Paula’s choice is an online cosmetics and skin care company. It sells various products that may be suitable for people with skin concerns, such as acne and dry skin.
Paula’s choice aims to provide skin care options for most skin types and concerns. However, if a person has a skin condition such as severe acne or eczema, they should contact a healthcare professional for advice about whether skin care products or medication would be more suitable for their situation.
What is paula’s choice?
Paula’s choice is a multinational online cosmetics and skin care company based in seattle. It sells a wide range of environmentally friendly, fragrance- and cruelty-free products made from proprietary formulas.
A proprietary formula means that a company may describe which ingredients it uses but does not disclose how much of each ingredient is in the product.
Paula’s choice does not currently hold accreditation with the better business bureau (bbb). The bbb gives the company a d- grade, and customer reviews have an average rating of 1.86 out of 5 stars.
Reviews on paula’s choice’s website are mostly positive, with customers stating that they appreciate the company using clean and cruelty-free products. However, people who left reviews on the bbb note delivery delays, excessive email advertisements and promotions, and poor customer service.
How to choose a paula’s choice product
Paula’s choice offers people the choice to filter products by skin types, skin concerns, collections, and product categories.
Skin type
Paula’s choice allows people to filter by five skin types.
The american academy of dermatology states the following markers can help people identify which skin type they have:
- Dry skin: people will experience flaky, itch, or rough skin.
- Oily skin: people will notice that their face appears shiny or greasy.
- Combination skin: people will experience dry skin in some areas of the face and oily skin in others.
- Sensitive skin: people may experience stinging or burning sensations after using products.
- Normal skin: people with this skin type will have a clear face and not be sensitive to products.
Skin concerns
Paula’s choice states that its products are suitable for over 14 different skin concerns, including:
- Acne: many of the company’s products use salicylic acid, which research shows is effective in treating acne. Salicylic acid works as a chemical peel and removes the first layer of the skin, which may reduce the appearance of superficial acne.
- Anti-aging: many of the company’s anti-aging products contain hyaluronic acid (ha). Research states that ha shows promising anti-wrinkle and anti-aging effects and can stimulate collagen.
- Enlarged pores: some of the company’s products for enlarged pores contain niacinamide, which has vitamin b3 as a main ingredient. Niacinamide can help support the skin barrier, potentially protecting against pollution and sun ray damage.
- Dry skin: many of the company’s products for dry skin contain shea butter. Shea butter can moisturize the skin, and research notes that it is suitable for people with sensitive skin
Collections
Paula’s choice offers several skin care collections, including:
- Boosters: people can use this collection to find serums, toners, and kits addressing specific concerns.
Clinical: this collection features products containing higher levels of active ingredients and may address problems such as dull skin and wrinkles.
Skin recovery: this collection features products the company claims can replenish and rejuvenate the skin.
Product categories
People can also choose from several categories, such as exfoliants, serums, masks, and men’s skin care.
They can then filter these products according to skin concerns and skin types.
Product list
Paula’s choice offers multiple products to purchase online. People should always use a small amount of product on a small surface of the skin to ensure they will not have a reaction before using the product as intended.
The following are a sample of what the company offers.
Please note that the writer of this article has not tried these products. All information presented is purely research-based and correct at the time of publication.
Paula’s choice pore normalizing acne cleanser
Best for acne-prone skin
This product’s active ingredient is salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is an effective chemical peel that can reduce the appearance of acne by removing the upper layer of the skin.
Paula’s choice recommends using this product to start a morning or evening skin care routine. To use this product, a person should first wet their face, then use a small amount of the cleanser and spread it across the skin. Afterward, they should rinse their face thoroughly.
Best for fast absorption
This exfoliant contains salicylic acid and green tea. Green tea can protect the skin against damage from the sun and boost the skin’s collagen.
Paula’s choice recommends using this exfoliant after cleansing and toning the skin. It suggests applying every other day, gradually increasing to twice per day.
Best for dry skin
This product’s main ingredients are hyaluronic acid and omega-3, -6, and -9. There is some evidence that omega fatty acids can help protect against sun damage to the skin and reduce skin redness.
Paula’s choice recommends using this product after cleansing, toning, and exfoliating in the morning and evening. The company states that people should apply the product all over their face and neck twice a day.
At the time of publishing, paula’s choice omega+ complex serum had a list price of $37.
Best for protecting the skin against sun damage
This product contains shea butter, broad-spectrum SPF, aloe and oat extracts, and licorice.
Shea butter can moisturize the skin and is suitable for sensitive skin. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends people use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher to protect the skin from sun damage.
Paula’s choice recommends using this product as the last step in a daytime skin care routine. The company states that people should apply this product liberally and reapply throughout the day.
Pros
- environmentally-friendly products
- fragrance-free products
- cruelty-free products
- products list all ingredients
Cons
- customer reviews mention difficulty receiving deliveries
- some customers state that the scent of the products makes them difficult to use
- some customers say that international shipping was more expensive than they expected
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of retinol is in paula’s choice products?
Not all of paula’s choice products contain retinol. Several products contain some retinol, with the highest concentration being 1%.
A person should always test a small area of skin with the product and wait to see if a skin reaction occurs before using the product as the company recommends.
Is paula’s choice suitable for acne?
Paula’s choice sells products that contain salicylic acid, an ingredient that can reduce the appearance of acne.
However, a person who is concerned about acne should contact a doctor to discuss which treatments are most suitable for their situation.
