If you are a beauty girlie like me, Paula’s Choice has to be on your radar. Even though the brand launched 30 years ago in 1995, it has been gaining momentum on TikTok in recent years, making Gen Z stumble upon this clean-beauty brand from the 90s when clean beauty was not this common.
Today, when we hear the words clean-beauty, cruelty-free, transparent, and more, we won’t bat an eye or drop our jaws, but way back when, the beauty and cosmetic industry used unfair trade practices and cruel testing methods that didn’t even serve the right purpose, Paula Begoun, a science student from Northern Illinois University, unsatisfied with the skincare roster, created something that paved the way for many brands to follow.
She used to work as a makeup artist and advisor in the early years of her life, but later became a global sensation with the launch of her own skin care line that caters to real skin and real concerns. Her philosophy was to ensure people get the right information and products when it comes to skin, because like many, Paula herself suffered from severe acne and eczema, and none of the existing products really helped her.
With this, her brand Paula’s Choice was launched, a disruptor in the beauty ecosystem, breaking norms and rules of skincare, with transparency, education, and accessibility that brings forth a radical change we all deserve. Being a beauty editor at Nykaa, I sampled some of their top-selling products and here’s my honest review.
The Crowd-Favourite Exfoliant
This multiple award-winning liquid exfoliant was a pioneer when Paula’s Choice first launched it. This 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant is made with minimal ingredients, which is ideal to avoid any irritation or inflammation. The green tea extract is very soothing and fat-soluble, so it gets into your skin and minimises pores and reduces sebum production for an oil-free look. Use this product at night after toning and before moisturising, because this liquid exfoliant can attract free radicals during the day due to the UV rays.
The Pore-Minimising MVP
This is one of the best toners I have ever tried; their ingredient list is so clean yet complex. It includes Chamomile, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Eop, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin B3, Adenosine, and Glycerine. These ingredients are great for controlling excess sebum, hydration, and minimising pores. This antioxidant-rich toner is great for sensitive skin. Restore your skin’s natural moisture repair barrier, and hydration levels with this GOATed toner.
The Anti-Ageing Queen
Made with amino acids, pro-collagen peptides, and hyaluronic acid, this booster helps plump up your skin in just 15 minutes. It removes wrinkles, evens out skin texture, strengthens and reinforces the skin barrier, and locks hydration to improve moisture retention levels. A pro tip while using this booster is to mix it with your serum or no-SPF moisturiser for a more even and smooth application. Avoid your eye area, but the neck, forehead, cheeks, and chin are going to look smoother, younger, and firmer than ever.
The Anti-Acne Saviour
10% Azelaic Acid Booster contains salicylic acid, which is not just great for active acne but also acne-prone skin and post-acne marks. You can use it twice a day in your AM or PM routine if you have acne flaring up; this is also a great spot-corrector that attacks excess oil, sebum, and acne-causing bacteria. It clarifies your skin, evens out your skin tone, and reduces the redness. The liquorice root extract helps soothe sensitive and inflamed skin, making this the ultimate saviour for people with acne and oily skin types.
An All-Rounder Cleanser
This all-rounder cleanser is clear, non-foaming, and super pore-minimising. Made with pro-vitamin B5, salicylic acid, and arginine, this cleanser instantly kills acne-causing bacteria, soothes skin sensitivity and irritation, penetrates deep into the skin to hydrate, repair, and cleanse, and softens the skin overall. Just like the claims and ingredients, the formulation is refreshingly clear when it comes to the colour and efficacy.
Although there are many more products newly launched on Nykaa, these are my top 5 Paula’s Choice recommendations. Not only are these a crowd favourite, but they are also highly efficient and now totally accessible to people across the country. Their toners, boosters, and moisturisers are made with women in mind, and it shows. You know these products are made by someone with acne and eczema because the results are beyond amazing.
