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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 two distinct skincare lines offering rich selections of moisturizers, serums, and cleansers. The first brand is widely loved for its niacinamide and glycerin formulations that suit sensitive and mature skin best, while the British brand is celebrated for its glycerin and shea offerings designed for mature and dry skin. Through targeted products like the Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream and the Pro-Collagen Tri-Acid Peel, both labels address specific concerns such as dark spots. Ultimately, they differ in their core ingredients and heritage, as niacinamide targets wrinkles and pigmentation while shea butter reduces inflammation.

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

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Olay vs Elemis routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Olay vs Elemis routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Olay or Elemis: which is better?

Olay is better for fragrance-free options and gentler formulas, whereas Elemis offers a more pleasant scent. Niacinamide helps reduce pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer, which is a key ingredient featured across the products on this page.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

What is the difference between Olay and Elemis?

Olay and Elemis both offer high-performing routines across most skin types, but Olay provides superior fit for sensitive and mature skin. Olay also features a significantly higher proportion of fragrance-free options among the products on this page compared to Elemis.

Olay or Elemis for dry skin?

Both Olay and Elemis fit dry skin well, offering high routine fit levels. Olay is fragrance-free across almost all the products on this page and relies on key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Olay or Elemis: which cleanser is better?

Olay is better for sensitive skin since the products on this page are mostly fragrance-free, unlike Elemis.

Which is more affordable, Olay or Elemis?

Olay is more affordable than Elemis, as high price point issues are frequently noted by reviewers of Elemis while Olay does better on price point. The products on this page for Olay offer budget-friendly options compared to the higher-end positioning of Elemis.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Olay or Elemis?

Olay has significantly more fragrance-free products, as 26 of its 27 products on this page list no fragrance compared to only 4 of the 22 Elemis products.

Olay or Elemis for oily skin?

Both Olay and Elemis fit oily skin at a High routine level, meaning either brand is a solid choice. Reviewers report that Olay offers better fragrance-free and gentle formulas, whereas Elemis products feature a pleasant scent.

Olay or Elemis: which moisturizer is better?

Both Olay and Elemis offer great moisturizers, with Olay standing out for fragrance-free options and Elemis for luxurious textures. Olay features key ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid that help improve hydration and skin aging, while Elemis uses rich formulas like shea butter.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Drug Delivery, 2017

Olay or Elemis for sensitive skin?

Olay is a better choice for sensitive skin, as Lovi rates its overall routine as Superior while Elemis is High. Olay is fragrance-free in nearly all the products on this page, which helps minimize irritation.

Olay or Elemis for acne-prone skin?

Both Olay and Elemis offer a High routine fit for acne-prone skin, with Olay standing out for providing more fragrance-free options across the products on this page.

Olay or Elemis for mature skin?

Olay is better for mature skin, as Lovi rates its fit as Superior while Elemis is High. Olay features a wider variety of fragrance-free products containing ingredients like niacinamide and peptides, which help improve skin texture and smooth out aging signs.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Olay or Elemis for skin with dark spots?

Olay is a better fit for skin with dark spots, achieving a Superior rating for Lovi routines compared to Elemis at High. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous 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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