Brand comparison
Paula's Choice vs Drunk Elephant: Which Is Better for Men?
Clear pores and smoother skin come from acids, and both brands sell good ones. Drunk Elephant’s Framboos costs several times what Paula’s Choice charges for its 2% BHA, and the extra buys texture and craft, not a better result on your face.
By Nate Calder · Updated
Our verdict
Paula's Choice
Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
4.7Buy this one if blackheads and rough texture are the problem and you want one daily step that fixes them. A fragrance-free 2% salicylic acid liquid that works inside the pore, so blackheads clear and skin looks smoother week after week.
$37.00
Shop on AmazonThe alternative
Drunk Elephant
T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum (30 ml)
4.2Buy this one if you want a nightly acid serum you enjoy putting on, and price isn't the question. Glycolic, lactic and tartaric acids smooth texture while salicylic acid clears pores overnight, at 10% AHA and 1% BHA, in a serum with real formulation craft.
T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum (30 ml) is sold out on Amazon
$9.50
Check AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution on AmazonKey differences at a glance
| Paula's ChoiceSkin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant | Drunk ElephantT.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum (30 ml) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| Price | $37.00 | |
| Acids | ||
| Acids | Salicylic acid 2%, Green tea extract | Glycolic acid, Tartaric acid, Lactic acid, Salicylic acid |
| How You Use It | ||
| How You Use It | Daily leave-on liquid, forgiving enough to not think about | Night serum, 10% AHA + 1% BHA — not over freshly shaved skin |
| Best Skin Types | ||
| Best Skin Types | oily, combination, normal | normal, combination, oily |
| Fragrance-Free | ||
| Fragrance-Free | Yes | Yes |
| Average Price Across Range | ||
| Average Price Across Range | $38.55 | $21.00 |
| Rating | ||
| Rating | 4.7 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
marks the better value on that row only — not an overall verdict, and not a product rating. Rows where the two are equal are left unmarked.
Where Paula's Choice excels
- Clears pores where a scrub can't. Salicylic acid stays on the skin and works inside the pore on blackheads, rough texture and breakouts.
- Gentle enough for every day. Once your skin adjusts it's a daily step, fragrance-free with green tea extract to calm, so it's hard to overdo.
- Names that say what it's for. From the 2% BHA to the 10% Azelaic Acid Booster and the Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment, you shop by the problem you have.
$37.00
Shop on AmazonWhere Drunk Elephant excels
- Four acids in one night serum. Glycolic, lactic and tartaric acids smooth texture while salicylic acid clears pores, at a sensible strength for home use.
- A texture you'll look forward to. It feels good for an exfoliant, and it's fragrance-free and alcohol-free.
- Protini, if feel is what you're after. The brand's Protini Polypeptide Cream absorbs cleanly and layers under sunscreen without pilling, for the man who has quit good products because they felt unpleasant.
T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum (30 ml) is sold out on Amazon
$9.50
Check AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution on AmazonMore from each brand
Paula's Choice
Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
$37.00Shop on Amazon
Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment
$48.75Shop on Amazon
CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser
$28.00Shop on Amazon
Drunk Elephant
Protini Polypeptide Cream (15 ml)
$24.00Shop on Amazon
Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser (60 ml)
$18.00Shop on Amazon
Compare Paula's Choice with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Paula's Choice or Drunk Elephant better?
Paula's Choice, for almost everyone. Its 2% BHA at $37.00 and Drunk Elephant's T.L.C. Framboos are both leave-on acid exfoliants built on well-understood molecules, salicylic acid among them. Framboos costs several times as much. Drunk Elephant's textures are genuinely better; they are not that much better.
Why is Drunk Elephant so expensive?
Formulation craft, packaging and positioning — not rarer ingredients. The acids in Framboos are glycolic, tartaric, lactic and salicylic, all commodity molecules available for a fraction of the price. What you're paying for is a serum that feels considerably nicer to use and a brand built to be displayed rather than hidden in a cabinet. Those are real things; whether they're worth several times the price is your call.
Which brand is better for men new to actives?
Paula's Choice. Its products are named for the problem they solve, and the 2% BHA in particular is forgiving enough to use daily without much thought. Drunk Elephant's naming — Framboos, Protini, Beste — tells you nothing about what anything does, which is a real obstacle when you're starting out.
Is Drunk Elephant worth it for anything?
Texture, if texture is what's defeated you. Protini is one of the nicest-feeling moisturizers available and layers under sunscreen without pilling, which cheaper peptide creams often don't manage. If you've abandoned good products because they felt unpleasant, that's a genuine reason to pay more. It isn't a reason to buy the whole range.
Can you use both brands together?
Yes, though don't layer two strong exfoliants. The sensible split is Paula's Choice for the actives — BHA, retinol, azelaic acid — and Drunk Elephant only where you specifically want the texture, which for most men means the moisturizer. Buying both full ranges is how you end up with a shelf of overlapping acids.
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