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Olay vs Shiseido

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

Olay and Shiseido are renowned skincare brands offering rich portfolios of moisturizers, cleansers, serums, and more, all formulated with key ingredients like glycerin and niacinamide. Both suit sensitive skin and mature skin best through gentle, nourishing daily care. While the American brand features standout solutions such as the Super Eyes Daily Eye Serum for acne-prone skin, the Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream for dark spots, and the Brightening Eye Cream, the historic Japanese house provides options like the Treatment Softener, the Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Day Cream, and the Essential Energy Hydrating Cream. Ultimately, they differ in their heritage and specific active components, with Olay centering its proven anti-aging benefits around niacinamide and glycerin, and Shiseido focusing its meticulous formulations on hydration.

Shiseido is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1872 and owned by Shiseido Company, Limited.

corp.shiseido.comen.wikipedia.orgmarketscreener.com

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

Popular Olay vs Shiseido products

People Say

OlayShiseido
  • Texture and absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “light and smooth — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “silky smooth, rich but non-greasy, absorbs quickly, melts into skin — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Airy-soft texture — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
  • Deep hydration and moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Immediate sensation of comfort — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “skin feels plump, soft and nourished, eliminates dryness, bouncy feel — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Skin feels more hydrated — Shiseido Activating Essence”
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
  • Anti-aging and skin smoothing Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Skin feels like silk — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “hydrates the skin — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “Smoothed out crow's feet — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Radiance and brightening Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
    • “hides dark shadows — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “Skin looks brighter, more radiant, and "glowy." — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “faded pimple marks — Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Gel Cream”
  • Fragrance-free and gentle formula Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “No irritation at all — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “no scent — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “love that it's fragrance-free — Olay Retinol24”
    • “No irritation — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
  • Pleasant scent Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Pleasant floral fragrance, relaxing, luxurious smell. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “spa-like scent, high-quality packaging, little goes a long way — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Fresh floral scent — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
    • “smells amazing — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
  • High price point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive for drugstore — Olay Super Serum”
    • “Very expensive for the size — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Strong fragrance and scent issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Fragrance can be an irritant — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “floral scent — Olay Super Serum”
    • “smells like plastic — Olay Retinol24”
    • “old lady smell — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
  • Packaging concerns and flaws Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “heavy to travel — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
    • “Heavy bottle but plastic pump, cannot see remaining product, straw too short to get last drops. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “heavy jar, waste of plastic, faulty pump (on dispenser versions) — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “hard to dispense — Olay Super Serum”

Olay vs Shiseido routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Olay vs Shiseido routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Olay vs Shiseido routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Olay or Shiseido: which is better?

Olay is generally better for shoppers seeking fragrance-free options and anti-aging benefits, while Shiseido excels in providing deep hydration and luxurious textures. For sensitive or mature skin, Lovi rates Olay as Superior and Shiseido as High. Olay is also less expensive, though reviewers note some packaging concerns.

What is the difference between Olay and Shiseido?

Olay offers better fragrance-free options and superior anti-aging results, while Shiseido provides more luxurious textures and deep hydration.

Olay or Shiseido for dry skin?

Olay is a better choice for dry skin, achieving a high routine fit compared to Shiseido's average routine fit. Reviewers note that Olay products on this page provide intense hydration while remaining fragrance-free in nearly all formulas, which helps prevent irritation for dry skin types.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Olay or Shiseido: which cleanser is better?

Olay offers better cleansers on this page, as its Regenerating Cream Cleanser achieves a High fit for acne-prone, oily, and mature skin. Shiseido's cleansers tend to show lower fits for sensitive and dry skin types.

Which is more affordable, Olay or Shiseido?

Olay is more affordable, as reviewers often mention Shiseido has a high price point. Review themes also note the high price point as a negative aspect for Olay.

Olay or Shiseido: which brand offers more fragrance-free options?

Olay offers more fragrance-free options, as nearly all the products on this page list no fragrance compared to Shiseido where most products contain added fragrance.

Olay or Shiseido: which is better for mature skin and anti-aging?

Olay is better for mature skin and anti-aging, as Lovi rates its routine fit as Superior compared to Shiseido's High fit. Reviewers also note that Olay does better for anti-aging and skin smoothing, and almost all of its products are fragrance-free.

Olay or Shiseido: which brand is better for deep hydration?

Shiseido does better than Olay for deep hydration, offering luxurious textures and mostly mentioned deep hydration across its products on this page. Hyaluronic acid helps both brands provide moisture, though Shiseido stands out for its rich hydration formulas.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Olay or Shiseido for oily skin?

Both Olay and Shiseido offer a high routine fit for oily skin. The products on this page help provide effective care for this skin type without being too heavy.

Olay or Shiseido: which moisturizer is better?

Olay offers better anti-aging and skin-smoothing benefits for its moisturizers, while Shiseido provides a more luxurious texture and deep hydration. Olay also tends to be gentler with mostly fragrance-free products on this page, whereas Shiseido frequently includes fragrance.

Olay or Shiseido for sensitive skin?

Olay is the better choice for sensitive skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to Shiseido's High fit level. Additionally, Olay offers more fragrance-free options across the products on this page.

Olay or Shiseido: which sunscreen is better?

Olay is a better choice for sunscreens on this page, as its Regenerist Whip Face Moisturizer SPF 25 achieves a High fit level for dry skin, sensitive skin, and mature skin. Shiseido features sunscreens with wider variations in fit, including a Warning level for dry skin on its Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion.

Olay or Shiseido for acne-prone skin?

Both Olay and Shiseido fit acne-prone skin well, as the products on this page provide a High fit level for this skin type. Olay offers a wider variety of fragrance-free options across its range, which helps minimize potential irritation.

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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