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Estée Lauder vs Olay

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

Estée Lauder and Olay are two esteemed skincare brands offering comprehensive ranges of moisturizers, serums, eye products, and cleansers. The American brand founded in 1946 relies on hyaluronic acid and glycerin, while the latter warmly pairs niacinamide and glycerin to support various skin needs. Both suit acne-prone skin and mature skin best, though they differ through their distinct formulations and standout targeted solutions.

Estée Lauder is an American skincare brand founded in 1946 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.com

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

Popular Estée Lauder vs Olay products

People Say

Estée LauderOlay
  • Texture smoothing and improvement Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Skin feels like silk — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “hydrates the skin — Olay Advanced Eye Cream”
    • “skin feels like a baby's bottom — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
  • Deep hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up immediately — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “The formula is incredibly hydrating and leaves my skin feeling smooth. — Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv”
    • “texture is dreamy — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme”
    • “light and smooth — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
  • Lightweight and fast-absorbing feel Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “absorbs quickly — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “Absorbs quickly into the skin — Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+”
  • Radiant glow and brightening Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
    • “hides dark shadows — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
    • “skin looks brighter — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “gives me that glass skin look — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
  • Gentle and non-drying cleansing Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “doesn't strip the skin — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée”
    • “Lathers well — Estée Lauder Soft Clean Moisture Rich Foaming Cleanser”
    • “removes all my makeup effortlessly — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée”
    • “tiny beads aren't harsh — Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser”
  • Makeup compatibility and base Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “doesn't pill — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme”
    • “layers flawlessly under foundation — Estée Lauder DayWear Moisturizer”
    • “absorbs instantly — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “acts as primer — Olay Super Serum”
  • High price and value concerns Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “expensive for drugstore — Olay Super Serum”
    • “expensive — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “small quantity (0.5 oz) — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “way too expensive for the size — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
  • Bulky or poor packaging Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “lid is hard to open — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée”
    • “Please make a jar or refill that is not as big and heavy. — Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv”
    • “Impossible to get out — Estée Lauder Soft Clean Moisture Rich Foaming Cleanser”
    • “hard to dispense — Olay Super Serum”
  • Scent and fragrance complaints Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Fragrance can be an irritant — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “floral scent — Olay Super Serum”
    • “smells like plastic — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Scent is too overpowering — Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+”

Estée Lauder vs Olay routines for dry skin

Buy Olay routine · £83.22 · 82% fitBuy Estée Lauder routine · £132.10 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Estée Lauder vs Olay routines for oily skin

Buy Olay routine · £195.17 · 86% fitBuy Estée Lauder routine · £242.09 · 75% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Estée Lauder vs Olay routines for combination skin

Buy Olay routine · £188.48 · 86% fitBuy Estée Lauder routine · £204.59 · 75% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Estée Lauder or Olay: which is better?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay offer strong options, with Estée Lauder leaning toward deep hydration and gentle cleansing, while Olay excels in texture smoothing and brightening. Reviewers note that Estée Lauder tends to have a higher price point, whereas Olay more frequently receives complaints regarding strong fragrances.

What is the difference between Estée Lauder and Olay?

Estée Lauder delivers deeper hydration and gentler cleansing among the products on this page, while Olay excels at smoothing skin texture and brightening. Olay features a wider variety of fragrance-free options and is often noted for fast absorption.

Estée Lauder or Olay for dry skin?

Olay achieves a High routine fit for dry skin, whereas Estée Lauder reaches an Average fit for this skin type. Olay offers products on this page like Regenerist Ultra Rich Hydrating Moisturizer that may help deliver intense hydration and improved texture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Estée Lauder or Olay: which cleanser is better?

Estée Lauder offers better cleansers on this page, as reviewers note they are gentle and non-drying. Olay cleansers tend to show lower fit levels across several skin types.

Which is more affordable, Estée Lauder or Olay?

Olay is generally more affordable, while reviewers note a high price point as a common downside for Estée Lauder on this page.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which brand offers more fragrance-free options?

Olay offers more fragrance-free options among the products on this page, with 26 out of 27 products listing no fragrance compared to 12 out of 14 for Estée Lauder.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which is better for deep hydration?

For deep hydration, Estée Lauder does better according to the reviewer themes on the products on this page. Hyaluronic acid and glycerin are key ingredients across the products for both brands.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

Estée Lauder or Olay: which is better for mature skin?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay offer high routine fit for mature skin among the products on this page, with Estée Lauder focusing on deep hydration and Olay excelling in texture smoothing and brightening. Both brands utilize key anti-aging ingredients like hyaluronic acid and peptides that help support skin quality and reduce the visible signs of aging.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Estée Lauder or Olay for oily skin?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay achieve a High Lovi routine fit for oily skin based on the products on this page. Estée Lauder focuses on deep hydration, while Olay is often noted for a lightweight, fast-absorbing feel.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay offer strong moisturizer options, with Estée Lauder focusing on deep hydration and Olay excelling in texture smoothing and fast absorption. For dry skin, the products on this page provide an Average routine fit for Estée Lauder and a High fit for Olay.

Estée Lauder or Olay for sensitive skin?

Both Estée Lauder and Olay offer great options for sensitive skin, as the products on this page achieve a High Lovi fit level for this skin type. Reviewers note that Estée Lauder provides gentle and non-drying cleansers, while Olay offers lightweight feel and fragrance-free options.

Estée Lauder or Olay: which sunscreen is better?

For sunscreens on this page, Estée Lauder DayWear Moisturizer achieves a Superior Lovi fit level across dry sensitive skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, and mature skin, while Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer SPF 15 shows an Average fit for dry skin and dry sensitive skin.

Estée Lauder or Olay for acne-prone skin?

Olay is a better choice for acne-prone skin, as the products on this page offer a Superior routine fit compared to Estée Lauder's High fit level.

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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