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Olay vs Aēsop

Olay and Aēsop are two beloved skincare names that offer rich portfolios of moisturizers, cleansers, and serums. The first brand is known for nourishing niacinamide and glycerin that suit mature skin and dry skin best, while the second brand relies on botanical and scientifically validated ingredients tailored for balanced, combination, and sensitive skin. These ranges differ primarily in their core compositions, as both deliver targeted solutions for concerns like acne, dark spots, and aging through distinct approaches to barrier replenishment and overall skin health.

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

People Say

OlayAēsop
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “woke up with baby-soft skin — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
    • “Savior of my winter-fueled dry skin. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”
    • “delivers deep hydration that really fills your skin — Aēsop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Intense Serum”
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
  • Absorption and Lightweight Feel Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “light and smooth — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “absorbs quickly — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “absorbs incredibly fast — Aēsop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Intense Serum”
  • Skin Texture and Smoothing Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “skin feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Skin feels like silk — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “hydrates the skin — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
  • Citrus and Pleasant Scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells divine — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
    • “Soft herbal scent that feels fresh and floral. — Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser”
    • “smells amazing — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
  • Brightening and Even Skin Tone Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “hides dark shadows — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “skin looks brighter — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “skin looks brighter — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Skin appears to be brighter, more radiant. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”
  • Skin Rescue and Soothing Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “saved my skin — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
    • “Reduces inflammation overnight. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”
    • “my small blemishes noticeably diminished — Aēsop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Intense Serum”
  • Price Point and Value Concerns Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive for drugstore — Olay Super Serum”
    • “expensive — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “small quantity (0.5 oz) — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “quantity is too small — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
  • Packaging and Bottle Design Flaws Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “hard to dispense — Olay Super Serum”
    • “dropper is frustrating — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “The downside is the pump. — Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser”
    • “pipette means potential contamination — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
  • Sticky and Difficult Texture Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Thick, almost honey-like, and needs a moment to melt in. — Aēsop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel”
  • Fragrance and Scent Issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Fragrance can be an irritant — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “floral scent — Olay Super Serum”
    • “smells like carrots — Aēsop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment”
    • “Nasty smell... would not buy again. — Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser”

Questions and answers

Olay or Aēsop: which is better?

Olay is better for hydration and brightening, while Aēsop is preferred for deep hydration and non-greasy balancing moisturizers. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer, an area where Olay products on this page excel.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

What is the difference between Olay and Aēsop?

Olay tends to do better for skin texture, brightening, and absorption, whereas Aēsop stands out for deep hydration and refreshing scents. Olay offers a larger range of products focused on mature and dry skin, while Aēsop is noted for higher prices.

Olay or Aēsop: which cleanser is better?

Olay and Aēsop both offer cleansers, but Olay stands out with the Smoothing Daily Facial Cleanser and Regenerating Cream Cleanser achieving a High fit for acne-prone, oily, and mature skin. Aēsop offers the Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser, which has an Average fit across most skin types.

Which is more affordable, Olay or Aēsop?

Olay is more affordable, whereas Aēsop has frequent reviews noting a high price. Reviewers on this page indicate that Aēsop faces more price point and value concerns.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Olay or Aēsop?

Olay fits acne-prone skin better overall across the products on this page, whereas Aēsop has limited options for it. Niacinamide in Olay formulas helps balance skin and reduce blemishes.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Which brand offers better options for sensitive skin, Olay or Aēsop?

Olay offers better options for sensitive skin, with several products achieving a High Lovi fit level for sensitive skin, whereas Aēsop has a more mixed fit across its range.

How do the founding years and current parent companies of Olay and Aēsop compare?

Olay was founded in 1952 and is owned by The Procter and Gamble Company, whereas Aēsop was founded in 1987 and is owned by the L'Oréal Groupe.

Which brand has more products listed on the page containing fragrance, Olay or Aēsop?

Olay has more products listed on the page containing fragrance, with one product compared to none for Aăsop.

Olay or Aēsop: which moisturizer is better?

Olay is better for targeted moisturizing and anti-aging needs, with a High fit for dry skin in products like Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream, while Aēsop offers luxurious, non-greasy balancing moisturizers. Olay products on this page utilize key ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to help improve hydration and skin texture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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.

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.