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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 offering thoughtfully formulated moisturizers, serums, cleansers, and eye products enriched with ingredients like glycerin, niacinamide, and shea. The former brand relies on niacinamide and glycerin to suit sensitive and acne-prone skin best, while the latter brand uses glycerin and shea to best suit dry, balanced, and sensitive skin. Ultimately, they differ in their specific botanical and scientific compositions, as well as their precise targeted benefits for various skin types.

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 moisturizers

Questions and answers

Olay or Elemis: which is better?

Olay is better for fragrance-free, gentle formulas and skin texture and smoothing, while Elemis offers a more pleasant scent. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer, which is a key ingredient featured across the Olay products on this page.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

What is the difference between Olay and Elemis?

Olay tends to do better on skin texture and offers more fragrance-free formulas, while Elemis is often noted for a pleasant scent alongside a higher price point. Both brands provide good hydration and lightweight textures across the products on this page.

Olay or Elemis: which cleanser is better?

Both Olay and Elemis offer effective cleansers on the products on this page, but Olay performs better for fragrance-free and gentle formulas. Olay also has a lower price point than Elemis.

Which is more affordable, Olay or Elemis?

Olay is more affordable than Elemis, as high price point issues are mostly mentioned for Elemis while they are not a primary concern for Olay.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Olay or Elemis?

Olay products on this page help improve skin texture and offer fragrance-free options that are suitable for acne-prone skin. Both brands show similar performance for hydration, but Olay does better for skin texture and smoothing.

Between Olay and Elemis, which brand offers more fragrance-free options?

Olay offers more fragrance-free options, as 26 of the 27 products on this page list no fragrance compared to only 4 of 22 products for Elemis. Reviewers on the products on this page frequently note that Olay provides fragrance-free options.

Which brand has better reviews regarding skin texture and smoothing results?

Olay does better than Elemis for skin texture and smoothing results.

Which brand is known for having fewer packaging concerns or design flaws?

Elemis is known for having fewer packaging concerns or design flaws compared to Olay, as packaging issues are sometimes noted for Olay products.

Olay or Elemis: which moisturizer is better?

Olay products on this page help improve texture and hydration with key ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid. Elemis moisturizers on this page also offer intense hydration and smoother texture, though reviewers often mention a higher price point.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Drug Delivery, 2017

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

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