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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 known for thoughtful moisturizers, serums, and cleansers that address diverse complex needs. The first brand pairs niacinamide and glycerin to suit acne-prone and mature skin, while the latter anchors its nourishing formulas in glycerin and shea to best support dry and mature skin. Choosing between them depends on whether one prefers niacinamide for wrinkles and pigmentation or shea for restoring suppleness and reducing 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 · 98% fit

Olay vs Elemis routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% 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 sensitive, acne-prone, and mature skin, where Lovi rates its routines as Superior compared to High for Elemis. Olay also tends to offer more fragrance-free options across the products on this page, whereas Elemis has a higher price point.

What is the difference between Olay and Elemis?

Olay tends to fit sensitive and acne-prone skin better and offers more fragrance-free options, whereas Elemis focuses more on luxurious, highly fragranced formulations at a higher price point. Both brands perform similarly well for general hydration and smoothing across the products on this page.

Olay or Elemis for dry skin?

Both Olay and Elemis work well for dry skin, as the products on this page provide a High fit for this skin type.

Olay or Elemis: which cleanser is better?

Olay is better for sensitive skin, as its cleansers tend to be gentler and nearly all products on this page are fragrance-free, unlike Elemis.

Which is more affordable, Olay or Elemis?

Olay is more affordable, whereas Elemis has higher price point issues.

Between Olay and Elemis, which brand offers more fragrance-free skincare options?

Olay offers far more fragrance-free options, as almost all the products on this page list no fragrance compared to only a few from Elemis.

How do the founding years and corporate ownership of Olay and Elemis compare?

Olay was founded in 1952 and has been owned by The Procter & Gamble Company since 1985, while Elemis was founded in 1989 and is owned by the L'Occitane Group since 2019.

Which brand performs better when it comes to skin texture and smoothing according to reviewers?

Olay performs better when it comes to skin texture and smoothing according to reviewers.

Olay or Elemis for oily skin?

Both Olay and Elemis fit oily skin at a High routine level, meaning either brand helps provide a solid daily regimen for this skin type.

Olay or Elemis: which moisturizer is better?

Olay offers better moisturizer choices for sensitive and acne-prone skin, while both brands deliver high routine fit levels for dry skin. For example, Olay's Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream achieves a Superior fit for dry skin, whereas Elemis's Pro-Collagen Marine Cream reaches a High fit.

Olay or Elemis for sensitive skin?

Olay is a better choice for sensitive skin, as Lovi rates its fit as Superior while Elemis is High. Olay is also more likely to offer fragrance-free options across the products on this page.

Olay or Elemis for acne-prone skin?

Olay is better suited for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine fit as Superior compared to High for Elemis. Reviewers note that Olay offers more fragrance-free options and gentler formulas for sensitive skin.

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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