Side-by-side comparison

CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum vs Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster

Both are serums. They share a 77% active-ingredient overlap, so the real decision is about price, texture and the supporting ingredients. Here's the side-by-side.

77%Active overlap
CeraVe
Resurfacing Retinol Serum
SerumMid-rangeEvening only
Rough TextureDark SpotsAgingSensitive skinDamaged barrier

Encapsulated retinol with niacinamide, ceramides and licorice root extract for post-acne marks. Low-irritation formulation — a sensible step up from a niacinamide-only routine, or a maintenance retinol for acne-prone skin that's finished with benzoyl peroxide.

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Paula's Choice
10% Niacinamide Booster
SerumPremiumMorning or evening
Dark SpotsOilinessRedness

A lightweight 10% niacinamide booster with allantoin, licorice root and antioxidants. Designed to layer under your regular serum — a fractional dose for users who don't want a full niacinamide routine but want the pigmentation and oil-control benefits.

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The verdict

Which should you choose?

On price, the CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum sits in the Mid-range tier versus Premium for the Paula's Choice — so it's the more budget-led pick if the overlap is what you're after. On how you'd use them, the CeraVe is flagged Evening only while the Paula's Choice is flagged Morning or evening. The CeraVe leans toward Aging, Rough Texture. The Paula's Choice leans toward Oiliness, Redness.

The overlap

What they share

At 77% active overlap, these are the ingredients doing comparable work in both formulas:

Licorice Root ExtractNiacinamide
The formulation

Ingredient stacks, side by side

CeraVe — top of the list

  • Water~50–80%
  • Glycerin~5–25%
  • Caprylic/Capri…~3–10%
  • Niacinamide~2–6%
  • Sodium Hydroxy…~1.5–4%
  • Cetyl Alcohol~1–2%
  • Pentylene Glycol~1–2%
  • Ceramide NP~1–2%
  • Retinol~1–2%
  • Licorice Root …~1–2%

Paula's Choice — top of the list

  • Water~50–80%
  • Niacinamide10%
  • Acetyl Glucosa…~3–10%
  • Phospholipids~2–6%
  • Sodium Hyaluro…~1.5–4%
  • Glycerin~1–2%
  • Butylene Glycol~1–2%

● marks ingredients that appear near the top of both lists. Percentages are positional estimates from INCI order, not disclosed doses.

At a glance

The specs

CeraVePaula's Choice
CategorySerumSerum
Price tierMid-rangePremium
Best forRough Texture, Dark Spots, AgingDark Spots, Oiliness, Redness
Usage notesEvening onlyMorning or evening
Active overlap77% — Licorice Root Extract, Niacinamide
Questions

Common questions

Is the CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum or the Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster better?
Neither is universally better — they share 77% active-ingredient overlap, so for the actives that drive results they're close. The CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum is the more budget-friendly option, while the other may differ on texture, finish and supporting ingredients. Pick based on your skin's priorities rather than a single 'winner'.
What's the difference between the CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum and the Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster?
Both are serums that share Licorice Root Extract, Niacinamide. Where they differ: they sit in different price tiers (Mid-range vs Premium); the CeraVe is Evening only; the Paula's Choice is Morning or evening; the CeraVe targets Aging, Rough Texture; the Paula's Choice targets Oiliness, Redness.
Are the CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum and Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster dupes for each other?
They share 77% active-ingredient overlap based on published INCI lists, so one can stand in for the other on the actives that matter — chiefly Licorice Root Extract, Niacinamide. A dupe matches the hero actives, not the full sensory experience, so expect differences in texture, fragrance and exact concentrations.
Can I use the CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum and Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster together?
They both fill the serum slot in a routine, so you'd normally pick one rather than layer both. If you want to use both, treat one as your daytime option and the other for evening, and patch-test when introducing anything new.
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66% overlap

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