Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer SPF 15 for dry skin
Vitamin E
Zinc Oxide
Octinoxate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
NiacinamideAverage
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry skin; other sunscreens fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate moisturizing and UV protection for your dry skin due to the presence of glycerin and zinc oxide, though these benefits are not specifically targeted at your flaky skin concerns.
- Aloe barbadensis leaf extract provides some anti-inflammatory action, which is beneficial for dry skin.
- The product is safe for your dry skin as it contains no harsh or prohibited ingredients that would cause irritation.
How to apply
- Apply this moisturizing sunscreen daily in your AM routine. Use it every morning as the final step of your skincare routine.
- Apply after your moisturizer and before putting on makeup. This ensures proper sun protection for your skin.
- Gently spread an even layer over your face and neck. Avoid rubbing too hard to keep your dry skin happy.
- Apply on completely dry skin for the best coverage and protection. Make sure your face is clean before application.
- Avoid the immediate eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 2.1k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this moisturizer is frequently described as a holy grail for its lightweight, non-greasy hydration that is well-suited for sensitive and acne-prone skin. Most users find it softens skin without clogging pores. However, a number of recent reviews indicate dissatisfaction with formula changes, reporting a heavier texture and potential for irritation.
Highlights
Lightweight & non-greasy Mostly Mentioned
- “Absorbs instantly without residue”
- “light and silky feeling”
- “doesn't leave skin feeling oily”
- “perfect under makeup”
Sensitive skin friendly Often Mentioned
- “Never breaks me out”
- “no stinging or burning”
- “great for acne-prone skin”
Excellent value Sometimes Noted
- “Beats expensive department store brands”
- “great price for the quality”
- “economically priced”
- “a little goes a long way”
Good makeup base Sometimes Noted
- “Makeup goes on smoothly over it”
- “doesn't pill under foundation”
- “keeps skin looking dewy under powder”
Formula change complaints Sometimes Noted
- “New formula is thick and greasy”
- “caused breakouts after years of use”
- “consistency is heavy now”
- “woke up with pimples”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “Makes my eyes water”
- “burns if it gets near eyes”
- “stings my eyes by midday”
Insufficient sun protection Rarely Noted
- “Wish it was SPF 30”
- “not enough for beach days”
- “need to layer stronger sunscreen”
White cast Rarely Noted
- “Goes on white at first”
- “leaves a slight pale cast”
- “takes a while to rub in completely”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, target.com, walgreens.com, influenster.com, olay.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer SPF 15 work for dry skin?
This moisturizer with SPF offers moderate hydration and sun protection for dry skin, though other products fit it better because they target flaky concerns more effectively. It works safely without harsh ingredients, but dry skin needs deeper hydration and barrier-repairing ingredients to feel truly soft and smooth.
Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for dry skin?
Glycerin, zinc oxide, and aloe barbadensis leaf extract help make this moisturizer a reasonable fit for dry skin by offering moderate hydration, sun protection, and calming benefits. However, a product of this type for dry skin needs extra barrier-restoring ingredients and deeper hydrating agents to fully target flaky skin concerns.
What does Vitamin E do for dry skin?
Vitamin E helps dry skin feel softer and smoother by increasing moisture, keeping hydration locked in, and improving overall skin barrier function. It may also calm redness and reduce roughness over time with regular use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
What does Zinc Oxide do for dry skin?
Zinc oxide is unlikely to help dry skin on its own, because repeated use of this ingredient may increase water loss and lead to a scaly appearance. A product for dry skin needs extra ingredients that lock in moisture and soothe the skin.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This cream goes in the morning routine as the moisturizer and sunscreen step after your cleanser and hydrating toner. To work well for dry skin, this type of product needs rich moisturizing ingredients and oils that deeply soothe flaky areas.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this moisturizer with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying it after your retinol treatment to help soothe and protect your dry skin. This product is safe and unlikely to cause irritation, though dry skin often benefits from richer ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to better lock in moisture.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizing SPF every morning as part of your daily routine. It helps keep your skin comfortable and protected from the sun, though dry skin generally benefits from a richer cream with extra hydrating ingredients to tackle flakiness.
Health Science Reports, 2021Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This moisturizer is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin. It contains no harsh ingredients that typically trigger irritation or breakouts.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Stearyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, and cetyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 0.5% hyaluronic-ZnO nanogel applied twice daily reduced inflammatory-lesion counts by 58% at week four in human subjects compared to baseline without causing erythema.
Biomedicines, 2025Nels cream achieved a similar reduction in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts compared to 5% benzoyl peroxide in acne vulgaris patients, but caused significantly fewer side-effects such as peeling and dryness.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2000Topically applied coated and uncoated zinc oxide nanoparticles under flexing and massage are retained in the stratum corneum with no significant penetration into the viable epidermis and no cellular toxicity in human skin.
Nanomedicine, 2016Replacing 20% of the chemical UV filter octyl methoxycinnamate with urucum oil in solid lipid nanoparticles maintained the skin protection factor without inducing toxic responses or significant skin penetration in human volunteers.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2018Liposomal encapsulation of octyl methoxycinnamate increases its safety, skin affinity, and in vivo solar photoprotection factor while slowing its release and enhancing retention in the stratum corneum compared to a conventional formulation.
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2013Encapsulation of ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane in lipid microparticles significantly reduced their in vivo human skin penetration compared to nonencapsulated filters.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2011A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Octinoxate, Zinc Oxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Steareth-21, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polyacrylamide, Stearyl Alcohol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Behenyl Alcohol, Dmdm Hydantoin, Cetyl Alcohol, Peg Ppg-20 20 Dimethicone, Laureth-7, Steareth-2, Disodium Edta, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score 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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.