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INNBEAUTY PROJECT Skin Prep Brightening & Exfoliating Pads with Glycolic Acid scores 8.8/9.8 and Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment scores 8.7/9.8 — a near-tie where your skin type decides the winner.
These two are neck and neck — just 0.1 points apart.
Scores last verified: June 2026
26 unique
6 in common
41 unique
These two exfoliants take different paths to a similar destination. Both formulas include solid hydrating ingredients, and the overall scores reflect that — the gap here is genuinely slim.
Active Ingredient Strength is another area of separation. Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment scores 7.1 here versus 5.9 for INNBEAUTY PROJECT Skin Prep Brightening & Exfoliating Pads with Glycolic Acid. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.
INNBEAUTY PROJECT Skin Prep Brightening & Exfoliating Pads with Glycolic Acid brings Glycolic Acid, Gluconolactone, and Ectoin as actives, while paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment relies on Retinol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, and Palmitoyl Oligopeptide. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.
INNBEAUTY PROJECT Skin Prep Brightening & Exfoliating Pads with Glycolic Acid is better if you have
Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment is better if you have
At premium pricing with a score of 8.8, INNBEAUTY PROJECT Skin Prep Brightening & Exfoliating Pads with Glycolic Acid delivers strong value. Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment sits at the mid-range level with a 8.7 score — the extra cost doesn't translate to better scores here.
It's a close call — both products score within 0.3 points of each other. Your choice depends on your specific skin concerns.
Based on ingredient analysis, INNBEAUTY PROJECT Skin Prep Brightening & Exfoliating Pads with Glycolic Acid scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.
Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.
The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.
Honest skincare intel. No jargon, no gatekeeping — just the ingredients decoded.
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© 2026 Gracie. All rights reserved. Data sourced from Open Beauty Facts (ODbL) and EU CosIng.