PRODUCT REVIEW: PAULA'S CHOICE 1% RETINOL BOOSTER, PORE REFINING TREATMENT 2% BHA, YOUTH-EXTENDING DAILY HYDRATING FLUID AND PERFECT CLEANSING OIL

One of those brands you always hear a lot about is Paula’s Choice… The brand is founded by the Paula Begoun, who is also the author of the early 90s book, Don't Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me - a book I personally really loved at the time, as it was all about which beauty products were worth the hype and which ones weren’t...





Anyway, I’ve put a selection of the Paula’s Choice skincare products to the test;

Paula’s Choice Perfect Cleansing Oil*
Paula’s Choice Resist Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid*
Paula’s Choice Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment 2% BHA*
Paula’s choice Resist 1% Retinol Booster*


Let’s start with the Paula’s Choice Perfect Cleansing Oil. I absolutely love cleansing oils. Its my preferred type of makeup remover, and I always use one as my first cleanse. This one is made using a blend of plant oils, and massaging about two pumps into my skin, it quickly and easily dissolves and removes my makeup, including any long wearing makeup and waterproof eye makeup.

Infused with five plant oils, including sunflower, coconut, meadowfoam, jojoba and grape seed oils to break down makeup and facial debris, while hydrating and nourishing the skin.

The fragrance and paragon free formula is very gentle, and doesn’t irritate my sensitive eyes, and I also love that it leaves my skin feeling clean, soft and smooth, and with no greasy residue.

Next is the Paula’s Choice Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment 2% BHA, which is a leave-on liquid exfoliant to help target visible signs of sun damage, ageing, bumpy skin, and enlarged, clogged pores.

The liquid has a light, slightly runny watery consistency, and is to be used twice daily after cleaning and toning, but prior to any other serums and moisturiser.

The 2% BHA helps gently exfoliate the skin, and rid it of dead skin cells and build up sebum, to leave the pores clearer and more refined, and the skin generally feeling smoother, softer and more glowing.

I found that frequent use of this helps gently unclog my congested pores and reduce the amount of breakouts that I get, and it has also helped clear up some very stubborn blemishes too. In addition I also feel that it is helping reduce the appearance of those dark or red post-blemish mark, along with some minor pigmentation also appears reduced in appearance, for an over all clearer, brighter and more glowing skin. And all while being very gentle not he skin and not drying it out or irritating it.

Then there’s the Paula’s Choice Resist Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid, which is a super light daily moisturiser with SPF15. It has a light, almost watery consistency, and it applies and absorbs quickly and easily, without any greasiness, but rather it has a matte finish making it perfect for my slightly oily skin, yet still keeping it soft and hydrated throughout the day. I also love that it contains antioxidants to help fight visible signs of ageing and environmental stressors, and that it works perfectly under makeup too. Often moisturisers with SPF make my skin feel greasy, congested and breakout too, so I obviously like that this doesn't.

This is a great daily moisturiser, my only negative is just that it only has SPF15, which I do find on the lower side for the harsh Australian sun.

Finally, there’s the Paula’s choice Resist 1% Retinol Booster. And I am so hooked on Retinols, as it is the one ingredient that I find works favourably on both my ageing skin with lines and pigmentation, as well as help fight breakouts. I have used Retinol for years, and my skin is used to the highest strength available, including prescribed 1% retinoid.

The Paula’s choice Resist 1% Retinol Booster is a lightweight, concentrated booster with 1% retinol to help even skin tone, renew radiance, brighten skin, improve the appearance of wrinkles and create a smoother complexion.

1% retinol can be rather strong on the skin if you’re not used to it, causing all kinds of irritations and dry skin, but this one is using a pure form of retinol in a slow-release delivery system that releases throughout the night, and in that way is gentler on the skin. But that said, if you have sensitive skin, or are new to retinol, I’d probably recommend that you try a lower strength first. The Booster also contains peptides to help smooth, restore and repair as well as hydrate the skin.

The Booster can supposedly be used during the day, as long as you follow with an SPF, for the pure reason that retinol can make the skin more sensitive to the sun. however, while I am by no means a skincare expert, I wouldn’t recommend it, but rather use it as a part of the night routine only, when you know the skin is not exposed to the sun!

The booster is to be applied to clean skin, and prior to any other serums and moisturisers, and I really like that it is so gentle that it can also be used around the eye area. It is very concentrated, so although the bottle is quite small, as you only need to use a few drops, it’ll still last you quite a while.

I have used it for a few weeks, and I generally I feel that my skin is looking brighter and more even-toned. Some finer lines also appear to be reduced in appearance, in particular around the eye area. But I also feel that my skin is looking more clarified with breakouts reduced in appearance too, and my skin overall younger looking and more radiant.


So overall, I am quite liking these products from Paula’s Choice, and in particular the Daily Pore-Refining Treatment 2% BHA and the 1% Retinol Booster, which I see myself repurchasing again. And while I liked the Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF15 and the fact that it keeps my skin looking matte and doesn't make it break out, I would love to see it with a higher SPF, particularly for the summer part of the year.

I am now also keener than ever to explore more products from the huge Paula’s Choice range, such as the C25 Super Booster with Vitamin C, as well as other retinol products such as the Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment to see how it compares to the Retinol Booster. And as I’ve never actually used retinol on my body, I’m also quite curious about the Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment. Paula’s Choice has also recently launched the On-The-Go Shielding Powder SPF30, which sounds pretty amazing.


Paula’s Choice Perfect Cleansing Oil - RRP: $35.99 / 118ml
Paula’s Choice Resist Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF15 - RRP: $38.01 / 60ml
Paula’s Choice Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment 2% BHA - RRP: $41 / 88ml
Paula’s choice Resist 1% Retinol Booster - RRP: $71.01 / 15ml

Available from Paula’s Choice


* Some products may have been kindly provided for editorial consideration, and have been reviewed in accordance with my Disclosure Policy, and reviews are 100% honest and based on personal opinion and experience. Note that The Beauty & Lifestyle Hunter is not a professional or expert, so please do not substitute these opinions as professional advice.


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