✶

Paula's Choice 10% N… vs The Ordinary Ascorby… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

Products
Ingredients
Brands
K-Beauty
How We Score

Gracie
/Compare
/Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster
/vs
/The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%

Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster vs The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%

Head to head

✶

Paula's Choice

10% Niacinamide Booster

serummid-range

8.3

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.

✶

The Ordinary

Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%

serumbudget

6.2

Buy at Amazon

Score comparison

Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster takes this one, winning 3 of 5 attributes.

Paula's Choice wins 3

Tied 2

The Ordinary wins 0

8.3Paula's Choice

+2.1vs

6.2The Ordinary

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

Paula's Choice WINS

7.7

2.5

Paula's Choice

The Ordinary

Irritation Risk

TIE

9.5

Paula's Choice

The Ordinary

Active Ingredient Strength

Paula's Choice WINS

6.7

3.3

Paula's Choice

The Ordinary

Ingredient Transparency

Paula's Choice WINS

8.8

7.5

Paula's Choice

The Ordinary

Formulation Safety

TIE

9.0

Paula's Choice

The Ordinary

Ingredient face-off

14% overlap

22Paula's Choice

3Shared

13The Ordinary

Only in Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster

19 unique

Aqua Niacinamide Acetyl Glucosamine Butylene Glycol Glycerin Pentylene Glycol Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane Methyl Gluceth-20 Allantoin Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract+9 more

Shared ingredients

3 in common

Ascorbyl Glucoside Xanthan Gum Phenoxyethanol

Only in The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%

10 unique

Aqua (Water)Propanediol Aminomethyl Propanol Triethanolamine Isoceteth-20 Dimethyl Isosorbide Ethoxydiglycol Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate 2-Hexanediol Caprylyl Glycol

Why Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster comes out ahead

Where Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster really shines is hydration efficacy, scoring 7.7 compared to The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%'s 2.5. With Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, and Pentylene Glycol in its top ingredients, Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster delivers stronger moisture-binding capability.

Active Ingredient Strength is another area of separation. Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster scores 6.7 here versus 3.3 for The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster brings Niacinamide, Ascorbyl Glucoside, and Allantoin as actives, while the Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% relies on Ascorbyl Glucoside. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Butylene Glycol
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% is better if you have

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

Value comparison

At mid-range pricing with a score of 8.3, Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster delivers strong value. The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% sits at the budget level with a 6.2 score — the extra cost doesn't translate to better scores here.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+2.1 lead

Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster wins this comparison with a meaningfully stronger ingredient profile and overall score.

✶

8.3Paula's Choice

✶

6.2The Ordinary

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster or The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%?

Based on ingredient analysis, Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster and The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% share ingredients?

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

What's the main difference between Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster and The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%?

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

Full analysis: Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster→Full analysis: The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%→

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.