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Clarins vs Olay

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

Clarins and Olay are two skincare brands offering thoughtful arrays of moisturizers, eye products, and serums. Clarins features nourishing shea and hydrating squalane to suit sensitive and dry sensitive skin best, while Olay relies on niacinamide and glycerin to suit dry and acne-prone skin best. The French brand founded in 1954 and owned by Famille C delivers luxurious formulations like the Double Serum Light Texture, Extra-Firming Day Cream, and Super Restorative Night Cream. Meanwhile, its counterpart offers standout treatments such as the Super Eyes Daily Eye Serum, Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream, and Brightening Eye Cream. Both brands differ in their specific formulations and exact targeted skin types, yet each provides dedicated solutions for dark spots, aging, and hydration.

Clarins is a French skincare brand founded in 1954 and owned by Famille C (Groupe Clarins).

groupeclarins.comen.wikipedia.orghappi.com

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

Popular Clarins vs Olay products

People Say

ClarinsOlay
  • Luxurious and lightweight texture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs immediately — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “sinks in immediately — Clarins Double Serum Light Texture”
    • “absorbs quickly — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “Absorbs so quickly! — Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum”
  • Hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “keeps skin moist — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “light and smooth — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
  • Smooth and soft skin texture Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Skin feels like silk — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “hydrates the skin — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “makes skin silky smooth — Clarins Hydrating Toning Lotion”
  • Radiance and glow Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin looks brighter immediately — Clarins Cryo-Flash Cream-Mask”
    • “Gives off the most stunning natural radiance I've ever come across. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
    • “hides dark shadows — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
  • Good makeup base and primer Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
    • “Perfect primer for any foundation, which all glide on smoothly. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
    • “concealer sits better — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “absorbs instantly — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
  • Anti-aging and firming results Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “neck feels smoother — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
    • “visibly tighter, lifted skin — Clarins Super Restorative Night Cream”
    • “plumped my fine lines — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “Helps my skin and eye wrinkles — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
  • High price point Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “expensive for drugstore — Olay Super Serum”
    • “expensive — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “way too expensive — Clarins Double Serum”
  • Strong fragrance and scent sensitivity Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Fragrance can be an irritant — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “floral scent — Olay Super Serum”
    • “too perfumey — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “smells like perfume — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
  • Packaging and design issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “dispenses too much product — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
    • “dispenses too much — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “hard to dispense — Olay Super Serum”
    • “dropper is frustrating — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”

Clarins vs Olay routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Clarins vs Olay routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Clarins vs Olay routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

Clarins or Olay: which is better?

Olay achieves a Superior routine fit for dry skin compared to an Average fit for Clarins. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

What is the difference between Clarins and Olay?

Olay achieves a Superior routine fit for dry, sensitive, acne-prone, mature skin, and skin with dark spots, whereas Clarins reaches High or Average fits for those same skin types. Additionally, almost all Olay products on this page are fragrance-free, while nearly all Clarins products contain fragrance.

Clarins or Olay for dry skin?

Olay has a Superior routine fit for dry skin, whereas Clarins has an Average routine fit. Reviewers often mention intense hydration for Olay products, while Clarins products on this page frequently feature strong fragrance.

Clarins or Olay: which cleanser is better?

Olay is generally better for cleansers on this page because its cleansing products achieve higher Lovi fit levels across more skin types compared to Clarins. Olay cleansers feature key ingredients like glycerin and niacinamide that help improve skin texture and moisture. Topical niacinamide also helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Which is more affordable, Clarins or Olay?

Olay is more affordable, as reviewers often mention Clarins has a high price point while noting high price as a negative point for Olay.

Clarins or Olay: which brand has more fragrance-free products?

Olay has more fragrance-free products on this page than Clarins, as 26 of its 27 products list no fragrance compared to only 1 of 24 Clarins products.

Clarins or Olay: which is better for anti-aging and firming results?

Clarins is better for anti-aging and firming results. The products on this page help improve skin quality and signs of aging with ingredients like hyaluronic acid.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Drug Delivery, 2017

Clarins or Olay for oily skin?

Olay has a High fit level for oily skin, whereas Clarins has an Average fit level.

Clarins or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

Olay achieves a Superior routine fit for dry skin, whereas Clarins achieves an Average fit. Olay contains niacinamide, which helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Clarins or Olay for sensitive skin?

Olay has a Superior fit level for sensitive skin, whereas Clarins has a High fit level. Furthermore, Olay offers significantly more fragrance-free options across the products on this page compared to Clarins.

Clarins or Olay for acne-prone skin?

Olay fits acne-prone skin better than Clarins, as Lovi rates Olay as Superior for this skin type while rating Clarins as Average. Olay features key ingredients like niacinamide and retinol that help manage blemishes and improve skin quality.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Clarins or Olay for mature skin?

Olay is a better fit for mature skin, offering a Superior routine level compared to Clarins's High level. Both brands feature anti-aging moisturizers with ingredients like retinol and hyaluronic acid that help reduce signs of skin aging.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Dermatologic 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.

  • 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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