Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream Review

Olay has reformulated and relaunched its much beloved Regenerist line, and nothing excites me more when an old favourite is given its due in the spotlight. After all, the original Regenerist line was highly popular when it was first launched ten years ago in 2003, and was further propelled to greater heights of popularity when a widely reported 2006 study showed the Olay Regenerist beating out other more expensive brands as in efficacy (I can't seem to google the original survey, but a newspaper reporting on the results can be found at the Daily Mail, albeit in the tabloid's typically sensationalist fashion, of course).


Knowing the history of Olay, both corporate and personal (is there anyone whose mother or grandmother doesn't use it?), I was keen to give the new Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream a try. After all, this is the stuff of legends. Annnd, they now claim to have "20% more anti-aging ingredients"! Sure, why not, right?



The Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream is actually very light in texture, which I really liked, and this seems in line with some of the broader reformulation the brand is doing, replacing water-based formulations with silicones to enhance ingredient delivery (you can read more here) - two of the main ingredients are the silicones, Isohexadecane (which also has emollient properties), and Dimethicone (which provides good barrier function and is used for its skin conditioning properties). In any case, I felt that the texture was great - a light, white cream that sunk into my skin easily and was quickly absorbed. The product had a light, floral scent that dissipated upon application. Since the cream is so cosmetically elegant, you can layer it under makeup too.


So how did the cream work for me? First, it didn't break me out, which is good since I have really sensitive skin. Next, I felt like it did help to even out my skin texture, and my skin was softer and smoother. I'm not really in the target demographic for anti-wrinkle products since I'm in my 20s, but I did feel like the product also helped to hydrate my skin. I really liked the effect it had on my skin, as it felt like it had slowly improved my overall skin texture, softness, and elasticity. I have to admit, because Olay tends to be a brand that is less (for want of a better word) "sexy" than some other brands (remember what I said about everyone's grandmother using Olay?), when I tried this product, I initially thought, "Oh, it's going to be good but just basic", so I was expecting to like-but-not-love it, but this cream has really proven me wrong. I actually love this product.


If you look at the ingredients list (sorry for the blurry photo above, I couldn't get my camera's "Supermacro" mode to focus!), I can definitely see why the product works as well as it does. Other than the silicones I've highlighted, there are a number of main ingredients that hydrate or condition the skin or function as emollients (Glycerin, Isopropyl Isostearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin). I particularly liked the inclusion of Niacinamide, Panthenol, and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide- 4 relatively high up in the ingredients list, as all of them have skin beneficial properties, and most drugstore moisturizers do not have them. So that helps to set apart Olay from the rest of the pack. There are also ingredients that contribute to the light, easily absorbed texture of the product (primarily Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate and Nylon-12), which explains why the texture of the cream was so light. Overall, I do feel like this product is quite well-formulated - it's light and effective, and there was nothing in the ingredients list that jumped out at me as very obviously pore-clogging.


Would I recommend this product? Yes. It's effective, cosmetically elegant, well-formulated, and not wildly overpriced. Even though it is pricier than your average drugstore face cream, I do feel like the ingredients and the anecdotal effects it had on my skin justify the price tag. If you are keen on a day or night cream that's all of the above, and that doesn't bust the budget, then this is worth checking out. I daresay it's better than some other creams on the market that are charging more for the same (or worse) quality! You can find out more at the Olay website.

(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)