Paula’s Choice Body Serum Review.

If you have been here a minute, you know I a) have very dry skin and b) absolutely love a decadent body skincare routine. I am not-not high maintenance (meaning I am most definitely high maintenance) when it comes to these things and I do not care. I like to pamper myself and take the best possible care of all my skin. Those extra five minutes after the shower don’t make a real difference in my schedule, but they do make a difference in my day. A few extra minutes spent being good to my skin make all the difference in how I look but even more… how I feel. And I’m not alone in this: Vanity Fair just did a big story on body serums!

So when it comes to the idea of a body serum? Sign. Me. up! If you ask me, the rest of your body deserves just as much attention as the face… I love a multi-step skincare routine for the body! That’s not to say that one should use their face serums on the body. That would be expensive… and less effective since the skin on your body is thicker than the skin on your face. You need stronger actives in your body products. The skin on your body is (usually) less sensitive as well.

Paula’s Choice Body Serum Review

Over the past couple years I have become a BIG Paula’s Choice fan. They put so much research into their products and their products are reallllllly effective. Not necessarily the prettiest packaging (really wish this wasn’t purple, ha ha) but fantastic products at fairly good prices. Highly concentrated actives, powerful ingredients, etc. etc. When I found out that they were launching a body serum (with Niacinamide as the key ingredient – you know I LOVE Niacinamide!), I ordered it immediately. Had to!

This is one of the best body serums I have ever tried. I was kind of shocked when I realized that Sephora doesn’t carry it as it’s actually one of my favorite Paula’s Choice products. The key ingredient (5% Niacinamide) is important – it strengthens the skin’s barrier and evens out skin tone. If you get patchy, rough, uneven tone (or flakes) you will love this. I especially love this for my arms (it helps with keratosis pilaris on my upper arms, and addresses the discoloration and patchiness of my elbows). Niacinamide is the best. I look for it in all of my products!

The biggest things to know here are that this is a godsend for rough and bumpy skin, discoloration, and keratosis pilaris. I have dealt with KP my whole life (Ugh!) and this makes a difference. It’s really effective at both smoothing the skin and evening out discoloration. You will notice a real difference after just a couple weeks!

Ingredients:

• Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) is the best ever. We addressed that. Niacinamide helps to strengthen the skin, restoring the skin barrier. Besides that, it improves uneven skin tone and minimizes enlarged pores.
• 5% D-Panthenol (Vitamin B5) – fades discoloration and soothes redness.
• Prickly Pear Extract (Prickly pear extract is an incredible anti-aging ingredient. Read this post for more on that… when I was in Morocco years ago, all the pharmacies there were hawking it as “natural botox.” Now that I have actually had Botox I wouldn’t necessarily go that far but it’s a great ingredient). It helps to refine the skin’s texture.

Texture

For such an effective body treatment, this is silky smooth and lightweight. It sinks into the skin immediately and feels like nothing. In the summer I can get away with using it all by itself, but because I am a little bit extra with my routine, I like to do a cream anyway. In colder weather, I’d definitely need to apply cream over it. But again, I’m part lizard. So if you have oily/combination/normal skin, you could probably get away with using it as your lotion.

Scent

It smells like nothing. Literally, nothing. There is no detectable fragrance whatsoever. This is nice as most of my body lotions are fragranced so there is no worrying about conflicting scents.

Price

Priced at $29, it’s actually pretty affordable!

How to Use the Paula’s Choice Body Serum

After showering, towel the skin dry. I like to apply this all over and then do a body lotion (I have been using this with the Biossance body cream with great results – when I use this combo, my skin feels like SILK). For daytime, the brand recommends finishing with SPF 30+.

How does it compare to the Necessaire Body Serum?

I updated this part of the review as it was the number one question. First of all, I am Necessaire’s biggest fan, especially their body lotion, Eucalyptus body wash, and acid deodorant. I like their body serum, but if I am picking one, I prefer this. Their serum is more of a hydrating serum whereas this one is more active. This feels more like a body treatment to me – it really helps with rough skin and discoloration, whereas the Necessaire is more hydrating. I hope that is helpful!!!

Have you tried this product? Would love to know your thoughts!