✶

CREAM.LY EXFOLIATE M… vs Paula's Choice Clini… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

Products
Ingredients
Brands
K-Beauty
Blog
How We Score

Gracie
/Compare
/CREAM.LY EXFOLIATE MY SKIN
/vs
/Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment

CREAM.LY EXFOLIATE MY SKIN vs Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment

Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment scores 8.9/9.8 vs CREAM.LY EXFOLIATE MY SKIN at 6.6/9.8. Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment wins for hydration.

Head to head

CREAM.LY

EXFOLIATE MY SKIN

serum

6.6

Buy at Amazon

Compare

Best Moisturisers
Best Serums
Best Cleansers
Best SPF

Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

K-Beauty

K-Beauty Hub
K-Beauty Moisturisers
K-Beauty Serums
K-Beauty Sunscreens

About

Methodology
About Us
All Brands
All Products

Gracie

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

Paula's Choice

Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment

serummid-range

8.9

Score comparison

Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment takes this one, winning 4 of 5 attributes.

CREAM.LY wins 0

Tied 1

Paula's Choice wins 4

26CREAM.LY

2Shared

47Paula's Choice

Only in CREAM.LY EXFOLIATE MY SKIN

24 unique

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract Salicylic Acid Stearic Acid Borago Officinalis Seed Oil Saccharum Officinarum Extract Cetearyl Olivate Benzyl Alcohol+14 more

Shared ingredients

2 in common

Aqua Benzoic Acid

Only in Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment

45 unique

Dimethicone Glycerin Butylene Glycol Isononyl Isononanoate Castor Isostearate Succinate Glyceryl Stearate C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate Dimethicone Crosspolymer Polysorbate 20 Behenyl Alcohol+35 more

Why Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment comes out ahead

Where Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment really shines is hydration efficacy, scoring 9.8 compared to CREAM.LY EXFOLIATE MY SKIN's 3.6. With Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, and Sodium Hyaluronate in its top ingredients, Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment delivers stronger moisture-binding capability.

Active Ingredient Strength is another area of separation. Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment scores 7.1 here versus 3.4 for CREAM.LY EXFOLIATE MY SKIN. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment brings Retinol, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, and Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate as actives, while cREAM.LY EXFOLIATE MY SKIN relies on Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Salicylic Acid, and Saccharum Officinarum Extract. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

CREAM.LY EXFOLIATE MY SKIN is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Glycerin
Targeting specific concerns like aging or uneven tone — Retinol does the heavy lifting

Value comparison

Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment comes in at mid-range pricing with a 8.9 score, which is solid value at that tier.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+2.3 lead

Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment wins this comparison with a meaningfully stronger ingredient profile and overall score.

6.6CREAM.LY

8.9Paula's Choice

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: CREAM.LY EXFOLIATE MY SKIN or Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment?

Based on ingredient analysis, Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do CREAM.LY EXFOLIATE MY SKIN and Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment share ingredients?

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

What's the main difference between CREAM.LY EXFOLIATE MY SKIN and Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment?

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

Full analysis: CREAM.LY EXFOLIATE MY SKIN→Full analysis: Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment→

We may earn a commission from purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep Gracie free and independent.

Some links on this site are affiliate links. We may earn a commission from purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep Gracie free and independent.