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Paula's Choice Skin… vs RETINOL RETINOL SKIN… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner vs RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM

RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM scores 8.5/9.8 vs Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner at 8.1/9.8. RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM wins for active ingredients.

Head to head

Paula's Choice

Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner

tonermid-range

8.1

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Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

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Honest skincare intel. No jargon, no gatekeeping — just the ingredients decoded.

RETINOL

RETINOL SKIN CREAM

moisturiser

8.5

Score comparison

RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM edges ahead, winning 2 of 5 attributes.

Paula's Choice wins 2

Tied 2

RETINOL wins 1

8.1Paula's Choice

+0.4vs

8.5RETINOL

Scores last verified: April 2026

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

TIE

9.8

Paula's Choice

RETINOL

Irritation Risk

TIE

9.5

Paula's Choice

RETINOL

Active Ingredient Strength

RETINOL WINS

2.8

6.3

Paula's Choice

RETINOL

Ingredient Transparency

Paula's Choice WINS

8.8

8.5

Paula's Choice

RETINOL

Formulation Safety

Paula's Choice WINS

9.0

7.5

Paula's Choice

RETINOL

Ingredient face-off

13% overlap

28Paula's Choice

7Shared

54RETINOL

Only in Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner

21 unique

Water Cyclopentasiloxane Glycereth-26 Dimethiconol Oenothera Biennis Oil Borago Officinalis Seed Oil Tocopheryl Acetate Ascorbyl Palmitate Panthenol Allantoin+11 more

Shared ingredients

7 in common

Butylene Glycol Sodium Hyaluronate Tocopherol Glycerin Hydrogenated Lecithin Disodium Edta Phenoxyethanol

Only in RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM

47 unique

Mineral Oil Cetearyl Alcohol Isopropyl Palmitate Sodium Pca Arginine Aspartic Acid Propanediol Pca Glycine Alanine+37 more

Why RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM comes out ahead

Where RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM really shines is active ingredient strength, scoring 6.3 compared to Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner's 2.8. Its formula features Arginine, Royal Jelly Extract, and Retinol in high positions, signalling meaningful concentrations.

Formulation Safety is another area of separation. Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner scores 9.0 here versus 7.5 for RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM brings Arginine, Royal Jelly Extract, and Retinol as actives, while paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner relies on Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, and Ascorbyl Palmitate. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Butylene Glycol
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Butylene Glycol
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

Value comparison

Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner comes in at mid-range pricing with a 8.1 score, which is solid value at that tier.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+0.4 lead

RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM edges ahead with a slightly stronger formulation, but Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner is still a solid pick.

8.1Paula's Choice

8.5RETINOL

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner or RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM?

Based on ingredient analysis, RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner and RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM share ingredients?

Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.

What's the main difference between Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner and RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM?

The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.

Full analysis: Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner→Full analysis: RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM→

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