Hands up everyone who remembers their mothers or grandmothers using Oil of Ulan with the distinctive pink lotion and powdery smell? 🙂 I do. And I took a while to adjust to it being called Oil of Olay and then just Olay.
I used the Total Effects cream the first time it was introduced here in Malaysia. I was one of the testers for the mystery cream based on an ad on tv at the time. I knew what it was because I was monitoring its arrival after reading many good things about the Olay Total Effects cream online. When I tried it, I knew I liked it and Olay Total Effects was my staple moisturiser for a couple of years.
And then, I got bored and ventured out into various brands of skin moisturisers, mostly of the department store or higher end variety.
Recently, with prices soaring on nearly every consumer good, and with my night moisturiser on its last legs, I decided to once again return to an old favourite, to see how it re-measures up. I have noticed that Olay has been rather aggressive in their TV advertising lately but it wasn’t the reason why I returned to Olay. The main reason for my return to Olay was because Olay came out with a new sample size 20g bottle! Yep, you can get the sample size bottle of Olay Total Effects for about RM21.90. Terribly expensive considering the full size 50g bottle usually goes on sale for about RM30 but its good if you aren’t sure whether your skin can handle the product.
This is what Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 promises:-
1. Line Minimization: Reduces the appearance of fine wrinkles
2. Nourishing Moisturization: For a radiant, healthy glow
3. Tone Enhancement: Balances color & reduces appearance of age spots
4. Gentle Exfoliation: Smoothes and evens skin texture
5. Pore Refinement: Minimizes the appearance of pores
6. Free Radical Defense: Helps prevent damage to skin’s surface
7. Subtle Lifting: Hydrates for firmer skin appearance
Does it deliver? Well, I’ve been using the Olay Total Effects 7 in 1 daily moisturizer for above 2 weeks now purely as a night cream over my Vitamin C Skin Boost. I find that it provides sufficient moisture to my skin and absorbs quickly. I don’t have an oily layer on the skin after that and my skin isn’t feeling taut and dry so that must mean its working well in the moisture department.
As for tone refinement and pore minimization, I have found that my skin is more even toned recently and have also received comments that it is looking clearer. Might it be the Olay Total Effects, Vitamin C Skin Boost or Eucerin White Solution? I cannot tell. Perhaps its a combination of all 3!
I too can’t tell if my skin is looking any firmer. It certainly isn’t looking any more saggy (not that it usually is) so I can’t tell either.
But what I can say is that the Olay Total Effects moisturizer isn’t wreaking havoc on my skin and is in fact, keeping it nicely moisturized at night in an air-conditioned room. Is my skin looking better? I’d like to think so. But as I said, my recent combination of skincare products seem to be doing the trick so it might just be a combination effect.
I purchased the Normal formula. There are gentle formulas for Sensitive skin and also those with SPF 15 for day use. Personally, I feel that SPF15 isn’t enough for our tropical climate so I’d recommend a higher SPF sunscreen over the moisturizer. It doesn’t say if the Normal formula has SPF (one of the ingredients is zinc oxide and titanium dioxide which is the sunscreen factor, but I don’t know if its present in the whole range or only in the SPF15 range) but since there’s a range called “Normal with SPF15” I’ll take it that the one marked “Normal” has no SPF.
Will I repurchase? At this moment, yes I will and the next time I do, I’ll get the 50g bottle. I still dislike the packaging – the body is opaque so you can’t see the inside and when its finished, and you can’t get at the rest of the cream once the pump stops working. I wonder if Olay could put it in a tube instead? A tube is easier to tote around and easier to use plus being hygienic as well.
The cream has a fragrance which isn’t as strong as I remembered it and which dissipates quickly. I believe there’s a fragrance free formula in the 50g range but we don’t get it here. There also seems to be a Total Effects Night Cream by Olay which is available for RM42.90. I might give that a whirl next time because it felt nice going on the skin. The Olay Total Effect Daily Moisturizer retails for about RM42.90 but goes on sale often. It is available at most pharmacies and even supermarkets.
Pros: Absorbs quickly, moisturises skin well, affordable
Cons: Packaging could be improved
[rating:4/5]
Here’s the ingredient list for the Olay Total Effects Daily Moisturiser for anyone familiar with ingredients:-
Water, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Isosteartate, Polyacrylamide, Zinc Oxide, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Sucrose Polycottonseedate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Stearyl Alcohol, Titanium Dioxide, Dimethiconol, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethyplparaben, Laureth-7, Fragrance, Propylparaben, Disodium EDTA, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylparaben, Oleth 3-Phosphate, Ammonium Polyacrylate, Yellow No. 5, Red No. 40, Vitamin B3, Pro-Vitamin B5, Vitamin E.
I have used this, when it first came out…not this newer version, and I broke out! so I am a bit hesitant to give this a try again, i got a sample of this exact one you have on this post, I may give it a try, a 2nd chance, if I have to guts…let me enjoy my “breakouts free” skin at the moment! hehehe
<b>Nikki : </b>
I know of people who broke out too. I guess skincare does this to us all. What works for one may not work for another!
i tried tht old total effects and i had some break outs too. glad tht it works for u.. and guess what, i think i am really going to get the TBS vitamic C boost!!!
<b>prettybeautiful : </b>
LOL I think I have alligator skin 😛 And Body Shop owes me some commission yes? 😉
hehehehhe…at this rate, Body Shop is going to owe quite a bit! 😀
it has been working fine on my skin for 2 years ++. it’s sufficient on the skin, but it’s not enough to be relied on solely. i guess as u age, one is never enough. hehe. but my skin never breaks out. and yes, it’s well moisturized and hydrated even after sitting in the office for 8 hours direct.
i use this product too and its great… theres another one which is for gentle skin with and without the spf. and i think the one for gentle skin isnt fragranced :). im not too sure about that because the one for gentle skin tht i tested came from australia.
Beetrice: Yep! Maybe we should get them to sponsor our Skin Boost 😉
Ida: I only use it at night and so far its working well. Not bad for something this cheap.
nkp: I’m not sure if the gentle formula here is fragranced but it doesn’t specifically say so.
I don’t use Olay personally, but I may recommend my mom to try this new range after reading your review. I introduced her to Clinique anti-aging firming formula recently, and she’s very happy with that as a night cream, but I might just get her this one for day use. 🙂
I’m really curious to test this out…I really need to replace my Dermalogica moisturizer which is burning a hole in my pocket! May go for the gentle formula though, as I break out easily.
I love the 20g travel size.
i tested this too! A sample i got from cleo a few issues back.
and yes, it’s not oily or sticky like some cream formula. i have combination-oily skin u see 🙂 i think it comes with a formula for oily skin too?
oh, do review when you buy and use the night cream! 😀
plue : I only saw gentle and normal. For me its pretty good stuff! I’ll be sure to review the night one.
Liyana : Unfortunately I don’t love the price tag!
Monstro : Try it and get the sample size if you aren’t sure.
@rinnah: Its quite light though. If your mom has drier skin it might not be sufficient. But as a day cream I suppose it’ll do.
i really like this stuff too. it’s helped lighten my acne scars. i believe it’s the niacinamide, i’ve read that it’s a potent lightening agent but i don’t think that aspect is promoted in the total effects line. it is, however, also the key ingredient in the total white line, which i’ve also used and am happy to report that it’s super cheap and works just as good for acne scars! the diff is that the total effects line is more moisturizing so i prefer it. in a pinch tho i’d still buy the total white.
hi
first time comment here
i have been using olay total effect ever since they launched it! It works wonder on my skin. Seriously. Before this i was a bit dark, but as years go by, i got fairer. My friends and family notice the difference. And also before this my skin was a little bit oily on the T-zone. Now not anymore!! hiiihh No blemishes too! Nice!
My grandmother used the pink Oil of Ulan for so many years and swears by it. Her skin’s fantastic for her age.
I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Total Effects cream. I might just give it a go once my daily moisturiser runs out 🙂
Jooj: For some reason the Total White line (orange packaging right?) did not quite work for me. I bought the trial tube to try and I broke out. I guess I’m back to Total Effects!
Hanis: Yay! Glad its working for you! I’m not noticing any fairness but if I’m any fairer I’d be quite ghostlike lol…
Tine: Don’t our grans know best? 🙂 Some people have reported breakouts so might want to be careful testing this.