Loading...
Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum scores 9.0/9.8 and Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment scores 8.9/9.8 — a near-tie where your skin type decides the winner.
These two are neck and neck — just 0.1 points apart.
Scores last verified: April 2026
28 unique
14 in common
33 unique
These two serums 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.
Ingredient Transparency is another area of separation. Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment scores 8.8 here versus 8.5 for Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.
Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum brings Niacinamide, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, and Adenosine as actives, while paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment relies on Retinol, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, and Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.
Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum is better if you have
Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment is better if you have
At premium pricing with a score of 9.0, Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum delivers strong value. Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment sits at the mid-range level with a 8.9 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, Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum 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.
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.
© 2026 Gracie. All rights reserved. Data sourced from Open Beauty Facts (ODbL) and EU CosIng.