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.
leong sook ping says
i am staying at johor bahru where can i find total effect olay counter at the nearest shopping????
ParisB says
Look in pharmacies or supermarkets. Wherever Olay is sold.
sonam says
i m 22y.. can i use this olay toal effects 7…. n plz tell me when to use it
Ashwini says
Hi,
This is a great product…rather the only product which suits my skin….All the other product which I have used before olay have given me only rashes and break outs…..But this product has worked wonders on me and yes I would recommend this to people who have sensitive skin…..
glenda mendoza says
I experienced itchiness and rashes everytime i used olay total effect, so i stopped… but since i want to use the product, i tried using it again after quite sometime, but then again, the rashes and itcheness came back…. kaya i stopped using it again.. why is that?…pls help .thanks
ParisB says
You maybe allergic to the ingredients. It happens so best to stop using it.
rose says
Hi, iam 22 years old from Philippines. I am a working gurl no time for facial. At my early age like 16-19 years old i have a lot of pimples that keeps me comming back to dermatologist for facial from time to time. I have notice that I have dark scars from facial. is olay total effects 7-in anti ageing cream blemish/prone oily is suitable for me?
ParisB says
I’m afraid I won’t know Rose. I’m not aware of a blemish prone line for this range.
Sherry says
My mom love using olay
alia says
hi.thanks Paris on ur review.aftr i read on ur experiment.i’ve decided to purchase body shop skin boost+olay total effect last 2 weeks ago [which they had a sale on it].it’s really works on me,my skin become more radiant,skin tone in balance,n e most important my oily skin face reduce.even my pimples scar started goes of day by day.i’m happy that i had found a prouduct which is suit for me.thanks,again.
kikaysikat says
now im not sure if i would get the anti aging from ponds or from this one
divya thakur says
what is the minimum age to start using olay 7 in 1 anti aging cream?
Reena says
Olay is good to use 🙂
Sha says
i bought olay and im on my 6th day. can it fade acne scar?
mamta says
i am 40 year old women and i am using olay 7 effect since one year and now i have some white patches on my face which has occured since two days. i am using this cream regularly. please advise me.. is it because i am using it for a long time ? should i chance to another? which cream will be the best to avoid such patches.
azalia says
Hello, i would like to share my experience with olay products. I have used olay total effects normal spf15 and it used to work wonderfully and people say i look young and my skin looks nice. Recently the supposed-to-be same product with a new branding “olay total effects normal day cream” has damaged my skin – it has turned very dry and not as smooth as before. Every night i use another product -the pink olay moisturizer as usual to help reduce the dryness and it helps a little. But i wonder what has gone wrong with the day cream? My friends are also complaining of the same problem. HELP!! Please enlighten me of what i should do…
Ritika says
Wts the right time to use olay’s anti ageing cream, recently bought one. I wud apply a skin lightening cream prior to this b4 applying foundation while go to work. but suddenly there was a dramatic change in my skin tone that i cudn’t withstand since this lightening cream’s new version was a complete disaster n made my complexion dull. Then my hunt started for an alternate base cream/moisturizer. after much confusion to choose from hell lot of products i picked Olay. But at the same time i am in a dilemma whether to apply it b4 hitting the bed or soon b4 the application of foundation in the morning..?????
Pls help me with your valuable suggestion.
Kind regards,
Your’s sincere customer
Kelley says
Not bad for something this cheap??? It’s carcinogenic and very harmful. It doesn’t contain one good ingredient. Ugh.
Jbroad says
I have used this product for years and love it. I ‘m a natural redhead and it’s the only cream that does not make me break out. As for the packaging, on a couple of occasions I broke open the plastic pump to use up the remainders after the pump stopped and was surprised to find not a single drop left in the jar! So, much less waste than a tube. Finally, I’m getting up there in years and even doctors say they thought I was much younger. Other oil of Olay products I have used have been equally good. I know it sounds like I’m exaggerating but nope – for me this product is great!
Ewa says
Hi,
My name is Ewa I live in Ireland but I am Polish. I came across your blog by accident and… I love it 🙂 Your opinions are reliable and written in ‘human language’ not in the strange scientific one then after reading you know as little as before it. All the best :)Ewa
P.s. I am not a contributor I just tick it to prove my message is not a spam.
Paris B says
Hi Ewa, thanks for leaving a comment! I truly appreciate it and I hope to see you around the comment box in future posts 🙂
nav goraya says
is olay total skin effect is useful for 24 year age?
samia says
Hi im Samia.now im 27/28 yrs Old .can i use This .because its anti aging cream .
babli ray says
i have brown spot on my skin many years. i used OLAY TOTAL ANTIAGEGING DAY CREAM SPF15. there are brown spot on my face have some fade. i am so happy. so many product i have used but no result. but olay is wonderful.