 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Simple: which is better?

Paula's Choice is better than Simple because Lovi rates Paula's Choice as Superior for most skin types, whereas Simple is rated High. Paula's Choice also provides more advanced active ingredients and better texture overall.

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

Paula's Choice achieves a Superior Lovi fit for oily, combination, sensitive, acne-prone, mature skin, and skin with dark spots, while Simple reaches a High fit for those skin types. Paula's Choice is noted for its lightweight texture and anti-aging serums, whereas Simple is recognized for its value-friendly moisturizers and gentle makeup removers.

Paula's Choice or Simple for dry skin?

Paula's Choice and Simple both offer a high routine fit for dry skin on the products on this page. Paula's Choice helps deliver targeted anti-aging and moisturizing treatments, while Simple provides lightweight, value-friendly hydration.

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

Paula's Choice cleansers achieve a Superior Lovi fit level for oily, acne-prone, and combination skin on this page, while Simple cleansers reach an Average level. Simple is rated better for gentle, non-stripping daily cleansing, but reviewers note that Simple may occasionally cause breakouts or irritations.

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

Simple offers more affordable value-friendly products on this page compared to Paula's Choice, which has higher prices as a mostly mentioned drawback.

What are the founding years and parent companies of Paula's Choice and Simple?

Paula's Choice was founded in 1995 in the United States and is owned by Unilever since 2021. Simple was founded in 1960 in the United Kingdom and is owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.

Which brand performs better for mature skin and skin with dark spots?

Paula's Choice performs better for mature skin and skin with dark spots, as Lovi rates its fit as Superior for both compared to Simple's Average fit level.

What key ingredients are found across products from Paula's Choice compared to Simple?

Paula's Choice products feature a wider range of key ingredients including hyaluronic acid, glycerin, vitamin C, licorice root, niacinamide, salicylic acid, green tea, and vitamin E, whereas Simple products focus primarily on niacinamide and glycerin.

Paula's Choice or Simple for oily skin?

Paula's Choice is a better choice for oily skin, as Lovi rates its fit as Superior while Simple achieves a High level.

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

Paula's Choice is rated as a better fit for oily, acne-prone, and mature skin than Simple, while both brands offer products with average to high fit levels for dry and sensitive skin. The products on this page help deliver hydration and lightweight moisture.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Paula's Choice or Simple for sensitive skin?

Paula's Choice achieves a Superior fit level for sensitive skin, whereas Simple reaches a High fit level. The products on this page from Paula's Choice provide a more comprehensive selection of targeted treatments and anti-aging serums that are well-suited for sensitive skin types.

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

Paula's Choice is superior for acne-prone skin, whereas Simple has an average fit. The products on this page help target breakouts with key ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide.

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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