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Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment vs Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum

Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment scores 8.9/9.8 vs Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum at 7.8/9.8. Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment wins for hydration.

Head to head

Paula's Choice

Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment

serummid-range

8.9

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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.

Versed

Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum

serummid-range

7.8

Score comparison

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

Paula's Choice wins 3

Tied 2

Versed wins 0

9.0

Paula's Choice

Versed

Ingredient face-off

19% overlap

47Paula's Choice

9Shared

36Versed

Only in Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment

38 unique

Aqua Dimethicone Butylene Glycol Isononyl Isononanoate Castor Isostearate Succinate Glyceryl Stearate C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate Dimethicone Crosspolymer Behenyl Alcohol Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate+28 more

Shared ingredients

9 in common

Glycerin Polysorbate 20 Retinol Sodium Hyaluronate Lecithin Tocopheryl Acetate Caprylyl Glycol Ethylhexylglycerin Phenoxyethanol

Only in Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum

27 unique

Water/Aqua/Eau Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Silica Bakuchiol Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Oil Lactobacillus/Papaya Fruit Ferment Extract Xylitylglucoside Anhydroxylitol

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 Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum's 7.1. 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 5.5 for Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol 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 versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum relies on Retinol, Bakuchiol, and Lactobacillus/Papaya Fruit Ferment Extract. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

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

Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol 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

Value comparison

Both sit in the mid-range bracket, so value comes down to formulation quality. Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment gets the nod here with its 8.9 overall score — you're getting more for a similar outlay.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+1.1 lead

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

8.9Paula's Choice

7.8Versed

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment or Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum?

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 Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment and Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum 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 Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment and Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum?

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 Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment→Full analysis: Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum→

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Xylitol

+17 more