Paula's Choice Review

Hi and welcome back to my blog! Today’s post is the long-anticipated review of Paula’s Choice. Despite its simplicity and cheap price point, Paula’s choice provides a massive range of quality skin-care products. Paula's Choice is just about as legendary as it gets when it comes to beauty brands. Just about everyone I’ve talked to about skincare knows this brand. If anything, you can't scroll for five minutes without seeing someone raving about their before-and-after skin from using Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid.

Their philosophy is smart, safe beauty and no bull shit*. Meaning it is a ‘clean’ brand. On the ‘about us’ page you will find a long list of ingredients that Paula's Choice skin care isn't formulated with. However, I’ve found that even with all the information, the brand can be overwhelming for newbies. With their countless number of formulations and collections to choose from and odd names for lines like Resist, Clinical, and Defence. But overall, what you do need to know is Paula’s choice is a great ‘clean’ skincare brand that actually works. Today I’ll just be reviewing all the ones I’ve personally tried. Also you can easily get 15% off usually.

RESIST Advanced Replenishing Toner

Love, love, love. For all my dryer skin types or even just feeling the effects of winter weather, this toner is for you. This toner is a milky hydrating toner that is loaded with anti-aging ingredients for younger-looking skin. Filled with essential nutrients, fatty acids, and hyaluronic acids to visibly plump and soothe after cleansing. This is a hydrating toner, not a ‘clearing/cleansing’ toner (which I find super stripping for all skin types). As with all toners, this helps remove makeup with a cotton pad, but I use it for starting my skin care routine to prep my skin (day and night) to prep my skin for the following steps. To me it is a better and much cheaper ($28) than the drunk elephant micellar water. 10/10 recommend and I’ve already repurchased it.

RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA

I think this product is probably why most of you are here. This AHA features an impressive mix of AHA and BHA ingredients to reveal a youthful, smooth complexion. It uses glycolic, lactic, malic, and tartaric acids (AHAs) and salicylic acid (BHA). Anti-aging peptides, ceramides, antioxidants, and other calming ingredients are also present to balance out the formula. AHAs are water soluble and this is convenient since our skin is composed largely of water molecules. They work by breaking down and eliminating dead skin cells on the outer layer of skin to expose brighter, fresher skin. AHAs also help promote collagen production. AHAs are great for dryness, flakiness or dullness. But for oily skin it helps with clogged pores/acne. AHAs are well tolerated on most skin types but if you suffer with very sensitive skin you should seek professional advice before using them. This product is gentle enough to use daily but if it feels like too much for your skin, use it once every few days which is what I currently do. Also don’t start using it every-day from the beginning, slowly introduce it to your skincare routine to prevent purging (info on skin-purging is a highlight on the Instagram page). I honestly can’t tell the difference between this product and Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C AHA serum. AND its only half the price. I’m going to give it an 8/10, just because I’ve only started using it in the last couple of weeks.

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

A month into using this product one to two times a week, I can totally back up the hype. Made with antioxidant-rich green tea and a low concentration of acne-fighting salicylic acid. Unlike AHAs, BHAs can get deeper into the pores to remove dead skin cells and excess sebum.They are also oil-soluble, which gives them the ability to penetrate deeper into pores to unclog them and help clear breakouts. BHAs are also anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial which is really beneficial for certain skin complaints like acne. It definitely is gentler than the AHA 10%, since it only uses 2% BHA. So, if you did want to dip a toe into the chemical exfoliant world this would be the product for you. Once again, I’d say 8/10, just because I don’t really suffer from excess sebum or acne. But I would highly recommend to oily skin types.

Paula's Choice Clinical Niacinamide 20% Treatment

I’ve loved using this product in my skincare night-time routine. After each use, my skin has a certain glow to it, and I noticed that other treatments work better when I use this too. This product is highly concentrated niacinamide (vitamin B3) 20%!! Niacinamide is great for minimising pores and healing sun damage, hyperpigmentation, and acne scars. I think this sort of product is just a great all-rounder for healing and I’ve had no reactions to it (despite its high concentration). I would give it a 9/10, as I saw results pretty much straight way. Side note; only use it at night. It works well with your exfoliating steps at night but not so much with Vitamin C products during the day.

Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Serum

Again, LOVE this product. Its key ingredients are Omega 3, 6, and 9 oils for extra hydration, and ceramides, helps maintaining a healthy skin barrier. Super hydrating and plumps the skin right away. However, it is not too heavy or greasy on the skin. I use it twice a day, morning and night. I would highly recommend this product for anyone with dry or sensitive skin. 10/10 and it 100% smashes the hydrating serum from Drunk Elephant (again half the price too).

CLINICAL Ceramide enriched Firming Eye Cream

By this point I don’t think Paula’s choice can go wrong. This eye cream is formulated with retinol, which improving fine lines, ceramides, helps skin barrier, antioxidant-rich plant extracts, vitamin E, and four forms of skin-brightening vitamin C. If that wasn’t enough, there is also hydrating plant oils, and firming peptides. It is more on the expensive side ($50) but I freakin love this product and for the ingredients I think its worth it. My eyes are super dry during the winter season and this cream has helped so much. Also, my mum loves this product too. If you love a thick eye cream, then this is for you. 11/10!

Paula's Choice Resist Skin Revealing Body Lotion 10% AHA

I got this product as a sample. The cream exfoliates with 10% AHAs and hydrates at the same time, leaving your skin feeling soft and smooth. Skin care doesn't stop at your face, and this exfoliating lotion addresses both signs of aging and congestion and acne. If you are getting those annoying red bumps on your legs or back, then I recommend you use this lotion. Even my eczema doesn't react to this product. 6.5/10 because it is not a must have but could be beneficial if you do suffer from the above.

Final thoughts

I truly believe that Paula's Choice is one of the most consistently excellent skincare brands out there. You can really tell their products are formulated with effective, scientifically proven ingredients. Every single product of theirs I have used has made a HUGE difference in my skin and easily rivals those more expensive brands. While its cheap price point might make y