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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 their thoughtful arrays of moisturizers, serums, cleansers, and eye products. The former is beloved for formulations featuring niacinamide and glycerin that suit dry and acne-prone skin best, while the latter is a British brand founded in 1989 that harnesses glycerin and shea to suit mature and dry sensitive skin. Both brands differ in their specific standout offerings and target concerns, yet each uses proven ingredients to improve hydration, barrier function, and overall skin health.

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 · 95% fit

Olay vs Elemis routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

Olay or Elemis: which is better?

Olay is better on this page for fragrance-free options, smooth skin texture, and gentleness, while Elemis is noted more for pleasant scents. Olay uses ingredients like niacinamide to help reduce dark spots and retinol to stimulate collagen in aged skin.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

What is the difference between Olay and Elemis?

Olay stands out for fragrance-free options and lower price points, whereas Elemis is noted for pleasant scents but higher prices. Both brands provide good hydration, but Olay offers superior routine fits for sensitive, acne-prone, and mature skin compared to Elemis.

Olay or Elemis for dry skin?

Olay is a better fit for dry skin than Elemis, providing a Superior routine fit compared to Elemis's High fit. The products on this page for Olay often feature hydrating ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid, which helps improve skin moisture.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Olay or Elemis: which cleanser is better?

Olay stands out as a better choice for cleansers because the products on this page are mostly fragrance-free and gentler on the skin, whereas Elemis options often feature added fragrances.

Which is more affordable, Olay or Elemis?

Olay is more affordable than Elemis, as high price point issues are frequently mentioned by reviewers of Elemis products on this page.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Olay or Elemis?

Olay has significantly more fragrance-free products than Elemis on this page, as 26 of its 27 products list no fragrance compared to only 4 out of 22 for Elemis.

Olay or Elemis for oily skin?

Both Olay and Elemis are a High fit for oily skin. Olay offers products on this page that are fragrance-free, while Elemis may provide a pleasant scent.

Olay or Elemis: which moisturizer is better?

Olay offers a superior routine fit for dry skin compared to Elemis, which has a high fit. Olay moisturizers on this page feature key ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid that help hydrate the skin and manage aging.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Olay or Elemis for sensitive skin?

Olay is the better choice for sensitive skin, as Lovi rates its overall routine fit as Superior while Elemis is rated High. Additionally, the products on this page for Olay feature mostly fragrance-free formulas, which helps reduce the risk of irritation.

Olay or Elemis for acne-prone skin?

Olay is the better choice for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine fit as Superior compared to High for Elemis. The products on this page for Olay also offer fragrance-free options which may help sensitive acne-prone skin.

Olay or Elemis for mature skin?

Olay is a better choice for mature skin because Lovi rates its routine as Superior, while Elemis is rated High. Reviewers note that Olay products on this page often help improve skin texture and smoothness while providing fragrance-free options.

Olay or Elemis for skin with dark spots?

Olay is the better choice for skin with dark spots because Lovi rates its overall routine as Superior, compared to High for Elemis. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

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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