Quick answer: the CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum comes closest to the Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster: it has every key treatment active in it (Niacinamide and Licorice Root Extract). On price, CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum is the cheaper of the two (Mid-range versus Premium). It also overlaps with 2 other products below.
Pricier picks the Resurfacing Retinol Serum matches
Paula's Choice
2 of 2
hero actives matched
Pricier originalNiacinamideLicorice Root Extract
Why it holds up: Matches every key treatment active in the original: Niacinamide and Licorice Root Extract.
Full ingredient analysis →See them side by side →La Roche-Posay
2 of 3
hero actives matched
Pricier originalRetinolNiacinamide
Why it holds up: Matches every key treatment active in the original: Retinol and Niacinamide.
Full ingredient analysis →See them side by side →2 of 3
hero actives matched
Pricier originalRetinolCeramides
Why it holds up: Shares Retinol, but not the original's Peptides.
Full ingredient analysis →See them side by side →Common questions
Is the CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum a real dupe?
It shares hero actives with 3 same-category products in our catalogue, most closely the Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster (matching 2 of 2 of its hero actives). "Dupe" here means shared key ingredients, not an identical formula.
Does matching more hero actives make it better?
No. The match count only shows how many hero actives are shared. The base, supporting ingredients, texture and price still differ, so use the side-by-side comparison for the full picture.
Educational information only — not medical advice. Overlap reflects shared hero actives, not clinical equivalence.