🇨🇦Canada

Medik8 vs Olay

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

Medik8 and Olay are established skincare brands offering targeted serums, moisturizers, eye products, and cleansers. The British brand Medik8 centers on hyaluronic acid and suits dry and dry sensitive skin best, whereas Olay relies on niacinamide and glycerin to support sensitive and oily skin. Through their distinct formulations, both companies address specific concerns like dark spots, acne, and aging.

Medik8 is a British skincare brand founded in 2009 and owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2025.

loreal.commedik8.comtracxn.com

This page compares some of the most popular Medik8 and Olay products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Medik8 vs Olay products

People Say

Medik8Olay
  • Texture and Absorption Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Skin feels like silk — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “absorbed effortlessly — Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “light and smooth — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “hydrates the skin — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “Restores moisture — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
  • Gentle Formulation Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “zero irritation or peeling — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “only Vitamin C my sensitive skin can tolerate — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Best retinol replacement — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “doesn't strip my skin — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
  • Brightening and Glow Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “I wake up glowing. It adds back that youthful bloom that I've lost. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “unlocked a serious glow — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
    • “hides dark shadows — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
  • Skin Improvement and Clarity Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “smoother skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “skin feels firmer — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “tiny beads aren't harsh — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
  • Pleasant Experience and Scent Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “smells like a spa — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “smell is gorgeous — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “smells amazing — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “light fresh scent — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
  • Price and Value Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “expensive for drugstore — Olay Super Serum”
    • “expensive — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “Expensive per bottle — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
  • Packaging Issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Glass bottle breaks easily — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “hard to get last bit — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “click mechanism tricky — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “hard to dispense — Olay Super Serum”
  • Slow or Ineffective Results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Not as effective as retinol — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “no difference — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “no difference — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “minimal firming effect — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”

Medik8 vs Olay routines for dry skin

Buy Medik8 routine · CA$134.16 · 97% fitBuy Olay routine · CA$156.85 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Medik8 vs Olay routines for oily skin

Buy Medik8 routine · CA$386.00 · 88% fitBuy Olay routine · CA$298.41 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Medik8 vs Olay routines for combination skin

Buy Medik8 routine · CA$350.00 · 93% fitBuy Olay routine · CA$250.43 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Medik8 or Olay: which is better?

Medik8 is better for gentle formulations, skin improvement, and clarity, while Olay is better for texture, absorption, hydration, moisture, price, and value. For dry skin, Lovi finds Medik8 has a Superior fit and Olay has a High fit.

What is the difference between Medik8 and Olay?

Medik8 is generally praised for offering gentle, non-irritating serums and clear skin improvements, while Olay stands out for providing intense hydration and a lightweight feel at a better price point. For routine fit on the products on this page, Lovi rates Medik8 as Superior for dry skin, dry sensitive skin, combination skin, sensitive skin, and mature skin, whereas Olay achieves a High fit across those same skin types.

Medik8 or Olay for dry skin?

For dry skin, Medik8 is a great choice because the products on this page achieve a Superior routine fit. Hyaluronic acid helps provide deep hydration, and topical hyaluronic acid improves skin quality and signs of aging.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Medik8 or Olay: which cleanser is better?

Medik8 stands out for its cleanser on this page, as Surface Radiance Cleanse achieves a Superior fit for acne-prone skin, oily acne-prone skin, and skin with dark spots. Reviewers also note that Medik8 offers better skin improvement and clarity.

Which is more affordable, Medik8 or Olay?

Olay is more affordable, as high price points are often mentioned for Medik8 while Olay offers better value. Reviewers note that Olay is the superior option regarding price and value among the products on this page.

Medik8 or Olay: which has better packaging?

Medik8 is noted for having packaging issues, while Olay tends to have fewer reported concerns in this area. Shoppers looking to avoid container design flaws may find Olay products on this page more reliable.

Medik8 or Olay for dark spots?

Both brands perform well on dark spots, but Medik8 achieves a High Lovi fit level across the products on this page while offering specialized peptide and vitamin C treatments. Clinical studies show that key ingredients like niacinamide and vitamin C help brighten skin and reduce pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020

Medik8 or Olay for oily skin?

Medik8 and Olay both work well for oily skin, matching at a High Lovi fit level on the products on this page. Olay offers better texture and absorption, while Medik8 helps provide stronger skin improvement and clarity.

Medik8 or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

Medik8 stands out for moisturizers because the products on this page achieve superior or high fit levels for dry skin, dry sensitive skin, and mature skin. Reviewers note that the brand helps provide deep hydration and plumping with gentle formulations.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Medik8 or Olay for sensitive skin?

Medik8 is a better fit for sensitive skin, earning a Superior routine fit compared to Olay's High fit on the products on this page. Reviewers frequently note that Medik8 offers gentle and non-irritating serums.

Medik8 or Olay for acne-prone skin?

Both brands are a strong choice for acne-prone skin, with Olay and Medik8 offering a High routine fit on this page. Olay helps deliver intense hydration and smooth texture with ingredients like niacinamide, while Medik8 is often noted for gentle formulations and improved skin clarity.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Medik8 or Olay for mature skin?

For mature skin, Lovi rates Medik8 as Superior and Olay as High. Both brands help improve the look of aging skin, but Medik8 is often noted for giving clear, noticeable results while Olay offers intense hydration at a lower price.

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

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play