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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 established skincare brands offering thoughtful arrays of moisturizers, serums, eye products, cleansers, and more. Estée Lauder uses hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, while the brand is known to suit mature skin and acne-prone skin best. Olay is formulated with nourishing niacinamide and glycerin, and its products suit mature skin and dry skin best. Both brands differ in their specific targeted care, with the former utilizing hyaluronic acid to lengthen the effect of botulinum toxin and the latter relying on niacinamide to improve wrinkles, pigmentation, and skin aging.

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

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Estée Lauder vs Olay routines for oily skin

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Estée Lauder vs Olay routines for combination skin

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Questions and answers

Estée Lauder or Olay: which is better?

Olay is generally better than Estée Lauder on this page, as Olay achieves superior fit levels across more skin types and excels in texture smoothing and brightening. Both brands offer products that help provide deep hydration, though Estée Lauder's items on this page lean more heavily on hyaluronic acid while Olay features niacinamide prominently.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

What is the difference between Estée Lauder and Olay?

Olay generally offers better routine fit and texture smoothing, whereas Estée Lauder stands out for deep hydration and gentle cleansing. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin moisture for both brands.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Estée Lauder or Olay for dry skin?

Olay is a better fit for dry skin than Estée Lauder, as Olay offers a Superior routine fit compared to Estée Lauder's Average fit for this skin type.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which cleanser is better?

Estée Lauder is better for cleansers on this page, as its cleanser range achieves a High fit level for acne-prone, oily acne-prone, mature, and combination skin types. Reviewers frequently note that Estée Lauder cleansers provide a gentle and non-drying experience.

Which is more affordable, Estée Lauder or Olay?

Reviewers note that high price points are a frequent concern for Estée Lauder, while Olay faces complaints about high prices and value concerns as well.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which brand has better anti-aging routines for mature skin?

Olay has a Superior routine fit for mature skin, whereas Estée Lauder has a High fit level for this skin type. Olay offers products like Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer and Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream, which help improve texture and target signs of aging.

Archives of Dermatology, 2007International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2005

Estée Lauder or Olay: which brand has better options for skin with dark spots?

Olay provides better options for skin with dark spots, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Estée Lauder's Average fit. Olay features key ingredients like niacinamide, which helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Estée Lauder or Olay: which brand offers better hydration for dry sensitive skin?

Estée Lauder offers deep hydration and moisture compared to Olay based on the review themes. For dry sensitive skin, Lovi rates Estée Lauder at a High fit level and Olay at a Superior fit level.

Estée Lauder or Olay for sensitive skin?

Olay is a Superior fit for sensitive skin on the products on this page, whereas Estée Lauder achieves a High fit level. Reviewers note that Olay offers fragrance-free options and intense hydration, which helps minimize irritation.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

Olay is better for moisturizers on this page, as Olay achieves a Superior fit level for dry skin while Estée Lauder reaches an Average fit level. Olay provides intense hydration and helps improve skin texture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2005

Estée Lauder or Olay for acne-prone skin?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay offer products on this page with a high Lovi fit for acne-prone skin. Reviewers note that Estée Lauder helps deliver deep hydration while maintaining gentle and non-drying cleansers, whereas Olay provides intense hydration and improved texture.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which sunscreen is better?

For sunscreens on this page, Estée Lauder DayWear Moisturizer provides a Superior fit for dry sensitive skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, and mature skin. Meanwhile, the Olay sunscreen options on this page provide an Average fit or lower for those skin types.

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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