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The Ordinary vs Olay

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

The Ordinary and Olay are popular skincare brands offering serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and more. The Canadian brand specializes in targeted formulas with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting sensitive, dry sensitive, acne-prone, and mature skin best. Meanwhile, the second brand focuses on nourishing formulations enriched with niacinamide and glycerin that suit sensitive and acne-prone skin. They differ primarily in their specific active ingredients and targeted concerns, though both rely on glycerin to support hydration and barrier function.

The Ordinary is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021.

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Olay products

People Say

The OrdinaryOlay
  • Texture and Absorption Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Skin feels like silk — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Hydration and Moisture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “light and smooth — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “hydrates the skin — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Value and Price Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “lasts forever — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “can't beat the price — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “extremely affordable — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “Better than high-end moisturizers — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
  • Brightening and Dark Spots Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
    • “hides dark shadows — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “skin looks brighter — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “scars lightened up quite a bit — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Acne and Blemish Clearing Often MentionedNot noted
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “scars and hormonal acne faded — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “faded dark spots — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
  • Pilling and Sticky Finish Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “cakes up all over — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “pills under makeup — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “feels sticky — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Skin Irritation and Sensitivity Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “breakouts — Olay Super Serum”
    • “burned my skin — Olay Retinol24”
    • “burning sensation — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”

The Ordinary vs Olay routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 814.57 · 90% fitBuy Olay routine · SAR 1,177.59 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Olay routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 867.55 · 92% fitBuy Olay routine · SAR 1,429.16 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Olay routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 981.41 · 92% fitBuy Olay routine · SAR 1,320.33 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Olay: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value and prices, while Olay performs better for texture, absorption, hydration, moisture, brightening, and dark spots. For acne and blemish clearing, The Ordinary does better. Olay tends to have more issues with pilling, sticky finishes, skin irritation, and sensitivity.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Olay?

The Ordinary offers superior routine fit for dry skin, while Olay scores average for dry skin. The Ordinary wins on value, price, and acne-clearing, whereas Olay excels in texture, absorption, hydration, and brightening.

The Ordinary or Olay for dry skin?

The Ordinary is the better choice for dry skin because Lovi rates its routine as Superior, compared to an Average fit for Olay. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Drug Delivery, 2017

The Ordinary or Olay: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page show that both The Ordinary and Olay offer a range of cleansers with varying fits for different skin types. Reviewers indicate that The Ordinary provides better overall value and price, while Olay is often noted for texture and absorption.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Olay?

The Ordinary offers better value and price across the products on this page compared to Olay.

Which brand performs better for brightening and dark spots, The Ordinary or Olay?

Olay performs better for brightening and dark spots based on reviewer feedback on this page. Ingredients like niacinamide help reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Which brand is better for managing skin irritation and sensitivity, The Ordinary or Olay?

The Ordinary is better for managing skin irritation and sensitivity, as Olay often causes skin irritation and sensitivity.

How do the routine fit levels for dry skin compare between The Ordinary and Olay?

The Ordinary provides a Superior routine fit level for dry skin, whereas Olay offers an Average fit level.

The Ordinary or Olay for oily skin?

The Ordinary is a superior fit for oily skin compared to Olay, which has a high fit. Reviewers note that The Ordinary does better for acne and blemish clearing, while Olay does better for hydration and moisture.

The Ordinary or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, Olay offers intense hydration and superior texture and absorption, while The Ordinary provides affordable value. Lovi rates the Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream as having a High fit for dry skin, whereas The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA has a Superior fit for dry skin.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Olay for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary offers a superior routine fit for sensitive skin compared to Olay, which has a high fit. Reviewers note that Olay tends to cause more skin irritation and sensitivity.

The Ordinary or Olay for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary provides a superior routine fit for acne-prone skin compared to Olay, which offers a high fit. The Ordinary products on this page are often noted for acne-clearing serums.

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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