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Garnier Brightening… vs Paula's Choice Clini… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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Garnier Brightening serum vs Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment

Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment scores 8.9/9.8 vs Garnier Brightening serum at 7.7/9.8. Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment wins for hydration.

Head to head

Garnier

Brightening serum

serum

7.7

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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.

Garnier wins 0

Tied 2

Paula's Choice wins 3

9.0

Garnier

Paula's Choice

Ingredient face-off

11% overlap

33Garnier

5Shared

47Paula's Choice

Only in Garnier Brightening serum

28 unique

Water Alcohol Denat Dipropylene Glycol Niacinamide Peg/Ppg/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Sodium Glycerin Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid Ascorbyl Glucoside Citrus Limon Fruit Extract / Lemon Fruit Extract Potassium Hydroxide 2-Mercaptonicotinoyl Glycine+18 more

Shared ingredients

5 in common

Glycerin Butylene Glycol Isononyl Isononanoate Caprylyl Glycol Tocopheryl Acetate

Only in Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment

42 unique

Aqua Dimethicone Castor Isostearate Succinate Glyceryl Stearate C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate Dimethicone Crosspolymer Polysorbate 20 Behenyl Alcohol Retinol Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate+32 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 Garnier Brightening serum's 7.2. With Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, and Sodium Hyaluronate in its top ingredients, Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment delivers stronger moisture-binding capability.

Irritation Risk is another area of separation. Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment scores 9.5 here versus 7.6 for Garnier Brightening 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 garnier Brightening serum relies on Niacinamide, Ascorbyl Glucoside, and Citrus Limon Fruit Extract / Lemon Fruit Extract. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

Garnier Brightening serum is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Glycerin
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

+1.2 lead

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

7.7Garnier

8.9Paula's Choice

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Garnier Brightening 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 Garnier Brightening 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 Garnier Brightening 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: Garnier Brightening serum→Full analysis: Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment→

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