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Olay vs Elemis

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

Olay and Elemis are accessible daily skin regimens tailored to distinct complexions and preferences. The former is warmly loved for thoughtfully formulated moisturizers, eye products, serums, cleansers, and more enriched with nourishing niacinamide and glycerin, suiting sensitive and acne-prone skin best. Meanwhile, the British skincare brand founded in 1989 is celebrated for curated formulations spanning nourishing serums, rich moisturizers, gentle cleansers, and refining toners that weave together glycerin and shea, suiting dry and mature skin best thanks to their deeply restorative qualities. Ultimately, both lines differ in their foundational ingredients and target skin types, offering specialized solutions for various beauty goals.

Elemis is a British skincare brand founded in 1989 and owned by L'Occitane Group since 2019.

elemis.comau.elemis.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular Olay vs Elemis products

People Say

OlayElemis
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “Skin feels like silk — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Luxurious and Lightweight Texture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs quickly — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “Absorbs almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “whipped silk feel — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
  • Skin Texture and Smoothing Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Absorbs so quickly! — Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum”
    • “velvety soft skin — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
  • Fragrance-Free and Gentle Formulas Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “tiny beads aren't harsh — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
    • “doesn't strip my skin — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
    • “No irritation at all — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “no stinging or redness — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
  • Fast Absorption and Radiance Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
    • “healthy glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “instantly fresh glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
  • Pleasant Scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like a spa — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “smells like a holiday — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “smells like a tropical cocktail — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “smells amazing — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
  • Price Point Issues Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive for drugstore — Olay Super Serum”
    • “expensive — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “small quantity (0.5 oz) — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Strong or Unpleasant Fragrance Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Fragrance can be an irritant — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “floral scent — Olay Super Serum”
    • “smells like plastic — Olay Retinol24”
    • “The smell is very strong... could not handle for long. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Packaging Concerns Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “jar looks half empty — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “tube feels half empty — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “pump broke quickly — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “hard to dispense — Olay Super Serum”

Olay vs Elemis routines for dry skin

Buy Elemis routine · $557.99 · 88% fitBuy Olay routine · $154.40 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Olay vs Elemis routines for oily skin

Buy Olay routine · $296.19 · 84% fitBuy Elemis routine · $535.50 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Olay vs Elemis routines for combination skin

Buy Olay routine · $286.61 · 83% fitBuy Elemis routine · $524.50 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Olay or Elemis: which is better?

Both Olay and Elemis offer products on this page that provide high routine fit across all skin types. Olay tends to be better for fragrance-free options and skin texture, whereas Elemis offers luxurious textures.

What is the difference between Olay and Elemis?

Olay and Elemis both offer high routine fit levels across all skin types, but Olay stands out for having mostly fragrance-free options and doing better on skin texture and smoothing, while Elemis is noted for its luxurious textures and pleasant scents at a higher price point. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer, contributing to Olay's benefits for skin with dark spots.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Olay or Elemis for dry skin?

Both Olay and Elemis offer products on this page that are a High fit for dry skin, giving you deeply hydrating choices. Olay focuses on fragrance-free options with ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid that help retain moisture and improve skin texture. Elemis provides richer, luxurious textures featuring ingredients like glycerin and shea butter that help soothe dry skin.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Drug Delivery, 2017

Olay or Elemis: which cleanser is better?

Olay is better for sensitive and fragrance-free cleansing since nearly all of its products on this page are fragrance-free, whereas most Elemis cleansers contain added fragrance. Reviewers note that Olay delivers better skin texture and smoothing benefits.

Which is more affordable, Olay or Elemis?

Olay does better on price point issues than Elemis, making Olay the more affordable option among the products on this page.

Between Olay and Elemis, which brand offers more fragrance-free options?

Olay offers far more fragrance-free options, as nearly every product on its page lists no fragrance, whereas most Elemis products contain added scent.

How do the founding years and corporate ownership of Olay and Elemis compare?

Olay was founded in 1952 and has been owned by The Procter & Gamble Company since 1985, while Elemis was founded in 1989 and is owned by the L'Occitane Group since 2019.

Which brand performs better for improving skin texture and smoothing according to review themes?

Olay performs better for improving skin texture and smoothing. Review themes show that Olay excels in providing smoother skin texture compared to Elemis.

Olay or Elemis for oily skin?

Both Olay and Elemis offer products that fit oily skin well, as the routine fit for oily skin is High for both brands on this page. Olay may appeal more if you prefer fragrance-free options, since 26 of 27 products on this page list no fragrance.

Olay or Elemis: which moisturizer is better?

Both Olay and Elemis offer moisturizers with a High routine fit for dry skin. Olay features fragrance-free options with ingredients like niacinamide that help reduce pigmentation, whereas Elemis includes luxurious scented formulas.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Olay or Elemis for sensitive skin?

Both Olay and Elemis offer products with a High routine fit for sensitive skin. Reviewers note that Olay does better for fragrance-free and gentle formulas, as 26 of the 27 products on this page list no fragrance.

Olay or Elemis for acne-prone skin?

Both Olay and Elemis have many products that fit acne-prone skin well, with Olay standing out for offering more fragrance-free options across the products on this page. Niacinamide in Olay products may help control skin aging and pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

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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