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Neutrogena vs Olay

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

Neutrogena and Olay are two widely loved American skincare brands that offer thoughtful arrays of moisturizers, cleansers, and serums formulated with trusted ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, dimethicone, and niacinamide. Neutrogena suits dry skin and mature skin best, relying on moisture-binding and barrier-supporting components, while the other brand suits sensitive skin and mature skin best through its gentle and nourishing elements. The two brands differ in their core formulations, as the first brand emphasizes hyaluronic acid and dimethicone for targeted hydration and barrier protection, whereas Olay focuses on niacinamide to address wrinkles, pigmentation, and skin aging.

Neutrogena is an American skincare brand founded in 1930 and owned by Kimberly-Clark Corporation since 2026.

investor.kimberly-clark.comen.wikipedia.orginvestors.kenvue.com

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

Popular Neutrogena vs Olay products

People Say

NeutrogenaOlay
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Skin looked plumper and radiant — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “It also hydrates my skin. This cream has been so easy to add to my routine. — Neutrogena Retinol Regenerating Cream”
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “light and smooth — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
  • Lightweight and Fast-Absorbing Texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “absorbs quickly — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “Absorbs so quickly! — Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum”
    • “Absorbs instantly without sticky residue — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
  • Fragrance-Free and Gentle Formulas Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “leaves skin soft and balanced — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “love that it has no scent — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “doesn't strip my skin — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
    • “No irritation at all — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
  • Anti-Aging and Skin Texture Sometimes NotedMostly 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 is looking smoother — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
  • Radiance, Brightening, and Tone Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
    • “hides dark shadows — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “skin looks brighter — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “Gave me a glass-skin glow — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Base Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Foundation glides right over it — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Concealer doesn't cake or get stuck in crevices — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream”
    • “absorbs instantly — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “acts as primer — Olay Super Serum”
  • Packaging and Value Concerns Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Jar is too small for the price — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Runs out quickly — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “hard to dispense — Olay Super Serum”
    • “expensive — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
  • Ineffective or Slow Results Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Eye holes are too small — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”
    • “Not moisturizing enough for winter months — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “no visible difference — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “no difference — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
  • Texture Flaws and Pilling Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “leaves greasy film — Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover”
    • “leaves a purple/blue tint — Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen”
    • “Wake up feeling a bit greasy — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “cakes up all over — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”

Neutrogena vs Olay routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Neutrogena vs Olay routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Neutrogena vs Olay routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Neutrogena or Olay: which is better?

Olay is better for anti-aging and skin texture, as well as for sensitive skin and mature skin where it achieves a Superior fit level on this page. Both brands offer equal routine fits for dry, oily, combination, acne-prone, and dark spot skin types. Additionally, topical retinol helps improve naturally aged skin.

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

What is the difference between Neutrogena and Olay?

Olay achieves Superior fit levels for sensitive and mature skin, whereas Neutrogena reaches High levels for those skin types. Reviewers find that Olay does better for lightweight and fast-absorbing texture, anti-aging and skin texture, and radiance, brightening, and tone.

Neutrogena or Olay for dry skin?

Both Neutrogena and Olay offer a High routine fit for dry skin with their products on this page. Hyaluronic acid helps provide deep hydration, while retinol is shown to stimulate collagen accumulation in aged skin.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Archives of Dermatology, 2007

Neutrogena or Olay: which cleanser is better?

Neutrogena is a better choice for cleansers because the products on this page feature multiple top-tier options with a Superior fit level for sensitive, mature, acne-prone, and combination skin types. Olay cleansers also fit well across similar skin types, but Neutrogena provides more targeted cleansers that help manage acne and oil effectively.

Which is more affordable, Neutrogena or Olay?

This page does not compare prices, so it cannot be determined whether Neutrogena or Olay is more affordable.

Neutrogena or Olay: which brand is better for mature skin?

Olay is better for mature skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Neutrogena's High fit. Reviewers note that Olay does better for anti-aging and skin texture, and key ingredients like retinol help stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Neutrogena or Olay: which brand offers better anti-aging and skin texture results?

Olay offers better anti-aging and skin texture results compared to Neutrogena. The products on this page for Olay feature key anti-aging ingredients like retinol and peptides that help improve skin texture and reduce signs of aging, backed by clinical studies on similar ingredients.

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

Neutrogena or Olay for oily skin?

Both Neutrogena and Olay are a High fit for oily skin. The products on this page help provide a lightweight feel and intense hydration, and retinol may help stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

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

Neutrogena or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

Olay does better for anti-aging and skin texture when compared to Neutrogena. Hyaluronic acid helps provide hydration for moisturizers on this page.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Neutrogena or Olay: which brand is better for dry sensitive skin?

Olay is better for dry sensitive skin because the products on this page offer a High fit level, compared to Neutrogena which only reaches an Average fit.

Neutrogena or Olay for sensitive skin?

Olay achieves a Superior fit level for sensitive skin, while Neutrogena achieves a High fit level. Both brands offer mostly fragrance-free products on this page.

Neutrogena or Olay: which sunscreen is better?

Neutrogena and Olay both offer sunscreens on this page, but Neutrogena features options with a Superior fit for specific skin types, such as Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen and Clear Face Liquid Lotion Sunscreen. Olay's sunscreens, like Regenerist Whip Face Moisturizer SPF 25, achieve a High fit level for various skin needs.

Neutrogena or Olay for acne-prone skin?

Both Neutrogena and Olay are a High fit for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Neutrogena features key ingredients like salicylic acid to help clear pores, while Olay utilizes niacinamide, which may help improve skin texture and tone without clogging pores.

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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