HOW PAULA TRANSFORMED THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY

“I’ve been controversial my whole career from the time I wrote my book back in 1984. Later in my career, I learned that I was something called a disruptor.” —Paula Beogun

For over three decades, Paula Begoun has done what nobody in the beauty industry has – told the truth. Long before formulating her own products, she was a consumer struggling with acne & eczema, desperately trying to find products that wouldn’t make her skin worse. That’s when her lifelong career of research & formulating effective products began.

"What I wanted to do was make great skincare products and provide information."

ALWAYS THE WHOLE TRUTH

"There are good and bad ingredients that are natural and there are good and bad ingredients that are lab-created. To suggest that only natural is good is bad skincare."

"I know the limitation of skincare. I know the brilliance of skincare. The sooner you do brilliant skincare and you stay with it and you pay attention to sun protection and pollution protection, I know how successful your skin can look."

Research continually evolves, but Paula’s commitment to uncovering the truth remains the same. Today, Paula’s Choice has established one of the most robust science-backed foundations in the industry to take the guesswork out of skincare.

shop now

1975
Paula is fired from her cosmetics counter job for telling clients the truth about what products could & couldn’t do for skin.

1985
Paula self-publishes her first best-selling book, Blue Eyeshadow Should Be Illegal, & appears on The Oprah Winfrey Show where she’s given the enduring nickname “The Cosmetics Cop.”

1995
Paula’s Choice launches as one of the world’s first online beauty brands.

1997
Paula’s Choice launches in Australia.

2000
Paula’s Choice launches one of the industry’s first leave-on exfoliants, 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, that quickly becomes a global bestseller.

2002
Paula’s Choice launches the Ingredient Dictionary, a go-to resource for beauty editors & customers.

2005
Paula’s Choice launches in Europe.

2008
Paula’s Choice launches in Taiwan & South Korea.

2009
Paula’s Choice launches in Thailand & Hong Kong.

2013
Boosters for specific concerns launch.

2014
CLINCAL 1% Retinol Treatment launches.

2015
First eye cream launches after 90% of customers request a formula that targets aging around the eyes.

2016
CALM collection for sensitive, redness-prone skin launches.

2018
DEFENSE collection for maintaining skin’s natural healthy glow long-term launches.

2019
Paula’s Choice partners with TerraCycle® to offer recycling options.

2020
Paula’s Choice celebrates its 25th anniversary.

2021
Paula’s Choice launches at Sephora in the US.

2022
Paula’s Choice launches the new Beautypedia Ingredient Checker, letting you analyze any skin care product in seconds.

2023
Paula’s Choice launches at Sephora in Canada.

2024
2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant is named one of the Top 100 Skin Care Products of All Time by WWD.