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Clinique vs Olay

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

Clinique and Olay are established skincare brands known for their thoughtful formulations and reliable results. Clinique is loved for its moisturizers, serums, makeup removers, eye products, and more, relying on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and caffeine, while the brand suits sensitive skin and dry skin best. Olay is warmly loved for its targeted moisturizers, eye products, serums, cleansers, and more, thoughtfully pairing niacinamide and glycerin, and its products suit acne-prone skin and mature skin best. Both brands differ in their key ingredient combinations and primary skin type suitability.

Clinique is an American skincare brand founded in 1968 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.combusinesswire.comglossy.co

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

Popular Clinique vs Olay products

People Say

CliniqueOlay
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorbing Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “absorbs quickly — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “sinks in immediately — Clinique moisture surge”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Keeps my dry patches at bay all day — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “skin feels soft and smooth — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “light and smooth — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
  • Smoothing and Texture Improvement Sometimes 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”
    • “skin feels silky smooth — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formula Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “never irritated my eyes — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “No stinging eyes — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “cools the heat in my cheeks — Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream”
    • “doesn't strip my skin — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Base Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Melts waterproof mascara — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “foundation glides on — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “holds concealer in place — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “absorbs instantly — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
  • Brightening and Radiance Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
    • “hides dark shadows — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “skin looks brighter — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “wake up glowing — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
  • Price and Value Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “expensive for drugstore — Olay Super Serum”
    • “expensive — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “jar is too small for the cost — Clinique moisture surge”
  • Insufficient Hydration Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “not moisturizing enough — Olay Super Serum”
    • “needs moisturizer over it — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “too light for night — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “skin felt tight — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
  • Packaging Issues Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Unhygienic tub — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “prefer a pump dispenser — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “pump dispenses too much — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
    • “hard to dispense — Olay Super Serum”

Clinique vs Olay routines for dry skin

Buy Olay routine · A$153.30 · 83% fitBuy Clinique routine · A$365.39 · 75% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Clinique vs Olay routines for oily skin

Buy Olay routine · A$412.86 · 86% fitBuy Clinique routine · A$490.43 · 75% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Clinique vs Olay routines for combination skin

Buy Olay routine · A$324.71 · 86% fitBuy Clinique routine · A$469.78 · 72% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Clinique or Olay: which is better?

Olay achieves a Superior Lovi fit level for mature and acne-prone skin, whereas Clinique reaches High fit levels for sensitive, dry, and dry sensitive skin. Reviewers note that Olay delivers better smoothing and brightening, while Clinique is preferred for a gentle, non-irritating formula.

What is the difference between Clinique and Olay?

Clinique is better known for its gentle, fragrance-free formulas that fit sensitive skin, while Olay often provides superior anti-aging and texture improvements with ingredients like niacinamide and peptides.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Clinique or Olay for dry skin?

Both Clinique and Olay fit dry skin well, offering a high routine fit level and featuring hydrating moisturizers. Clinique stands out for its gentle formula, while Olay is noted for intense hydration.

Clinique or Olay: which cleanser is better?

Clinique is better for gentle cleansers, as Lovi rates its Redness Solutions Soothing Cleanser as High for sensitive and dry skin while Olay cleansers are rated lower for those skin types.

Which is more affordable, Clinique or Olay?

Olay is more affordable, as reviewers on this page frequently note Clinique's high price point and mention price and value as an area where Olay does better.

Clinique or Olay for fading dark spots?

Olay is the better choice for fading dark spots, as the products on this page achieve a high fit level for skin with dark spots compared to Clinique's average fit. Olay's formulation helps target pigmentation issues effectively using key ingredients like niacinamide.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Which brand offers better fragrance-free options?

Clinique is the better choice for fragrance-free options because every product on the products on this page lists no fragrance. Olay also offers many fragrance-free products on this page, but includes fragrance in one of its items.

Clinique or Olay for oily skin?

Clinique and Olay both achieve a High routine fit level for oily skin according to Lovi. Reviewers note that Olay offers lightweight and fast-absorbing options while Clinique is often recognized for oil-controlling and smoothing moisturizers.

Clinique or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

Both Clinique and Olay provide hydrating moisturizers, but Olay offers products on this page with a superior Lovi fit level for mature and acne-prone skin types. Clinique features fragrance-free options across all its products, while Olay generally provides higher overall fit levels for a wider range of skin types.

Clinique or Olay for sensitive skin?

Both Clinique and Olay fit sensitive skin at a high level on Lovi. Clinique focuses on fragrance-free, gentle formulas that reviewers often call gentle and effective, while Olay also offers strong hydration and soothing options.

Clinique or Olay for acne-prone skin?

Olay fits acne-prone skin better than Clinique, as Lovi rates Olay as superior for this skin type while rating Clinique as average.

Clinique or Olay for mature skin?

Olay is better suited for mature skin on this page, achieving a Lovi fit level of Superior compared to Clinique's Average fit level.

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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