If You Haven't Tried These Paula's Choice Products Yet, You're Missing Out

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

4.8

View On Amazon View On Nordstrom View On Sephora

This is the brand’s number one product worldwide, and if we absolutely had to choose, ours too. Why, you ask? It’s a unique leave-on exfoliator, made with a 2% concentration of salicylic acid, to unclog pores and clear your complexion and it really, really works. Still, it’s gentle enough that it can be used twice daily and also absorbs super quickly thanks to a lightweight, lotion texture.

Price at time of publish: $34

Type: Liquid | Active Ingredients: Salicylic acid | Size: 1 ounce, 4 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster

4.8

View On Amazon View On Nordstrom View On Sephora

There’s no denying that vitamin C gets an A+ in the skincare world, offering everything from antioxidant protection to collagen-boosting properties to spot-fading abilities. Here, you get it in an impressive 15% concentration, but of a stabilized vitamin C that will remain active (the vitamin is notoriously unstable and tricky to formulate with as a result). And it doesn’t stop there; it’s blended with ferulic acid, another potent antioxidant that works synergistically with vitamin C to up the benefits even further. Also nice: You can use this on its own, or mix a few drops in with your moisturizer or serum.

Price at time of publish: $55

Benefits: Boosts radiance, evens out skin tone, ant-aging, hydrates, protects from environmental damage | Skin Type: All | Dosage: 2 to 3 drops | Size: 0.67 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA

View On Dermstore

This product hits the perfect balance of effectively and efficiently exfoliating—all without ever stressing out your complexion. Its formula, which contains a combo of salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy acid, and four alpha-hydroxy acids (glycolic, lactic, malic, and tartaric, to be exact), is designed to dissolve dead cells that leave your skin looking lackluster and uneven. At the same time, the product, which features other ingredients such as allantoin, oat extract, and licorice, keeps irritation at bay.

Price at time of publish: $39

Type: Liquid | Active Ingredients: Lactic acid, glycolic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, salicylic acid | Size: 1 ounce | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Paula's Choice Smoothing Primer Serum SPF 30

View On Paulaschoice.com

You’ll be hard-pressed to determine what you like most about this multi-tasker. Is it the silky texture that creates the perfect canvas for foundation? The built-in SPF 30? The protective antioxidants it contains? Happily, there’s no need to choose, since you get all three. It’s a morning routine must-use, whether or not you’re applying makeup over it.

Price at time of publish: $34

Active Ingredients: Avobenzone, homosalate, octinoxate, octisalate, green tea, coffee seed, chamomile | Skin Type: All | Dosage: Pea-sized amount | Size: 0.33 fluid ounces, 1 fluid ounce | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Paula's Choice Clinical Niacinamide 20% Treatment

View On Amazon View On Sephora View On Paulaschoice.com

Niacinamide gets major points for its laundry list of benefits, including but not limited to: evening skin tone, combatting redness, improving the look of stretched-out pores, and more. Not to mention that, unlike many other powerful ingredients, it is generally very well-tolerated by most. This newbie touts the highest concentration to date of the superstar, in a featherweight serum that’s choice for helping to improve both the texture and tone of your skin.

Price at time of publish: $52

Benefits: Minimizes pores, calms redness, fades hyperpigmentation, boosts radiance | Skin Type: All | Dosage: 2 to 3 drops | Size: 0.67 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Lightweight Face Moisturizer

4.6

View On Amazon View On Nordstrom View On Sephora

Another top-seller, this serum is a great universal pick, particularly for anyone dealing with dryness. Rich in Omega 3, 6, and 9 oils for extra hydration, it also touts ceramides, an essential ingredient for maintaining a healthy skin barrier. It’s moisturizing enough to use alone, though lightweight enough to layer under a moisturizer as well (try doing the former in the summer, the latter in the winter).

Price at time of publish: $37

Benefits: Protects against environmental damage, hydrates, reduces fine lines and wrinkles | Skin Type: All | Dosage: 1 to 2 pumps | Size: 0.17 fluid ounces, 1 fluid ounce | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Paula's Choice Triple Algae Pollution Shield

View On Paulaschoice.com

In case you missed it, pollution ranks up there with the sun when it comes to skin saboteurs. So what should city-dwellers do to safeguard their complexions? For starters, you can use this every morning, under SPF, obvi. Made with three types of algae, this formula creates a protective shield that prevents pesky pollution particles (say that three times fast) from sticking to and damaging skin but has a silicone-free gel-cream texture that feels silky and never sticky. According to the brand, it also boasts not one, not two, not three, but 16 research-backed antioxidants to help counteract free radicals caused by exposure to sun and pollution.

Active Ingredients: Green algae, red algae, brown algae, glutathione, grape polyphenols | Skin Type: All | Size: 1 ounce | SPF: None | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Paula's Choice Barrier Repair Moisturizer with Retinol

View On Dermstore

Anyone who knows their skincare stuff will tell you that the name of this product sounds oxymoronic; retinol and barrier repair usually don’t go hand-in-hand. Yet somehow in this formulation they do. You get the proven wrinkle-smoothing benefits of retinol, but without the likelihood of irksome side effects (think redness and flaking), thanks to hydrating, barrier-protecting ingredients such as shea butter and ceramides.

Active Ingredients: Retinol, potent antioxidant blend | Skin Type: Balanced, dry | Size: 0.33 fluid ounces, 1.7 fluid ounces | SPF: None | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% AHA

View On Amazon View On Nordstrom View On Sephora

Oh yeah, did we forget to mention that Paula’s Choice has some awesome body products, too? To take care of the skin below your chin, we especially like this lotion. Like the 2% BHA treatment for face, this also has salicylic acid. Here, it helps to remove dead, dry skin and leave it silky soft. It’s a great pick for anyone, including those trying to get rid of keratosis pilaris aka KP aka those annoying bumps that crop up on the backs of your arms.

Price at time of publish: $29

Active Ingredients: Salicylic acid, chamomile, green tea, vitamin E | Skin Type: All | Size: 2 fluid ounces, 7 ounces | SPF: None | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Paula's Choice Hyaluronic Acid Booster

View On Amazon View On Dermstore

Say peace out to parched skin. Formulated with, you guessed it, hyaluronic acid, one of the best moisturizing ingredients out there, this almost instantly hydrates skin. Dab on the gel solo, or mix a few drops into any moisturizer or serum to up the hydrating benefits. And here’s the really nice thing: Hyaluronic acid also has an immediate plumping effect, so this is great for using to help quickly fill in fine lines and wrinkles, like crows’ feet around your eyes.

Price at time of publish: $39

Benefits: Hydrates, reduces fine lines and wrinkles | Skin Type: All | Dosage: 2 to 3 drops | Size: 0.17 ounces, 0.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes