Is Paula's Choice Really Worth The Money?

Paula's Choice has gained momentum with its tagline Beauty Begins with Truth. The company feels that customers deserve smart skincare choices without any mystery of what is actually in the skincare products they're using. According to its website, everything the company produces is backed by science, highly effective, and environmentally conscious. Paula's Choice was established in 1995 by Paula Begoun, and, for transparency, the company's website also has a helpful ingredient dictionary. Therefore, you know precisely what each ingredient does, and you can check which ingredients are listed in any of its products and more (via Byrdie). 

According to Medical News Today, Paula's Choice has mostly positive reviews, with many raving about the brand's clean and cruelty-free products that accommodate all skin types. Plus, Paula's Choice's products address 14 skin concerns within its eight collections. People love the brand so much that, when it released its limited edition 25% AHA and 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel in 2021, it quickly sold out and had an 11,000-person wait-list. BHA and AHA are good for dry skin, after all. However, it's now available at Sephora sans waiting. Moreover, its products never include fragrances, dyes, or irritants, and the brand has won multiple Best of Beauty awards (via Allure).

Paula's Choice is well-lauded, but are the products worth it?

Paula's Choice's best-selling product is its Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, which currently retails for $32. This exfoliant gets rid of dead cells and unclogs pores. It also has green tea, a powerful antioxidant that smooths wrinkles. Its other products currently range from $11 for travel sizes to $229 for kits, which include up to seven full-sized products. They're all available at Paula's Choice or as part of a limited selection offered at Sephora.

Other Paula's Choice products are equally good. The C15 Super Booster is a potent vitamin C serum that works quickly to brighten your skin. Vitamin E and ferulic acid stabilize it, since pure vitamin C spoils quickly (via Byrdie). This serum is an affordable dupe to the award-winning SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, as shared by New York City-based dermatologist Dr. Shereene Idriss (via YouTube).

Allure loves Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 because it works on all skin types and has antioxidants to protect from environmental damage and aging. Overall, Paula's Choice has been a godsend for acne-prone skin. After all, its Pore Normalizing Cleanser helps manage acne because of its provitamin B5, which helps hydrate and soften irritated skin (via Women's Health). Ultimately, Paula's Choice is definitely worth the money, from its eco-conscious creation to how it lives up to its word when transforming skin.