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Mad Hippie Daily pro… vs Paula's Choice Clini… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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Mad Hippie Daily protective serum. vs Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment

Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment scores 8.9/9.8 vs Mad Hippie Daily protective serum. at 7.5/9.8. Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment wins for hydration.

Head to head

Mad Hippie

Daily protective serum.

serum

7.5

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Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

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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.

Mad Hippie wins 0

Tied 2

Paula's Choice wins 3

9.0

Mad Hippie

Paula's Choice

Ingredient face-off

4% overlap

29Mad Hippie

2Shared

47Paula's Choice

Only in Mad Hippie Daily protective serum.

27 unique

Purpose Zinc Oxide (Non-Nano): 12.7%..........Sunscreen. Inactive Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Bentonite Butyloctyl Salicylate Caprylhydroxamic Acid Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Oleosomes Cetearyl Alcohol Citric Acid Diheptyl Succinate Glyceryl Caprylate+17 more

Shared ingredients

2 in common

Caprylyl Glycol Glycerin

Only in Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment

45 unique

Aqua Dimethicone 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 Mad Hippie Daily protective serum.'s 6.2. 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 4.3 for Mad Hippie Daily protective 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 mad Hippie Daily protective serum. relies on Resveratrol, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

Mad Hippie Daily protective 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

+1.4 lead

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

7.5Mad Hippie

8.9Paula's Choice

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Mad Hippie Daily protective 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 Mad Hippie Daily protective 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 Mad Hippie Daily protective 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: Mad Hippie Daily protective serum.→Full analysis: Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment→

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