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Estée Lauder vs Olay

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

Estée Lauder and Olay are established skincare names beloved for their comprehensive collections of moisturizers, serums, eye products, cleansers, and more. While the American brand founded in 1946 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. thoughtfully incorporates hyaluronic acid and glycerin to best suit dry sensitive skin and dry skin, Olay thoughtfully pairs niacinamide and glycerin to best suit acne-prone skin and mature skin. These preparations differ not only in their standout targeted options for acne-prone skin, skin with dark spots, and mature skin, but also in how their key ingredients function, as hyaluronic acid lengthens the effect of botulinum toxin and niacinamide improves wrinkles, pigmentation, and skin aging.

Estée Lauder is an American skincare brand founded in 1946 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.com

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

Popular Estée Lauder vs Olay products

People Say

Estée LauderOlay
  • Texture smoothing and improvement Often MentionedMostly 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 like a baby's bottom — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
  • Deep hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up immediately — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “The formula is incredibly hydrating and leaves my skin feeling smooth. — Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv”
    • “texture is dreamy — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme”
    • “light and smooth — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing feel Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “absorbs quickly — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “Absorbs quickly into the skin — Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+”
  • Radiant glow and brightening Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
    • “hides dark shadows — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “skin looks brighter — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “gives me that glass skin look — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
  • Gentle and non-drying cleansing Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “doesn't strip the skin — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée”
    • “Lathers well — Estée Lauder Soft Clean Moisture Rich Foaming Cleanser”
    • “removes all my makeup effortlessly — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée”
    • “tiny beads aren't harsh — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
  • Makeup compatibility and base Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “doesn't pill — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme”
    • “layers flawlessly under foundation — Estée Lauder DayWear Moisturizer”
    • “absorbs instantly — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “acts as primer — Olay Super Serum”
  • High price and value concerns Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “expensive for drugstore — Olay Super Serum”
    • “expensive — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “small quantity (0.5 oz) — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “way too expensive for the size — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
  • Bulky or poor packaging Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “lid is hard to open — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée”
    • “Please make a jar or refill that is not as big and heavy. — Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv”
    • “Impossible to get out — Estée Lauder Soft Clean Moisture Rich Foaming Cleanser”
    • “hard to dispense — Olay Super Serum”
  • Scent and fragrance complaints Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Fragrance can be an irritant — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “floral scent — Olay Super Serum”
    • “smells like plastic — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Scent is too overpowering — Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+”

Estée Lauder vs Olay routines for dry skin

Buy Estée Lauder routine · A$330.00 · 83% fitBuy Olay routine · A$153.30 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Estée Lauder vs Olay routines for oily skin

Buy Olay routine · A$412.86 · 86% fitBuy Estée Lauder routine · A$497.39 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Estée Lauder vs Olay routines for combination skin

Buy Olay routine · A$324.71 · 86% fitBuy Estée Lauder routine · A$490.31 · 78% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Estée Lauder or Olay: which is better?

Both brands are great choices depending on your skincare goals, as Estée Lauder excels in deep hydration and gentle cleansers while Olay stands out for texture smoothing, brightening, and anti-aging benefits.

What is the difference between Estée Lauder and Olay?

Estée Lauder focuses on deep hydration and gentle cleansers, while Olay stands out for texture smoothing and brightening. Reviewers note that Estée Lauder tends to have a higher price point, whereas Olay often receives complaints about strong fragrance.

Estée Lauder or Olay for dry skin?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay offer a high routine fit for dry skin among the products on this page, with reviewers noting that Estée Lauder provides deep hydration while Olay is known for intense hydration. Hyaluronic acid helps bind moisture to the skin.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Estée Lauder or Olay: which cleanser is better?

Estée Lauder is better for gentle and non-drying cleansing, as reviewers frequently note that its cleansers feel gentle. The products on this page help provide a soothing experience.

Which is more affordable, Estée Lauder or Olay?

Olay tends to be more affordable, while Estée Lauder has higher price point concerns noted by reviewers for the products on this page.

Estée Lauder or Olay for reducing dark spots?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay offer products on this page that are suitable for skin with dark spots. Olay may help with reducing dark spots by utilizing ingredients like niacinamide, which is supported by research showing it helps suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Which brand has more fragrance-free product options?

Olay has more fragrance-free product options, with 26 of its 27 products on this page listing no fragrance compared to 12 of 14 products for Estée Lauder.

Estée Lauder or Olay for oily skin?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay offer a high routine fit for oily skin, making them great choices depending on your specific preferences. The products on this page for both brands help deliver lightweight feel and hydration, while Estée Lauder stands out for gentle and non-drying cleansers and Olay excels in texture smoothing and brightening.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay offer effective moisturizers, with Estée Lauder focusing on deep hydration and Olay providing strong texture smoothing and brightening. Reviewers note that Olay moisturizers tend to absorb fast, while Estée Lauder formulas often deliver a rich, nourishing feel.

Estée Lauder or Olay for sensitive skin?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay offer a high routine fit for sensitive skin, making them equally suitable options. Reviewers note that Estée Lauder products on this page often provide deep hydration, while Olay options frequently deliver a lightweight feel.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which sunscreen is better?

Both brands offer sunscreen options on this page, but Estée Lauder DayWear Moisturizer achieves a Superior Lovi fit level for dry sensitive skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, and mature skin. Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer SPF 15 and Regenerist Whip Face Moisturizer SPF 25 are also available on the page.

Estée Lauder or Olay for acne-prone skin?

Olay fits acne-prone skin better than Estée Lauder, as Lovi rates Olay as Superior for this skin type while Estée Lauder reaches High.

Estée Lauder or Olay for mature skin?

Olay is a better choice for mature skin because the products on this page achieve a Superior Lovi fit level for this skin type, compared to Estée Lauder's High fit level. Olay also tends to do better for radiant glow and brightening, which helps support aging skin.

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

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