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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 brands offering thoughtful moisturizers, serums, eye products, cleansers, and more. The former is beloved for formulations featuring hyaluronic acid and glycerin that suit mature and sensitive skin best, while Olay pairs niacinamide and glycerin to support acne-prone and mature skin. These distinct compositions allow the first brand to address complex aging and sensitivity needs with gentle nourishment, whereas both provide targeted options for concerns like dark spots and uneven tone.

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

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Estée Lauder vs Olay routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Estée Lauder vs Olay routines for combination skin

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Questions and answers

Estée Lauder or Olay: which is better?

Both brands offer solid options, but Estée Lauder excels in deep hydration while Olay typically delivers better texture smoothing and brightening. Reviewers note that Estée Lauder provides gentle, non-drying cleansers, whereas Olay often features more budget-friendly pricing and fragrance-free choices.

What is the difference between Estée Lauder and Olay?

Both brands offer solid routines for most skin types, but Estée Lauder delivers deeper hydration while Olay excels at smoothing texture and brightening. Reviewers note that Estée Lauder has a higher price point, whereas Olay tends to receive more fragrance complaints.

Estée Lauder or Olay for dry skin?

Olay has a High routine fit for dry skin, whereas the products on this page for Estée Lauder have an Average routine fit. Reviewers often mention Olay for intense hydration and improved texture, while Estée Lauder is noted for deep hydration.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which cleanser is better?

Estée Lauder offers better cleansers on this page, as reviewers note they are gentle and non-drying. Olay cleansers have mixed reviews and receive lower fit levels for several skin types.

Which is more affordable, Estée Lauder or Olay?

Olay is more affordable, whereas a high price point is mostly mentioned as a downside for Estée Lauder.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which brand is better for mature skin?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay offer high routine fit levels for mature skin, with products on this page utilizing key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and peptides to help improve skin quality. Reviewers note that Estée Lauder provides deep hydration, while Olay is often recognized for texture smoothing and brightening.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2005

Estée Lauder or Olay: which offers more fragrance-free product options?

Olay offers more fragrance-free product options, as 26 of the 27 products on its page list no fragrance. In comparison, Estée Lauder features 12 fragrance-free options out of the 14 products on its page.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which brand is better for reducing dark spots?

Olay is better for reducing dark spots, as the products on this page achieve a High fit level for this skin concern compared to Estée Lauder's Average level. Olay features key brightening ingredients like niacinamide, which may help reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Estée Lauder or Olay for oily skin?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay offer a High routine fit for oily skin based on the products on this page. Estée Lauder features 12 out of 14 fragrance-free products on this page, while Olay features 26 out of 27 fragrance-free products on this page.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay offer effective moisturizers, with Estée Lauder focusing on deep hydration while Olay is often noted for texture smoothing and brightening. The products on this page from both brands feature ingredients like hyaluronic acid which helps support skin quality and moisture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Estée Lauder or Olay for sensitive skin?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay offer great options for sensitive skin, as Lovi rates both brands with a High routine fit level for this skin type. Reviewers note that Estée Lauder provides gentle and non-drying cleansers with 12 out of 14 products on this page listing no fragrance, while Olay features lightweight formulas with 26 out of 27 products listing no fragrance.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which sunscreen is better?

For sunscreens, Estée Lauder's DayWear Moisturizer achieves a Superior Lovi fit level for dry sensitive skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, and mature skin, while Olay offers fewer sunscreen choices on this page with lower fit levels. Estée Lauder's products on this page often feature hyaluronic acid and glycerin to help provide deep hydration.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Estée Lauder or Olay for acne-prone skin?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay offer products on this page that fit acne-prone skin well, with both brands achieving a high routine fit level for this skin type. Reviewers note that Estée Lauder provides gentle and non-drying cleansers, while Olay is often noted for delivering improved texture and smoothness.

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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