Paula’s Choice

I am a long, long time customer. I started with a cleanser and toner. Somewhere, I added a mask and then went for the full line of skin balancing products. Too many birthdays later, I’m into the anti-​aging line – all of it. I am a natural redhead with fair skin and blue eyes. As I age, my skin has become more and more sensitive. Paula’s Choice products have never caused my skin to burn, itch, turn red or react in any way.

I will never buy any of Paula’s Choice products… period. I posted something on their Facebook page inquiring about why they seem to put down other reputable brands and about why they bash the efficacy of other companies products. They went as far as to create a fake Facebook page under the name Elizabeth Bennett (which has since been deleted but I was smart enough to take a screenshot of it before they did so) and basically told me I was ignorant for making such a stupid comment and how PC rates a lot of products as BEST and how I should take the time to look those reviews up and how come I’m so negative and blah blah blah. I called them out on the fake FB account and it was mysteriously deleted and then they responded with a more appropriate and respectable answer from their real page. For that reason alone, I will NEVER spend my money with them… ever. Even if PC feels they’re the best at what they do (what company doesn’t?) there’s a way to go about promoting your brand. You can promote your brand without tainting the craft of other companies that take just as much pride in their products as PC does. If PC is so great, the products will speak for themselves.

I’ve been a online customer since 2001. I don’t know if they actually have any physical shops, since I’ve always ordered the products online. I used to work in a bookstore, and that’s when I learned about Paula, the «Cosmetic Cop.» I read some of her books, and I liked her scientific approach to skin care. I’ve been using her excellent skincare products since then.
The products are high quality, and the customer service is excellent. A few times I’ve ordered products that did not work out for me, and they always take care of the refund process quickly and efficiently. My favorite products are the SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA LIQUID and the Shine Stopper with Instant Matte Finish. I couldn’t live without them.

I am rating the products (not the website or customer service.)
I got my first pimple at 8 years old and have spent the last 22 years struggling with problem, blemished, damaged skin. Red marks, brown marks, active acne. I haven’t seen a day without a pimple. I have not left my home without makeup since high school because my skin is THAT bad. I even wear makeup to the gym.
With little exaggeration, I have tried EVERYTHING. Thousands of dollars worth of dermatologists’ lasers, lights, Rxs, washes. I even tried birth control, antibiotics, and even Accutane. I’ve tried anything the drugstore or mall had to offer. They all «improved» things slightly but nothing ever got rid of my condition. I assumed this was it for life. It was very depressing.
I went on a trip with a woman who pulled out a bottle labeled «Paula’s Choice.» This woman has beautiful skin so I asked her what she was using. She got it from a friend of hers. She said «He has the most beautiful skin I’ve ever seen and only will use this.»
I was confused why I, the girl who has tried everything, had never even heard of this woman. I ordered a cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer, and SPF on the spot on my phone. Even though I had never heard of this woman and her products were SO much less expensive in comparison to everything (I was still under the impression anything good has to be expensive) I had nothing to lose.
After 4 weeks ALL of my pimples were gone. GONE. After 6 weeks, my brown spots were near faded. After 3 months, all of my years and years of acne scars were gone.
Today, I write this, because for the first time in TWENTY TWO YEARS, I left the house with no make up on. I am crying while I type this because, if you’ve suffered from embarrassing skin, you know what a big deal this is. I actually have beautiful skin now. Not just blemish-​free skin, BEAUTIFUL skin.
When a product does something more than help your skin, when it helps save your quality of life, you just want to shout it from the rooftops. THANK YOU PAULA!!!

Some of the other reviewers on here that are upset about Paula’s Choice rating their own products as best, do you expect her company to put out a product that they don’t think is great? «This product sucks and there are better ones out there, but we’ll sell it anyway and give it a bad rating!» That makes no sense! There’s just no pleasing some people! They stand by what they put out and know that it’s the best they can do!
Give her products a try and use them for the appropriate amount of time (not one week). THEY WORK! Don’t trust the bad reviews! If for some reason, you don’t like the product, just return it for a full refund! Or better yet, get a few samples! They cost a few cents and every other day, they have free shipping. Once I only purchased three samples and had them shipped from Seattle to DC for free. But once you give them a try, you will fall in love!
I was actually a skin care junkie and started a blog about skin care products, but I stopped writing because all I use now is Paula’s Choice and that would make for a boring blog: D

Seems as folks are in an uproar in some price increases and missing reviews, everyone wants the best and they want it for next to nothing. There’s talk of how to get products you apply to your face on deep, heavily discounted websites. These sites are selling skin care picked out of the TRASH, I have personally gotten boxes of tampered with, rancid cosmetics in the dumpsters behind department stores, makeup counters and salons that can easily be resold for bottom dollar. Check out #dumpsterdiving on Instagram or google it, then thank your lucky stars as u come back to PC and gladly pay well under $ 100 for more than 4oz of any product.
Funny how all negative reviews here on Unilocal are left from people with 0 friends 0 reviews and 0 pictures. I salute you.

I want to give PC more stars. I really do. I feel like the products I’ve used more or less perform as advertised. I have tried 3 different product lines: the 4men line, the Clear line, The Resist line and the Skin Recovery lotion. They’ve each been fine but not totally addressed my issues (which are too numerous to mention.) I understand there is no miracle product that fixes everything.
I love that the products don’t have strong scents. It’s hard to find unscented or neutral scented products. As a guy I’m not uncomfortable with the smell of any of them. I also like that the cleansers don’t burn, at least the ones I’ve tried.
I’m not sure if any of the products are so significantly better than things I can buy locally that I can justify the price. hat’s probably my biggest criticism is that the products are all very expensive, especially considering the size of most of them.
Having to plan a week or two ahead if I’m running out of things is a little inconvenient but the shipping is relatively fast, all things considered.
I’m not sure I’ll continue ordering only because for the price, product sizes (small) and having to always plan ahead.

I first became familiar with Paula through her books years ago. I purchased and read them all. I then started visiting the Beautypedia website to help me narrow down products that were worth trying. I have a limited budget so I don’t like to waste money on products that don’t work and aren’t right for me. I was really happy using the reviews and info on the site to put together a skincare routine.
Eventually I decided to give Paula’s Choice products a try. I absolutely love that they offer samples of just about all of their products. It’s a great way to try products and find the ones I like and that work for me without spending a lot of money. I ended up trying samples of just about every product. I was able to choose the ones I liked and build a skincare routine. Over time I found I liked Paula’s Choice products better and they gave better results than what I had been buying at the drug store. Now I almost exclusively use Paula’s Choice products. I’ve been using them for over 1−½ years now and my skin has never looked better. Through the products and the info from Beautypedia, I have been able to put together a skincare routine that works for me and gives me great results. Years ago I frequently went to the dermatologist but my skin looks better now through my own research, trial and error, and thanks to Beautypedia and Paula’s Choice.
As I said before, I love the samples. I think that’s one of the greatest things about Paula’s Choice. You don’t end up wasting your money on full-​size products that you don’t like and that don’t work. You can get samples before you commit to the full size. I also like that Paula’s Choice has quite a variety of products and with all the options, I am always able to find a particular product that suits me and my skin. There are a lot of unique, targeted treatments that really sets them apart from other skincare brands. The free shipping for orders over $ 50 is great along with the free samples included with your order. They also frequently have specials and sales so I feel I get a lot of value for the money I’m spending.
I love the wealth of information the company provides. Their website is awesome. I look forward to the weekly live YouTube sessions. I have learned so much about skincare and can make informed decisions on what’s best for my skin. There is no other skincare company out there that I know of where you really get to know the people involved in the company. Through their YouTube videos, the Paula\s Choice staff shares a wealth of info and they really seem interested in helping you find the best products that work for your particular situation. Thanks to Nathan, Bryan, Mercedes, Desiree, and everyone else for putting themselves out there and sharing with us all. This really puts Paula’s Choice in a whole other category when it comes to skincare companies. Not only are the products great but you gain a lot of knowledge about skincare as well which is a great help in achieving the results you are looking for.

I’ve been a customer since 2001 and will NEVER stray. I follow Beautypedia and although they recommend other skincare products, I never buy them. My skin was terrible before I discovered Paula’s books and products but was then, over the course of two years, transformed to it’s flawless self. I have never had any issues with their great customer service. I am now 36 years old and have hardly any wrinkles, no blackheads, no pimples, etc. I am so grateful for her advice and wonderful skincare line. I don’t always agree with her staff’s makeup opinions on Beautypedia, but I do listen to her ingredient advice about the makeup. Thanks Paula, Bryan, Mercedes, Desiree, Nathan, and Isabelle — who’s been helping me in Customer Service for over 13 years.

I wanted to provide an update to my previous review, because I had a really bad experience with Paula’s Choice that I think people should know about. I am planning to write about it on other forums as well. I have been a long time customer and I am just really disappointed…
My dermatologist recommended that I use a lotion with at least 4% niacinamide. I have been using PC’s Resist Brightening treatment with niacinamide for years, so I wanted to check with the company and make sure that it had the % I was looking for. When I called, the CS person told me that they did not release the information to the public because they were not obligated to do so by law. Ok, I understand that they are not doing anything unlawful, but why wouldn’t they tell me what I am putting on my face! I am very particular about my skin care and I just want to know what I am using! Even if they do not include this information on their website for everybody, I should be able to obtain it when I enquire about it!
Paula always talks about honesty and being straightforward and better than other cosmetic companies with that regard, but not disclosing basic information like this just sucks and does not look good for the company.
BTW, I called CeraVe and EltaMd and both companies had no problem letting me know how much niacinamide was in their products! FYI, both of them include enough niacinamide and I am planning on switching to their products.
Why wouldn’t PC want to disclose the information? One reason I can think of is that there is not enough niacinamide in her products. If her product included at least 4% I am guessing she would be screaming about it from the roof tops!
It’s so disappointing of Paula… I just want to know what I am putting on my face, but apparently it is too much to ask!

I used the products from Paula’s Choice for a couple of years. I have dry and sensitive skin. All the Paula’s products I used are alright: they do not really improve my skin, but I do not think they make things worse. However, because (1) their price was relatively reasonable; (2) I did not find substitutes of similar price range and way superior; and (3) I believed in Paula’s arguments about her own products and the good reviews on their website, I kept using their products for a while. Last year, I tried their vitamin C serum and their dark spot eraser in order to get rid of some sun spots on my face. After using the two products for a little bit over a month, I didn’t see any improvements but more dark spots. What shocking was, the VC serum deteriorated and changed color after daily use for a month. When that happened, the serum smelled like alcohol. Therefore, I left negative reviews on both products on their website, describing the problems in details. However, the review on the VC serum never showed up on their website. The one on the dark spot eraser got lucky and appeared online. Their customer service commented on the review by strategically pointing out it may be because I did not use sunscreen (which I did and mentioned in the review and I used their sunscreen!!) They said they were willing to contact me for a refund — which never never happened.
After this event, I stop using Paula’s Choice at all. What a dishonest company it is! I cannot believe I used to trust the reviews on their website!
One more thing to point out: their price has kept increasing a lot during the past few years. (And Paula still criticizes her competitors for their high price…) This may be another reason for me to look for some better alternatives.
All in all, there is nothing to lose for me to kick Paula’s Choice completely out of my skin care routine. I would never go back and would not recommend this merchant to anyone else.

Disclaimer, I actually just signed up to Unilocal for the first time myself to write this review, I felt prompted to after reading a review posted below on 1÷17÷15 by a Machell G.
I have been researching PCs products trying to decide if it’s worth trying them. The review I have referred to, apart from being suspiciously longwinded, immediately aroused my suspicions due to the identical language in a review on the PC website, posted by an Amy G. on August 3 2014 (I had just been on the PC website so the identical review was fresh in my mind.) Coincidentally (!) the review on the PC website, posted 5 months earlier was also by a 55 year old female, who’s husband bought her a spa day, who had a male aesthetician who commented on her «well hydrated, soft and supple skin.» These reviews were clearly written by the same person except she is named «Amy G. on the PC website and Machell G. on Unilocal.Here’s a link — read customer ratings and you’ll find the identical review posted on 8÷3÷14.
Sure, they could be genuine reviews by someone who used different names on different websites, using identical language in posts that are 5 months apart, but the fact that the Unilocal Michelle G. has written precisely 1 review and has only joined Unilocal this month seems a little off… Also, I think it’s interesting that this Unilocal review seems to address precisely the criticism leveled at PC by some other recent Unilocal reviews — the biased nature of the PC beauty reviews of other brand’s products.
I actually have no idea if PC products are good or not, I actually still feel inclined to try them, but I also now know not to believe any of the reviews on the PC website since this (IMHO) fake review on Unilocal is based on what is likely a fake review on the PC website.
UPDATE: Having just looked at the PC website again, guess what I found! The review NEXT to the glowing review by Amy G. (aka Machell G. who wrote the identical Unilocal review below) there is a review by… you guessed it… Machell G! Only this review is a pretend «negative» review of the PC product — but in this review the poster basically explains that the product is great but she misdiagnosed her own skin issues and still gives the product 4 stars.
I’m not mincing my words anymore, the review below that I’ve referenced is 100% fake and of course 100% written by a PC employee.. Likewise the reviews on the PC website are clearly fake as well and generated by PC employees. Here are the fake reviews on the PC website in question:
Reviewed on Monday, September 29, 2014
80 out of 100
Too emollient for me, but great for others!
I purchased the entire Skin Recovery line in a misguided attempt to help my «dry skin», which in fact turned out to be combo skin dealing with a damaged acid mantle. After about a week’s use it repaired my acid mantle & proved to be way too emollient for me, as my pores were clogged worse than before, despite using 2% BHA lotion that I purchased in addition to this line. However, Skin Recovery would be great for anyone with dry/​very dry skin.
Machell G.
Reviewed on Sunday, August 03, 2014
100 out of 100
Fantastic!
I’ve been using the PC Skin Recovery System for several months, and can’t believe how young my skin looks and feels! My husband gave me a «spa day,» which included a facial, for my 55^th birthday. I was told during my facial that my skin was in «excellent condition – well hydrated, soft and supple.» He did only one extraction, and said my skin was very clear. I told him about Paula’s choice products, but he still tried to sell me the «all natural, organic» products they sell at the spa, lol!
Amy G.
Not sure the best way to notify Unilocal that there is a fake review posted by a PC employee but at least I can point this BS out to anyone bothering to look PC up on Unilocal.Honestly, this bush league behavior has turned me off. I don’t think I’ll be purchasing this brand which feels the need to write it’s own fake reviews.

Love the products and variety. They put out a lot of information that help me and many others find the right skin care for your skin type and needs.

Biased reviews of other products!!! I complained on the website about the integrity of Paula’s Choice reviews and they changed my review, leaving out the part that showed PC in a negative light. All of the Paula’s Choice products are rated best on the Beautypedia reviews while other products that have great reviews on other websites are rated as poor. It was unethical to change my honest review when it was based on facts without using any profane or disrespectful language. I will never buy any of the PC products.

Good products that do what they say for a fair price. Because everyone’s skin is different, it may take some trial and error to learn which of her products work best for you, they all have a money back guarantee.
Quite happy with the skin balancing face wash, toner and BHA gel.

I have only used Paula’s BHA 2% to clear up my hormonal acnes, and it works fine. I do read a lot her reviews on various product lines. Lately I started questioning how objective her reviews are as: 1) her own product line features always among the best of the best; 2) the pricier the product line is, the worse reviews it gets (i.e. Sisley, La Prairie, La mer); 3) the key metrics she or her team apply are mainly alcohol free, package (jar or not), sun screen for daily moisturizer.
What I find the most troubling is the casual cynical tone they use to poke fun at other companies branding or marketing. Just an example: «OK, we have to say it: If this anti-​aging moisturizer is the genius option from [a brand], then what are all of their other anti-​aging creams and lotions for? «I dont find it informational, but I do think when the sense of humor is applied with a lack of respect, it becomes unprofessional.

Just a heads up… please be careful of Paula’s product line & ethics now. She’s currently selling rancid moisturizers & who knows what else, & refuses to post the comments regarding this problem on her review site. She didn’t post mine, so I’m going public now.
Have you noticed that a few of the moisturizers haven’t been «in stock» for some time? Be especially wary of the Skin Recovery Line. I guess she’s trying to fix the problem, I hope, but she’s still sending out rancid product samples… I just received some last week. The few reviews she did allow on her site that mentioned the bad smell, which, as a retired chemist I was able to identify immediately as being rancid, she made lame excuses for like, some like it, others don’t, blah blah. Customer service is erratic at best, but when I mentioned that the samples they’ve sent me are bad, they basically ignore the comments or send me more bad samples. Recently I’ve noticed the posts that mention smell are disappearing & most of her posts still on site are old.
I’m afraid she’s fallen into the money hungry questionable ethics category now. I too, like some of her products, & a few are working nicely, but any business that works that way and doesn’t accept responsibility for their actions but rather lies & hides from the issues, I just don’t trust. Please use these products with caution.
BTW, after reading all the reviews here it’s clear that my opinion is shared.

Paula! I still love you!
I have literally been following Paula’s beauty advise from the tender age of 13… yup, you read it right, 13 years old! Guess you can say I started my skin care obsession a little early… which has had nothing but great benefits!
I have several of her books, which might I tell you, will save you LOADS OF MONEY! With her years of experience and extensive research, you can rest assure that she will lead you in the right direction on finding the perfect product to accomplish that beauty necessity of yours. And, with a majority of those products laying in the hands of Paula’s products it self.
I have used several of her anti aging serums with retinol, along with several moisturizers and Alpha Hydroxy treatments (all priced quite reasonably) and have always had phenomenal results. Skin is always left feeling immaculately smooth and luxurious.
Now I have never dealt with the customer service aspect of her business, however, I know my products always arrive early, and I usually never have to pay shipping.
Thank you Paula, for being such a great beauty companion over the years, and for saving me time and money. Cheers to great skin!

I’m a long time Paula’s Choice user, and really appreciate that the products have always had the ingredients clearly listed and also (on her website) what the ingredients are for and what they do – even their documented history of use and effectiveness in professional studies (QUITE the opposite of say, Estee Lauder Corporation). You can literally choose what you want to use on your skin (whereas with Estee Lauder it’s hard to even find the ingredients listing. let alone what the ingredients do and their track record in the industry!)
Paula/​s products work well, have no fragrance or coloring. As a man, I really appreciate that – plus how good are fragrances and dyes for your skin?
Paula’s packaging designs are also TOP KNOTCH! For her retinol products, the containers spurt out a good sized amount and keep the rest of the unused product packaged tightly and untouched by air or light. For ingredients like retinol this is SO important to keep the ingredients active and effective. Also her AHA products are formulated with very specific pH values to keep the AHA acids very effective.
However, I do agree with what other long time users report – the prices have risen enough that they are now more expensive that drug store lines (Nuetrogena for example), and they have started to come with TOO many products, which can be confusing. The products do all have different formulations, so there is little redundancy, but for example which Retinol product should you use? She makes three – and one is almost $ 40! Serums approaching $ 50 – as effective and well packaged as they may be – really is starting to approach the marketing of Estee Lauder and the like – companies that Paula, «the cosmetic cop», has always criticized. I wished she would have kept the simple and affordable approach she so espoused for so long. Paula’s Choice still makes superlative products, but the company and it’s marketing approach has changed – «the cosmetic cop» has sold herself out a little bit…
Still, the products are great and sound (no mysterious and untested products such as Estee Lauder loves to use), and the company is VERY GOOD about shipping costs (if not FREE, it’s usually only a few bucks at most), and the customer service is fast and efficient. Kudos to PC for fast, fast shipping and way above average customer service.

She sells lotions for keratosis pilaris that I think are really effective. I use the RESIST weightless 2% BHA body treatment. She also sells a different lotion that you can choose from. Apparently, one works best for some and the other works best for others. But I don’t use the RESIST skin revealing 10% AHA lotion because its actually a lightening gel and makes your skin sensitive to sunlight. I don’t have time to avoid the sun :/