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denéva skincare Equi… vs Paula's Choice Clini… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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denéva skincare Equilibrium Facial Serum vs Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment

Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment scores 8.9/9.8 vs denéva skincare Equilibrium Facial Serum at 6.0/9.8. Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment wins for hydration.

Head to head

denéva skincare

Equilibrium Facial Serum

serum

6.0

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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.

Paula's Choice

Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment

serummid-range

8.9

Score comparison

Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment takes this one, winning 3 of 5 attributes.

denéva skincare wins 0

Tied 2

Paula's Choice wins 3

9.0

denéva skincare

Paula's Choice

Ingredient face-off

4% overlap

21denéva skincare

2Shared

47Paula's Choice

Only in denéva skincare Equilibrium Facial Serum

19 unique

Ingredients/Ingrédients: Aqua (Purified Water)*Fucus Vesiculosus Extract Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride *Glycerin * Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract Arachidyl Alcohol (And) Behenyl Alcohol (And) Arachidy! Glucoside Lauryl Lactate 2-Hexanediol (And) Caprylyl Caprylyl Glycol *Citrus Nobilis Fruit Extract Dehydroacetic Acid+9 more

Shared ingredients

2 in common

Glyceryl Stearate Ethylhexylglycerin

Only in Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment

45 unique

Aqua Dimethicone Glycerin Butylene Glycol Isononyl Isononanoate Castor Isostearate Succinate 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 denéva skincare Equilibrium Facial Serum's 2.0. 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 2.0 for denéva skincare Equilibrium Facial Serum. 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 denéva skincare Equilibrium Facial Serum relies on *Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, * Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, and *Citrus Nobilis Fruit Extract. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

denéva skincare Equilibrium Facial Serum 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

+2.9 lead

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

6.0denéva skincare

8.9Paula's Choice

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: denéva skincare Equilibrium Facial Serum 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 denéva skincare Equilibrium Facial Serum 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 denéva skincare Equilibrium Facial Serum 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: denéva skincare Equilibrium Facial Serum→Full analysis: Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment→

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