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Clarins vs Olay

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

Clarins and Olay are skincare brands offering targeted moisturizers, serums, and eye products for various complexions. Clarins is a French brand founded in 1954 and owned by Famille C, known for luxurious moisturizers, potent serums, soothing eye products, and gentle toners enriched with shea and squalane, making it best for sensitive and dry sensitive skin. Meanwhile, Olay is warmly loved for moisturizers, eye products, serums, and cleansers pairing niacinamide and glycerin, which suit acne-prone and mature skin best. While both brands feature standout treatments addressing dark spots, acne-prone skin, and mature skin, they differ in their specific formulations and heritage.

Clarins is a French skincare brand founded in 1954 and owned by Famille C (Groupe Clarins).

groupeclarins.comen.wikipedia.orghappi.com

This page compares some of the most popular Clarins and Olay products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Clarins vs Olay products

People Say

ClarinsOlay
  • Luxurious and lightweight texture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs immediately — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “sinks in immediately — Clarins Double Serum Light Texture”
    • “absorbs quickly — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “Absorbs so quickly! — Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum”
  • Hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “keeps skin moist — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “light and smooth — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
  • Smooth and soft skin texture Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Skin feels like silk — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “hydrates the skin — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “makes skin silky smooth — Clarins Hydrating Toning Lotion”
  • Radiance and glow Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin looks brighter immediately — Clarins Cryo-Flash Cream-Mask”
    • “Gives off the most stunning natural radiance I've ever come across. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
    • “hides dark shadows — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
  • Good makeup base and primer Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
    • “Perfect primer for any foundation, which all glide on smoothly. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
    • “concealer sits better — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “absorbs instantly — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
  • Anti-aging and firming results Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “neck feels smoother — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
    • “visibly tighter, lifted skin — Clarins Super Restorative Night Cream”
    • “plumped my fine lines — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “Helps my skin and eye wrinkles — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
  • High price point Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “expensive for drugstore — Olay Super Serum”
    • “expensive — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “way too expensive — Clarins Double Serum”
  • Strong fragrance and scent sensitivity Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Fragrance can be an irritant — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “floral scent — Olay Super Serum”
    • “too perfumey — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “smells like perfume — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
  • Packaging and design issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “dispenses too much product — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
    • “dispenses too much — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “hard to dispense — Olay Super Serum”
    • “dropper is frustrating — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”

Clarins vs Olay routines for dry skin

Buy Olay routine · A$153.30 · 83% fitBuy Clarins routine · A$394.74 · 78% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Clarins vs Olay routines for oily skin

Buy Olay routine · A$412.86 · 86% fitBuy Clarins routine · A$585.59 · 71% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Clarins vs Olay routines for combination skin

Buy Olay routine · A$324.71 · 86% fitBuy Clarins routine · A$557.60 · 70% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Clarins or Olay: which is better?

Olay delivers Superior routine fit for mature and acne-prone skin, whereas Clarins achieves High fit mostly for dry and sensitive skin. For the products on this page, Olay features largely fragrance-free formulations, while Clarins includes fragrance in almost all of its items.

What is the difference between Clarins and Olay?

Clarins and Olay both offer effective hydration and anti-aging care, but Olay achieves a High or Superior Lovi routine fit for oily, acne-prone, and mature skin, whereas Clarins is better suited for dry and sensitive skin. Additionally, the products on this page for Olay are mostly fragrance-free, while nearly all Clarins formulas contain fragrance.

Clarins or Olay for dry skin?

Both Clarins and Olay have a High routine fit level for dry skin. The products on this page from Olay frequently feature niacinamide and glycerin to help provide intense hydration, while Clarins routines rely on ingredients like shea butter and squalane to support dry skin.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Clarins or Olay: which cleanser is better?

Olay achieves a Superior level for acne-prone skin and mature skin among the products on this page, whereas Clarins is Average for those types, making Olay better for cleansing skin prone to acne or aging. Meanwhile, both brands offer a High fit for dry sensitive skin.

Which is more affordable, Clarins or Olay?

Olay is more affordable than Clarins, as high price point is a notable drawback for Clarins while Olay is associated with it.

Which brand offers more fragrance-free products, Clarins or Olay?

Olay offers more fragrance-free products than Clarins, with 26 out of 27 products on this page listing no fragrance, compared to only 1 out of 24 for Clarins.

Clarins or Olay for oily skin?

Olay is better suited for oily skin, as Lovi rates Olay as High and Clarins as Average for this skin type. Olay offers a wider selection of fragrance-free products on this page, which helps minimize scent sensitivity for oily skin types.

Clarins or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

When it comes to moisturizers, Olay achieves a Superior Lovi fit for mature skin, whereas Clarins reaches High, making Olay a better option for anti-aging needs on this page. Both brands deliver High levels of hydration for dry skin, though Olay offers significantly more fragrance-free choices across its products.

Archives of Dermatology, 2007The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Clarins or Olay for sensitive skin?

Both Clarins and Olay have a High routine fit level for sensitive skin, making them equally suitable choices. Olay offers the advantage of fragrance-free options across most products on this page, whereas Clarins formulas generally contain fragrance.

Clarins or Olay for acne-prone skin?

Olay is better for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior while Clarins is Average. Olay features key ingredients like niacinamide and retinol that help control breakouts and improve skin texture.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Clarins or Olay for mature skin?

Olay is the better choice for mature skin, as the products on this page offer a superior routine fit compared to Clarins. Additionally, Olay features key anti-aging ingredients like retinol, which helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

Archives of Dermatology, 2007The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Clarins or Olay for dry sensitive skin?

Both Clarins and Olay fit dry sensitive skin at a High level on this page. Hyaluronic acid helps provide hydration and anti-aging benefits for skin quality.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Research behind their key ingredients

Behind this comparison

Lovi compares products by their fit scores, calculated from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

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