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Anua vs Olay

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

Anua and Olay are two skincare lines offering moisturizers, toners, serums, cleansers, and more. Founded in 2019, the Korean brand Anua uses hyaluronic acid, heartleaf, and niacinamide to suit oily acne-prone skin and dry skin best, while Olay is warmly loved for its thoughtfully formulated products enriched with niacinamide and glycerin that suit sensitive skin and acne-prone skin best. The brands differ in their key formulations and targeted benefits, with both utilizing niacinamide to address skin aging and pigmentation.

Anua is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2019 and owned by The Founders Inc..

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

Popular Anua vs Olay products

People Say

AnuaOlay
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Skin feels super smooth — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “melts into skin — Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream”
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “complexion feels so plump — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
    • “leaves skin plump — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “light and smooth — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
  • Gentle Formula and Soothing Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Calms my redness instantly — Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner”
    • “calmed my red spots — Anua Heartleaf 77% Clear Pad”
    • “No irritation at all — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “smells amazing — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
  • Brightening and Glow Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Significant reduction in hyperpigmentation from acne scarring. — Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum”
    • “glass-like glow — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
    • “Gives a nice healthy glow — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
  • Cleansing and Exfoliation Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Dissolved my sebaceous filaments immediately — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
    • “leaves my face soft, smooth, and fresh without dryness — Anua Rice Enzyme Brightening Cleansing Powder”
    • “effectively removes sebum — Anua Heartleaf Quercetin Pore Deep Cleansing Foam”
    • “tiny beads aren't harsh — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
  • Makeup Compatibility Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “absorbs instantly — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “acts as primer — Olay Super Serum”
    • “concealer sits better — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “Melted my waterproof mascara — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
  • Slow or Subtle Results Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner”
    • “not instant fix — Anua NANO RETINOL™ 0.3% + NIACIN RENEWING SERUM”
    • “no visible difference — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “no difference — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
  • Sticky or Greasy Residue Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Wake up feeling a bit greasy — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “cakes up all over — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “feels like a coating — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
    • “Left such a gross tacky finish that refused to dry. — Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum”

Anua vs Olay routines for dry skin

Buy Anua routine · $147.85 · 85% fitBuy Olay routine · $154.40 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Anua vs Olay routines for oily skin

Buy Olay routine · $296.19 · 84% fitBuy Anua routine · $215.75 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Anua vs Olay routines for combination skin

Buy Anua routine · $190.75 · 83% fitBuy Olay routine · $286.61 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Anua or Olay: which is better?

Both Anua and Olay offer products on this page that perform well, but Anua tends to do better for brightening, glow, cleansing, and exfoliation, while Olay stands out for makeup compatibility. Niacinamide, which is featured in both brands, helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

What is the difference between Anua and Olay?

Anua is a South Korean brand founded in 2019 that features fragrance-free formulas with key ingredients like heartleaf and niacinamide, while Olay is a legacy brand founded in 1952 offering a wider range of products with peptide and retinol options. Reviewers note that Anua does better for brightening and glowing effects, whereas Olay excels in makeup compatibility.

Anua or Olay for dry skin?

Both Anua and Olay are a High fit for dry skin on the products on this page. Anua features hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which helps boost moisture and supports skin quality.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Anua or Olay: which cleanser is better?

Anua does better for cleansing and exfoliation among the products on this page compared to Olay. Anua features cleansers that are fragrance-free, while Olay includes options that may cause irritation or have scent issues.

Which is more affordable, Anua or Olay?

The products on this page do not list pricing information, so it is not possible to determine whether Anua or Olay is more affordable.

Anua or Olay: which brand is better for brightening and glow?

Anua does better for brightening and glow among the products on this page. Niacinamide helps reduce pigmentation and brightens skin.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Do Anua and Olay products contain fragrance?

Every product on the Anua page lists no fragrance in its ingredients. For Olay, 26 of the 27 products on this page list no fragrance, while the Oil Minimizing Clean Toner is formulated with fragrance.

Anua or Olay: which brand performs better for cleansing and exfoliation?

Anua performs better for cleansing and exfoliation on the products on this page. Reviewers note that Anua excels in this category, offering a range of cleansing oils, foams, and exfoliating toners tailored for various skin types.

Anua or Olay for oily skin?

Both Anua and Olay fit oily skin well, as the products on this page achieve a High routine fit for this skin type. Anua leans on fragrance-free formulas with key ingredients like niacinamide and heartleaf to help control oil, while Olay offers lightweight options featuring peptides and niacinamide that are unlikely to feel heavy.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Anua or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

Both Anua and Olay offer moisturizers with a High routine fit for dry skin, oily skin, and other skin types on this page. Reviewers report that Anua provides soothing and barrier support in its moisturizers, while Olay is known for intense hydration and a lightweight feel.

Anua or Olay for sensitive skin?

Both Anua and Olay are great choices for sensitive skin, with Lovi giving them both a High fit level for this skin type. Anua features gentle, fragrance-free formulas across all the products on this page, while Olay provides options with soothing ingredients like niacinamide and glycerin to help keep skin calm.

Anua or Olay: which sunscreen is better?

Anua offers the Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream, which has a High fit level for combination, sensitive, dry sensitive, oily, skin with dark spots, oily acne-prone, dry, and mature skin, and an Average fit for acne-prone skin on this page. Olay offers options like the Regenerist Whip Face Moisturizer SPF 25 and Complete All Day Moisturizer SPF 15, with the latter showing lower fit levels for several skin types on this page.

Anua or Olay for acne-prone skin?

Both Anua and Olay fit acne-prone skin at a High level on this page. Reviewers report that Anua helps with brightening and gentle cleansing, while Olay is noted for intense hydration and texture improvement.

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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