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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 two esteemed skincare brands offering comprehensive ranges of moisturizers, serums, eye products, and cleansers. The American brand founded in 1946 relies on hyaluronic acid and glycerin, while the latter warmly pairs niacinamide and glycerin to support various skin needs. Both suit acne-prone skin and mature skin best, though they differ through their distinct formulations and standout targeted solutions.

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

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Estée Lauder vs Olay routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Estée Lauder vs Olay routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Estée Lauder or Olay: which is better?

Olay has a High fit level for dry skin, whereas Estée Lauder's routine fit for dry skin is Average. Olay's products on this page feature ingredients like niacinamide, which helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

What is the difference between Estée Lauder and Olay?

Estée Lauder provides deep hydration and gentle cleansing, while Olay offers better texture smoothing, brightening, and fragrance-free options among the products on this page. Lovi rates Olay as having a Superior fit for sensitive, acne-prone, and mature skin, compared to a High fit for Estée Lauder in those categories.

Estée Lauder or Olay for dry skin?

Olay fits dry skin better than Estee Lauder, offering a High routine fit compared to Estee Lauders Average level. Olay provides intense hydration and helps improve skin texture and smoothness.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which cleanser is better?

Estée Lauder is better for gentle and non-drying cleansing among the products on this page. Reviewers note that Estée Lauder excels in providing gentle and non-drying cleansers.

Which is more affordable, Estée Lauder or Olay?

Olay may offer better affordability, as high price point is a mostly mentioned drawback for Estée Lauder on this page.

Which brand has more fragrance-free options?

Olay has more fragrance-free options, as 26 of the 27 products on this page list no fragrance compared to 12 of the 14 products on this page for Estée Lauder.

Estée Lauder or Olay for oily skin?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay offer a High routine fit for oily skin, making them equally suitable options on this page. Estée Lauder features key ingredients like hyaluronic acid to provide deep hydration, while Olay relies on options such as niacinamide and peptides.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Estée Lauder or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

Olay achieves a Superior fit for mature skin with moisturizers like Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream, whereas Estée Lauder achieves an Average fit for mature skin with Revitalizing Supreme+. Olay's formulas often feature niacinamide, which helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and control skin aging.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Estée Lauder or Olay for sensitive skin?

Olay has a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin, while Estée Lauder has a High routine fit. Reviewers note that Olay offers fragrance-free options, which helps reduce scent issues.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which sunscreen is better?

For sunscreen options, Estée Lauder provides DayWear Moisturizer, which has a Superior fit for dry sensitive skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, and mature skin, and a High fit for combination, acne-prone, dark spot, oily, and oily acne-prone skin on this page. Olay offers the Complete All Day Moisturizer SPF 15 and Regenerist Whip Face Moisturizer SPF 25 among the products on this page.

Estée Lauder or Olay for acne-prone skin?

Olay is better suited for acne-prone skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Estée Lauder's High fit level. Reviewers note that Olay frequently provides improved texture and smoothness, while key ingredients like niacinamide may help control skin aging and pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Estée Lauder or Olay for mature skin?

Olay fits mature skin better than Estee Lauder, as Olay achieves a Superior routine fit for this skin type while Estee Lauder reaches a High fit. Olay features key anti-aging ingredients like retinol and peptides that help reduce signs of aging.

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

Estée Lauder or Olay for dry sensitive skin?

Olay is a better choice than Estée Lauder for dry sensitive skin because the products on this page achieve a High Lovi fit level for this skin type, compared to Estée Lauder's Average fit. Olay helps provide intense hydration and improved texture with a lower risk of fragrance issues.

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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