It has ingredients that are good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

It doesn't contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens or silicones

Fun facts

Olay is from United States. This product is used in 6 routines created by our community.

We independently verify ingredients and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Does this product need an update? Let us know.

You should know

Here's our breakdown of the notable ingredients, benefits, and concerns we determined from the ingredients in this product. Click any item to learn more.

Notable Ingredients

BHA

Vitamin C (2)

Exfoliators

Niacinamide

Peptides (2)

Benefits

Hydrating

Good For Oily Skin (2)

Redness Reducing (2)

Skin Texture

Reduces Large Pores (2)

Anti-Aging

Dark Spots (2)

Scar Healing (2)

Acne Fighting (2)

Brightening (4)

Concerns

Drying (2)

May Worsen Oily Skin

Irritating (2)

Rosacea

Eczema

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.

alcohol-free

silicon-free

fragrance-free

sulfate-free

paraben-free

oil-free

fungal-acne safe

reef-safe

eu-allergen-free

vegan

cruelty-free

Ingredients Overview

Here's our quick-to-read summary of the ingredients in this product. Keep scrolling if you'd like to learn more about what each ingredient does!

Ingredient

Com. / Irr. Rating

Features

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Emollient

Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent

0 / 0

Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Masking

2 / 2

Cleansing, Skin Conditioning

Abrasive, Absorbent

Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning

Cleansing, Emulsifying, Foaming

0 / 0

Skin Conditioning

Skin Conditioning

Smoothing

Skin Conditioning

Cleansing, Emulsifying

Emulsifying

2 / 2

Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Masking

2 / 2

Emollient, Emulsion Stabilising

Antioxidant, Buffering, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Skin Conditioning

Ingredients Explained

This product contains 20 ingredients. Click on any ingredient to learn more about it

Water

What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Community Rating: Loved

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Ppg-15 Stearyl Ether

What it does: Emollient

Community Rating: Very Disliked

We don't have a description for Ppg-15 Stearyl Ether.

Glycerin

What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent

Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

Stearyl Alcohol

What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Masking

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients.

Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.

They are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent alcohols. FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

Learn more about Stearyl Alcohol

Cetyl Betaine

What it does: Cleansing, Skin Conditioning

We don't have a description for Cetyl Betaine.

Hydrated Silica

What it does: Abrasive, Absorbent

Hydrated Silica is a type of silicon dioxide. It is called 'hydrated silica' because it is silica with extra bonded water atoms.

It is an absorbent and abrasive, meaning it is exfoliating.

Silica is often used for absorption and can help reduce shine when products are applied.

Learn more about Hydrated Silica

Salicylic Acid

What it does: Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Liked

Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is one of the most well-known ingredients for treating skin that struggles with blackheads and acne. It helps to exfoliate both the skin's surface and pores, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.

This multitasking property makes it a great ingredient for cleaning out pores, controlling oil production, and reducing inflammation.

Unlike AHAs which are water soluble, Salicylic Acid is oil soluble. This means that it's able to exfoliate the inside of pores and reduce blackheads.

Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.

It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing a Salicylic Acid into your routine.

In general, Salicylic Acid is a great ingredient for oily acne-prone skin.

While salicylic acid does not increase sun-sensitivity, we still recommend wearing SPF.

If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.

Learn more about Salicylic Acid

Distearyldimonium Chloride

What it does:

Community Rating: Mixed

We don't have a description for Distearyldimonium Chloride.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

What it does: Cleansing, Emulsifying, Foaming

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a sulfate with surfactant properties.

The surfactant property make it a great foam creator and cleansing agent. Surfactants help bind ingredients that normally do not mix.

Some studies have shown skin irritation due to prolonged SLS use.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a milder version of SLS.

Learn more about Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

What it does: Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Liked

You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.

Like other types of vitamin C, this ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.

Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.

The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5

Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

What it does: Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Loved

You might know this ingredients as Matrixyl. It is a peptide.

Peptides are building blocks for protein. Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 consists of five amino acids. These amino acids include: 2 lysines, 2 threonines, and serine

This ingredients tells our body to create more collagen. Collagen is a protein that makes connective tissue. Boosting collagen production leads to a healthier skin barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier means having firm and hydrated skin.

Thus, Matrixyl may help improve the look of wrinkles.

Read more about other common types of peptides here:

Learn more about Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Niacinamide

What it does: Smoothing

Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

Ppg-30

What it does: Skin Conditioning

We don't have a description for Ppg-30.

Steareth-21

What it does: Cleansing, Emulsifying

We don't have a description for Steareth-21.

Steareth-2

What it does: Emulsifying

Steareth-2 is a waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients. It is created from polyethylene glycol and stearyl alcohol.

The 2 stands for the number of ethylene oxide units used to create this ingredient.

Cetyl Alcohol

What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Masking

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Cetyl Alcohol is not related to SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or ethyl alcohol. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

Its main roles are:

Learn more about Cetyl Alcohol

Behenyl Alcohol

What it does: Emollient, Emulsion Stabilising

Community Rating: Disliked

A type of fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as traditional alcohols.

Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.

Behenyl Alcohol is usually derived from the fats in vegetable oils.

In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.

Learn more about Behenyl Alcohol

Disodium EDTA

What it does:

Community Rating: Disliked

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA

Ascorbic Acid

What it does: Antioxidant, Buffering, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Loved

Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C. This form makes up the largest amount of vitamin C found naturally in our skin.

Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, it also has plenty of benefits on your skin.

Vitamin C is best used for brightening skin. It improves dark spots, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation. This is because it blocks the process of skin darkening when exposed to UV.

Remember: Vitamin C should not replace sunscreen!

Your skin uses vitamin C to build collagen. Collagen is one key component in having a strong skin barrier and plump skin. Vitamin C also plays a role in regulating collagen, thus making it effective in improving wrinkles and fine lines.

Ascorbic acid shows potent antioxidant activity. As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. These antioxidants also protect skin against UV damage.

The best formulations include Vitamin E and/or ferulic acid. These two ingredients help stabilize and provide a boost in the benefits of ascorbic acid. This is because ascorbic acid becomes unstable when exposed to UV and air. In fact, you can tell your ascorbic acid has oxidized when it turns an orange-yellow color.

Ascorbic acid is generally compatible with other ingredients. However, using ascorbic acid with other active ingredients might cause irritation. Two ingredients: copper ions and benzoyl peroxide, will inactivate ascorbic acid completely.

Read more about other types of Vitamin C:

Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.

Learn more about Ascorbic Acid

Copper Tripeptide-1

What it does: Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Loved

Copper Tripeptide-1 is a peptide naturally found in body fluids. Peptides are building blocks for protein.

Studies show this ingredient tells our body to create more collagen and elastin. Collagen is a protein that makes connective tissue. Elastin is the protein responsible for giving our skin elasticity. Our bodies start to slow down collagen and elastin production with age.

Boosting collagen and elastin production can help create a healthier skin barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier means having firm and hydrated skin. It's a win-win situation!

Studies show this ingredient can help with scar healing. This is because it breaks down damaged collagen, the main component of scar tissue. It may also help with reducing sunspots, acne scars, and uneven skin tone.

This ingredient is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants help the body fight off free-radicals. Free radicals are molecules that damage our cells, such as pollution and tobacco smoke.

More benefits: Copper Tripeptide-1 helps maintain tissues in blood vessels and promote natural hyaluronic acid in skin.

Read more about other common types of peptides here:

Learn more about Copper Tripeptide-1

Embed Ingredients

Here's what our community thinks of the 20 ingredients in this product ✨

40% are loved or liked

5% have mixed ratings

30% are disliked or very disliked

25% have no rating yet

When to use

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

Directions

1. Cleanse your skin to remove dirt, oil, or makeup. And if you feel like you need a little extra oomph, try a scrub.
Treat your complexion concerns with skin-specific formulas like brightening serums, smoothing eye creams, or hydrating mists. A little pampering goes a long way.
2. Moisturize to protect your skin.
3. For daytime, use a formula with SPF and for nighttime use a nourishing formula.