It’s scary how many Paula’s Choice’s products I’ve tested over the years, and for some time, I wanted you to have all my product reviews in one easy, accessible place for your convenience. Also, it’s Black Friday month, the Holidays are coming up and and you might want to know what’s good before you shop. Includes the how-to’s for the sale and my personal product recommendations. On to the Paula’s Choice product review round-up!
Paula’s Choice’s Black Friday sales are often a bit underwhelming. They usually do a ‘Black Week’ with 20% off, which, yeah, sure, fine. Last year, in the US, they had gifts with purchase (tiered at $75, $125, $150 and 25% off some limited-edition holiday kits), with similar offers in Germany (although our GWP weren’t nearly as good).
Have a look at the holiday kits, though – if you find one you fancy, with an additional 20% off that’s a good deal indeed!
Product recommendations
I’ve rarely met absolute duds when it comes to PC. Sometimes, products were not for me, sure. But I do have staples I buy and recommend again and again.
Holy grails
For every skintype: Niacinamide Booster
For brighter skin: 1% Retinol (only for advanced retinol users!), Azelaic Acid Booster
Makes the greasiest sunscreen wearable: Shine Stopper
Nice to have
The Youth-Extending Hydrating Fluid SPF50 is a very decent sunscreen with a satin finish. The Lip Balm with SPF does taste like absolutely nothing and isn’t so soft that it melts in your handbag (the packaging is cheap, though). Then, the Lip & Body Balm is such a great alrounder product that’s great to have around. I know of people using the Body Cream with retinol on their face, it’s that well-formulated! And finally, the Ceramide-Enriched Firming Moisturizer has allllllll the actives in an incredibly soothing formula – expensive, though!
I absolutely hated…
… the Lip Booster with Peptides wrecked my lips, the new Euro SPF Advanced Sun Protection Daily Moisturiser SPF50 was a greasy mess, and the Discoloration Serum did absolutely nothing. Also, I prefer The Ordinary’s peel to the Skin Perfecting 25% AHA + 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel (it’s cheaper and more effective). PC never gets the texture right on their eye creams, and finally, the effing 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant that PC shoves down all our throats since 2018 – no, not everyone needs an exfoliant, not everyone needs acids, and not everyone needs BHAs. Stop it already.
Sales hack
Both the Lipscreen SPF50 and the Lip & Body Balm are excellent little products that can be used to bring you over a threshold for a GWP. They also have multiple Deluxe Sizes that can do that, but I don’t find them very cost effective, tbh.
Paula’s Choice product review round-up: all review
In the list below, first link goes to the product, second to the review.
Sunscreen
- Advanced Sun Protection Daily Moisturiser SPF50: review
- Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF30: Best tinted moisturiser with SPF: Niod vs. Paula’s Choice
- Youth-Extending Hydrating Fluid SPF5: review
- Resist Super-Light Daily Wrinkle Defense SPF30: review
Lips and Body
- Daily Replenishing Body Cream: Body care products you might need (or not)
- Lip & Body Treatment Balm: review
- Lip Booster: review
- Lipscreen Broad Spectrum SPF50: review
- Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment: Best winter body moisturizers for any kind of skin issue
Face
- 0,3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment: All Paula’s Choice retinol products I’ve ever tried reviewed
- 1% Retinol Booster: Paula’s Choice boosters – the overview: best to worst
- 1% Retinol Treatment: All Paula’s Choice retinol products I’ve ever tried reviewe
- 10% Niacinamide Booster: Paula’s Choice – five favourites
- Azelaic Acid Booster & Daily Skin Clearing Treatment: Azelaic Acid: skincare superstar you should know
- C15 Super Booster: Paula’s Choice boosters – the overview: best to worst
- Ceramide-Enriched Eye Cream: review
- Clinical Ceramide-Enriched Firming Moisturiser: Paula’s Choice – five favourites
- Discoloration Serum: review
- The Defense line: anti-pollution skincare you (don’t) need
- Earth Sourced Purely Natural Toner: review
- Hyaluronic Acid Booster: Paula’s Choice boosters – the overview: best to worst
- Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum: All Paula’s Choice retinol products I’ve ever tried reviewe
- Omega+ Complex Moisturizer: Skincare basics: moisturisers
- Peptide Booster: Paula’s Choice boosters – the overview: best to worst
- Radiance Renewal Mask: review
- Resist Advanced Replenishing Toner: review
- Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer: All Paula’s Choice retinol products I’ve ever tried reviewe
- Shine Stopper Instant Matte Finish: review
- Skin Perfecting 25% AHA + 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel: review
- Super-Antioxidant Serum: Skincare Basics: Antioxidants
- Super Hydrate Overnight Mask: Skincare quick tip: locking in moisture
Happy browsing! If you’re interested in something more affordable, here’s The Ordinary & Niod Black Friday round-up, and if you want to spend the big bucks, here’s the Allies of Skin & PSA Black Friday round-up.
Shop responsibly and learn from my mistakes: Don’t make the same Black Friday mistakes I made.
Please note that this post is not a sponsored post. We buy the products ourselves, with our own money, and don’t accept exchanging goods or money for reviews. We are completely independent, and our reviews reflect that.