A Personal Olay Regenerist Skincare Products Review

Jean doesn't like heavy makeup, but realizes the need to keep healthy skin moisturized. She has some great suggestions here!

Olay Facial Care Experiences

When it comes to makeup and any long length of time devoted to it, I’ve always been a natural and easy-care kind of woman. A quick and thorough washing with Noxzema skin cream in the morning and at night was my regimen in my teen years and through my early thirties. Along with this I used eye shadow and mascara, a touch of lip gloss, but that was pretty much it. I don't like heavy makeup, my Mom always told me the point of makeup was to use it, but make it look like you weren't. That worked for me for a long time.

Olay and Cover Girl Make a Great Foundation

Start Moisturizing in Your Late 20s!

Once I was in my thirties, I decided I had to change my “look” to be a little more professional, as I worked in a pompous accounting firm. Yes, me, the one who writes all these metaphysical pieces! So I got a perm, which made my straight blond hair look like I stuck my finger in an electric socket, and after shedding a few tears, went back to a straight and simple hairstyle. I added some foundation and blush to my makeup routine, though with my light complexion I blushed pretty easily anyway.

This was sufficient for a long time, but by the time a woman reaches her forties, the skin gets much drier, and even liquid makeup seems like it doesn’t want to move when applied. I had a need for a moisturizer underneath foundation, and since I had rosy skin, preferred a lightly tinted one. Hormone changes really affect your skin, and some people notice a washed out appearance, or uneven skin tones. I had to try something new, made for women in their forties and fifties. Yikes. So after some experimentation with different company’s products, shades of tinted moisturizers and various foundations, and fielding questions about why was I so pale, pink, red, or tan, I finally tried the line of Olay Regenerist products.

There were a lot to choose from, and made specifically for my skin’s age, complete with vitamins, and whatever other jazz is necessary to help things along. Olay has developed several excellent lines of products that help hide wrinkles, minimize crow’s feet, cover dark circles under the eyes, lift sagging skin, and fix other horrors. They also add special moisturizers so that your face is getting a mini-lift while you are wearing it. How easy is that? And by the time you are in your fifties, your skin mantra should be “moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.” Save Ohm for your serious meditation mantra.

Olay Detoxifying Scrub Cleanser

Combinations of Olay Products

There are a few lines of skincare items from Olay that are made to mix and match. One is called Olay 7 Total Effects, another is the Olay Regenerist line, and in 2015, they began a new line that adds more shine to dull complexions, Olay Regenerist Luminous. I began with the Olay 7 Total effects, which I really liked. It has moisturizers for daytime, with a light tint, which could even be used as a light foundation. They are available without the tint too. They have heavier moisturizers in creams too.

But I moved on to the Olay Regenerist line, because it seemed more appropriate for my age and skin. There is a great foaming cleanser called Olay Regenerist Advanced Anti-Aging Detoxifying Pore Scrub cleaner. I know that’s a mouthful, but it satisfies several of your skin’s needs to remove makeup at the day’s end. First it foams up and makes your face feel really clean. Then it has little exfoliate beads that assure all the old makeup is off, and helps get rid of those dead skin cells that make you look washed out. It then becomes really soft and creamy, so as you finish washing your face, it feels soft and moisturized.

It comes in a gel form, and I really like it. I noticed that I had a few pores that became visible again from skin breakouts in my teen years, and this product which already does so much helps that too. It’s a tall order, but it works. This is gentle enough for sensitive skin too. Your face will feel super clean and soft. This is not to be confused with the cream, which has the same name, but I didn’t like as much. It did less. Be sure to get the gel. It's a red colored gel.

Olay Regenerist Micro Sculpting Cream

Wear Under Makeup, or On Clean Skin Overnight

The rest of the Olay Regenerist products are made so that you can either use them under your makeup or at night on clean skin. Two come in both a clear, liquid serum which gives your face a slight lift, and a cream that will do the same overnight as you sleep. So it’s up to you which you prefer. To begin my morning skin care routine, I still wash my face with old fashioned Noxzema. Really, they still make it.

But I finally decided that at night I liked the Regenerist Micro Sculpting Cream. It seems to perform a very gentle chemical peel over the course of a week or so, and you may not want to use it every night if you have sensitive skin. It applies very easily with your fingers, so you can use it under your eyes to lessen the effects of crow’s feet and such. Make sure you pat the cream under your eyes gently, and don't forget your neck! A wrinkly neck can make you look much older than you are!

As I said I settled on earlier in this article, Cover Girl has a line of cream foundations with the patented Olay Regenerist serum in it, found in the Cover Girl section of your store, and it is made to interact with the rest of the Olay line. I love the bottled one that can worn under makeup as a tinted moisturizer, or alone if you wear your makeup lightly. It is available in many shades, and lasts all day, even if you are wearing it under other makeup. The compact of cream makeup is called Simply Ageless, and I wear that over the tinted moisturized during the day. You may have seen it advertised by Ellen De Generes, and it is pictured at the bottom of this article.The bottled makeup is a mixture of a liquid and a cream, so it goes on as lightly or heavily as you want to wear it. You can just put it on with your fingers. If you want you could add the powder over it, and it still wouldn't look like you have too much makeup on.

There is also an Olay/Cover Girl cream blush. This was my first experience with cream blush, and I would never go back to powder so it could cake up. I find it's much easier to blend cream blush so it looks more natural, not like you have pink/tan steaks along your cheekbones! If you need more moisture protection, or will be outdoors, I would recommend the Olay 7 Effects Moisturizer in the light tint with SPF protection underneath your foundation.

Yes, They Still Make Noxzema!

Olay Makeup Sculpting Serum Takes Off the Years

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting serum is terrific, it’s clear and lightweight, and gives you that mini-lift that really makes the difference. It comes in a red bottle. It also comes in a cream jar, both are red glass. There is another serum, Olay Regenerist Daily serum, which comes in a white bottle. This also is available in either a clear serum or a cream. I love both the creams and serums, but believe the liquid is absorbed by the skin more easily, so I wear the serums at night. I think both are equally good. I go back and forth between the Micro Sculpting Cream in the red bottle, and the more liquid serum in the white bottle.

I really noticed a big difference in my skin after wearing the Olay Regenerist line after about two weeks. The one issue is that it is rather expensive. One thing I notice is that most chain drug stores normally have their Olay products on sale all the time. And as the line has matured and been on the market longer, it has become cheaper. Also, you only need to use it sparingly, so a bottle can last about one month or more. Many chain drug stores have apps now, and give generous discounts on Olay products, the CVS near me has saved me quite a lot of money with discounts. Your local Price Clubs often carry Olay products too, if you buy them in bulk.

If you are one of my readers, you know I read tarot cards at parties or do astrology chart readings for groups at people’s houses, usually who have guests I am meeting for the first time. A few weeks ago, a group was talking about menopause, and the changes it was making for their bodies and their skin. I walked over to escort my next client, and one woman smiled at me and said, “Wait until you start going through menopause!” I’m 60, so that really made my day. So in my book, Olay Regenerist and the Cover Girl Foundation with Regenerist serum are definitely worth every penny!

I am still happy with the line years later, and they keep adding new products. These are to add shine, and are under the Luminous name, but people tell me I have a glow to my skin anyway. I tried the cleanser, and it does make your skin clean and very soft. I just like the one pictured above better. I have been teaching tarot classes now, and also attend a women's group where we discuss our problems and "inner goddess." One night we got talking about the three stages of a woman's life, Maiden, Mother and Crone, and the woman who owns the business asked me if I was a "Crone" yet. So I guess I'm still passing for younger than I am!

Just lately, in Fall of 2018, Olay put a new product on the market called Olay Mist. It's a liquid meant to be sprayed over your makeup during the day to keep it looking fresh, but it also gives you a little bit of moisturizer. It comes in 3 scents, and two of them were strong enough to compete with my perfume (Obsession, it takes a lot to compete with that)! But I did try the one called Calmer, and really like it. It does spray well over makeup without ruining it, and makes you feel more refreshed. As winter nears, I find some days when I am at home without makeup on I give my face a little spritz, and can feel it's got that little bit of moisture in it. So check it out, it's pretty good.

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I think the Olay line would work equally well for men, who have pretty much the same needs as their skin ages, except sensitivity from shaving as well. Also, some of them are resistant to wearing what they consider makeup. But they could wear the clear serum to add moisture at night, or wash their faces with the exfoliating gel first. That way it would not interfere with any shaving products they need in the morning. Many of the men close to me are fair skinned and blond, and shaving really takes a toll on their skin!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2011 Jean Bakula

Comments

Jean Bakula (author) from New Jersey on April 22, 2015:

Hello Luxury Shopper,

Thank you for the list of chemicals found in whichever Olay product those particular ones are in. I am aware that most things we eat and use have harmful chemicals, but also feel we have to choose our battles. I eat organic, as I feel we are what we eat. Most shampoos have parabens in them too, to keep our hair looking smooth. I have sensitive skin, and have had no trouble with any of the Olay products I've used, so am likely to keep on using them. I've tried many others, even Arbonne, which is all natural, and got red skin and rashes from them. Plus the price for many chemical free products make it prohibitive for average people to be able to afford them. I don't have the time to make all my own products out of chemical free ingredients, and when I think it's necessary, I do try to buy carefully. So far I have no ill effects from Olay, being more worried about other things. But your point is well taken.

LuxuryShopper from Los Angeles, CA on April 22, 2015:

Hello Jean,

The following is the full list of ingredients for this cream. Parabens is a good enough reason to not use this cream on your skin unfortunately. There are quite a few more harmful chemicals there as well...

Water, glycerin, isohexadecane, niacinamide,* isopropyl isostearate, aluminum starch octenylsuccinate, nylon-12, dimethicone, panthenol,† tocopheryl acetate,§ sodium hyaluronate, palmitoyl pentapeptide-4,**carnosine, **camellia sinensis leaf extract, ‡ aloe barbadensis leaf juice, §§soluble collagen, elastin, allantoin, stearyl alcohol, polyethylene, cetyl alcohol, sodium acrylates copolymer, behenyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, caprylic/capric triglyceride, polyacrylamide, dimethiconol, PEG-100 stearate, stearic acid, disodium EDTA, cetearyl glucoside, cetearyl alcohol, citric acid, C12-13 pareth-3, laureth-7, C13-14 isoparaffin, sodium hydroxide, ammonium polyacrylate, ethylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben, fragrance, titanium dioxide, tin oxide, mica.

Jean Bakula (author) from New Jersey on September 05, 2014:

Hello luvtowrite,

I think you will be happy with the results. I have really sensitive skin, and have gone on to try different products as they make Olay ones, and they are all pretty good. There is a clear one that gives you a very gentle chemical peel overnight, and I can even use that. Good luck!

Luvtoo Write from Chicago, IL on February 18, 2014:

I've been using Olay Regenerist for a few years now. You can never start early enough, when It comes to taking care of your skin. I just recently noticed the Olay micro-sculpting serum. I was unsure about buying it, but your article has convinced me to give it a try. I hope I get the same results.

Jean Bakula (author) from New Jersey on February 11, 2014:

That's true. Neutrogena is good too from what I hear. I used to wear that, until they discontinued my shades of foundation and other stuff. Don't you hate that?

Jean Bakula (author) from New Jersey on February 11, 2014:

Thanks Jenny30,

If I feel the need for something new, I'll check it out. Thanks for reading and commenting.

Jennifer from Canada on February 11, 2014:

Great hub but have you ever tried BeautiControl? I use it in my Spa all the time. The instant face mask works in literally 30 mins! Feel free to take a look at my youtube video on my article page "beautiControl Products and Income Opportunity"!

Silva Hayes from Spicewood, Texas on September 05, 2013:

Yes! It's complicated!

Jean Bakula (author) from New Jersey on September 05, 2013:

That is funny! Maybe it's a sign you should try it, lol! I began using the Olay Regenerist stuff when Neutrogena stopped making my shade of foundation. It's kind of rosy, and I used to cover that up with a lighter shade of foundation. But then I began wearing my hair redder, and the natural rosiness looked better. I think the Olay stuff is good, because I have sensitive skin, and never had trouble. They change the products now and then, but I still like the tinted moisturizer, the Olay/Covergirl foundation, and the cream blush. They stopped making that, but I found a bunch cheap on E-bay! Both the serum in the white bottle and the red jar of night cream still do the job. Once your hormones change, the skin gets so dry. I like that they are light, but seem to penetrate the layers of skin. Tough being a woman, yes?

Silva Hayes from Spicewood, Texas on September 05, 2013:

Jean, I like the Olay Regenerist products too. Great hub, so informative. I am curious, have you heard of L'Oreal Miracle Blur? I am thinking of trying it. A lovely friend from Islip, NY recommended it on her Facebook. I think you apply it in the morning after your moisturizer. Anyway, the oddest thing happened last night. I was lying in bed, thinking about my friend's post, trying to remember the name of the product. The TV was on and I wasn't paying it any attention. Suddenly a voice stated loudly, "L'Oreal Miracle Blur!" It was a commercial on TV! I was so surprised that I sat up in bed with my mouth open in amazement! So funny.

Jean Bakula (author) from New Jersey on September 01, 2012:

Hi Jaye,

Thanks for reading and commenting. I was on HRT for a few years, and when I went off, my skin was dry as a bone. I used Noxzema when I was young, and went back to washing with that, in the morning I still do. But the Regenerist stuff is great. I like the serums best, they aren't gloppy or too heavy. Take care.

Jaye Denman from Deep South, USA on August 31, 2012:

You wrote a very thorough and informative hub about the Olay beauty products. Your "selling" line is the compliment you got at the party.

I didn't care for my skin properly when I was young or even middle-aged, and it didn't show until I got old. Now I regret my nonchalance and try to do a better job. I'm not aiming for a more youthful look, but agree with PeggyW that I'd like for my skin to feel good.

By the way, some (not all) of the Olay products sold on Amazon are eligible for the site's Super Saver Shipping (free for orders $25 and over) and a couple are on the Subscribe & Save plan for an even deeper discount plus free shipping at regular intervals you specify. (Can you tell I shop Amazon a lot?)

Voted Up+++

Jaye

Jean Bakula (author) from New Jersey on December 12, 2011:

Hi Tammy,

Thanks for stopping by! I even break out now and then at my age. It's always right before a party or event when I want to look nice, of course. I think my skin got lots better with the Olay. When young I had oily skin, but in my late 40's it got dry as a bone. The Olay line is a bit pricey, but you don't need to use much. Best Wishes!

Tammy from North Carolina on December 12, 2011:

I always check to see if a Hubber has products listed that I need to buy. I am going to book mark this. I love this product of Olay. It does wonders! Thanks!

Tammy from North Carolina on December 12, 2011:

Any time I need to search for something I need to buy on the web, I always see if I can get it from someone's hub. I am book marking and I will be back. This Olay line is fabulous. I have hormone changes and acne.. at my age and never had it as a teen. :( I love these products for moisturizing and fighting wrinkles. Awesome!

Jean Bakula (author) from New Jersey on October 11, 2011:

Thanks John,

Your Sag and Gemini quest of knowledge is showing again! It was sweet of you to bother to read and comment on this one! I just got home from a metaphysics class of about a dozen people, and my husband was the only guy there. You seem like him in that way, it doesn't matter what the subject is, you are game to find out a little more. Thank you.

John Sarkis from Winter Haven, FL on October 11, 2011:

Hi Jean,

You know most guys don't care too much about this stuff, but I found your article to be quite helpful. Great products to give a love one (e.g., mother, sweetheart of female friend)

Great article - voted up

John

Jean Bakula (author) from New Jersey on October 10, 2011:

Hi Peggy W,

We have a Costco and a BJ's discount warehouse near my home. They have good prices, but not always on the specific products I want. I do love the line though. Thanks for commenting!

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on October 10, 2011:

I love the Regenerist line and purchase it at Costco which has discounted pricing. It will never make me look like I am 40 at this point but I just like the way it makes my skin feel. :))

Jean Bakula (author) from New Jersey on October 10, 2011:

Yes, I suppose that's true. I have sensitive skin, so this stuff has worked for me. But everyone has different needs. I get so annoyed when you finally find products you like, and the manufacturer stops making them. That's how I began with the Regenerist line, but it took me about one year of experimenting and skin irritations to find it.

blog8withJ on October 10, 2011:

Women have this skin dilemma as the age rise. We always try different things. Olay works for other women but to some it doesn't.