Olay Body Skincare Review

While we often spend time and money on facial skincare, it’s important to remember that the skin on the rest of our bodies needs attention too! Today I’d like to talk about skincare for the body and specifically body care products from Olay.

For a drugstore brand, I think Olay does a great job with their facial skincare products, but it has been a while since I’ve tried their body skincare products.

So today, I’ll discuss several Olay products that I’ve added to my body skincare routine in this Olay Body skincare review.

I must admit that the packaging is what first drew me to these products with their pretty pink and gold shades. They are definitely products that I don’t mind displaying.

But what is really important is how they perform. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t repurchase all four products, but I really like two of the four! So let’s start with one of the products that I did like – the body wash!

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Product Name	Key Ingredients	Benefits
Olay Cleansing and Nourishing Body Wash – Vitamin B3 + Hyaluronic Acid	Vitamin B3 (niacinamide), hyaluronic acid, shea butter	Hydrates, nourishes and moisturizes dry skin
Olay Exfoliating Face & Body Powder – Pitaya & Cranberry Seed	Pitaya, cranberry seed	Gently exfoliates, brightens and detoxifies skin
Olay Kaolin Clay Purifying Body Mask	Kaolin clay	Exfoliates, detoxifies skin, controls oiliness
Olay Rinse-Off Body Conditioner	Coconut oil, Vitamin B3 complex	Moisturizes skin without feeling greasy/heavy
Olay Body Milk	Glycerin	Provides 48-hour hydration, perfect for warmer months
Olay Retinol Body Wash and Body Conditioner	Vitamin B3 Complex, retinol, retinyl propionate	Anti-aging, stimulates collagen, improves skin tone/texture, replenishes moisture barrier
Olay Moisturizing Hand Mask	Vitamin B3 Complex, panthenol, meadowfoam seed oil	Improves hydration, reduces wrinkles and fine lines, evens out skin tone
Olay Moisturizing Hand Serum	Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), panthenol	Improves look of dullness, wrinkles, and uneven skin tone/texture, provides non-greasy hydration

But beyond the pump bottle and pretty packaging, the product itself is the real star. This scented body wash is powered with Olay’s Vitamin B3 Complex and hyaluronic acid.

Niacinamide (B3) & Hyaluronic Acid

Niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3, is in this formula and it’s an ingredient often found in skincare products.

Niacinamide regulates oil production, calms the skin, and even works on fine lines and wrinkles. It also hydrates and supports a healthy skin barrier.

Hyaluronic acid locks in moisture to keep your skin feeling hydrated. This body wash also contains shea butter, which is an emollient that moisturizes the skin.

Of course, the thing to remember with body washes is that they get rinsed off, so their benefits only go so far before literally going down the drain!

The scent smells somewhat perfumey to me, yet it’s not too strong for my liking. It hydrates nicely without feeling too heavy and rinses cleanly.

Other varieties in this line of body washes include Olay Cleansing & Brightening Body Wash, formulated with vitamin B3 and vitamin C, and Cleansing and Firming Body Wash, formulated with vitamin B3 and Collagen.

For more on Olay body washes compared to Dove body washes, see my post: Olay vs Dove Body Wash.

Related Post: Olay Retinol 24 Night Serum, Eye Cream & Moisturizer: Skincare Review

Olay Exfoliating Face & Body Powder – Pitaya & Cranberry Seed

I tend to have a hard time finding the right exfoliating body product.

When using salt scrubs and sugar scrubs, they often end up being too oily, too abrasive, or not abrasive enough to slough off dead skin cells on your body.

During this time of the year after a long winter, regardless of how much I moisturize, I always need to exfoliate and to get an even skin tone.

So, needless to say, when I heard about Olay Exfoliating Face & Body Powder I was intrigued. It is formulated with Pitaya & Cranberry Seed to gently exfoliate dry surface skin cells.

Pitaya, also known as dragon fruit, is the fruit of a cactus plant found in the tropics that is high in antioxidants and used to brighten and detoxify the skin.

Cranberry seeds provide a gentle exfoliation and also help detox the skin.

Exfoliating Face & Body Powder Application

The powder is activated by water and turns into a lather. You pour a small amount into your wet hand and work the powder into a lather.

The powder has a fruity perfumey scent and lathers well once water is added.

The nice part about the dry powder is that as long as you make sure the lid is closed, it preserves the powder for your next treatment, and you don’t have to worry about the formula drying out.

This might work well for travel. I would not use this on my face as it seems to be better formulated to be a body product.

When it comes to performance, I don’t think there are enough exfoliating grains in the powder to get a proper exfoliation.

It seemed to cleanse better than it exfoliated. It’s a very light exfoliation, so I would try another body exfoliator before repurchasing this one.

Related Post: Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 Skincare Review

Just like you would use a clay mask on your face, you use this clay mask on your body to purify and remove dry skin. Kaolin clay gently exfoliates and detoxifies the skin and controls oiliness.

I was unsure about this product because, first of all, it’s single-use.

One chance to get it right and see if it works! The instructions are to add water to the line on the inside of the container and mix the clay and water with a spatula to remove all lumps.

You are to apply a thick layer on your skin, focusing on dry areas.

You let it dry for 5 minutes and then peel it off. Afterward, your best bet is to shower to remove any remaining mask.

Kaolin Clay Body Mask Application

I followed the instructions and added water to the sparkly powder. It became a thick gooey mixture pretty quickly, so I did my best to spread it evenly. I applied it to my arms, chest, and legs.

I learned a little too late that you really need to get a thick even layer on the first try otherwise, it gets lumpy.

On areas where it was applied thinly, it turned into a white crust that flaked off my skin.

The areas that it was applied thickly and evenly peeled off in rubbery pieces. Everywhere else flaked off and got all over the place.

I had to use a washcloth to get most of it off. It did not work for me at all. Maybe I did not apply it correctly, but it made a big mess.

I would not repurchase this product. The frustrating application and removal overshadowed any possible benefits that this body mask might have.

It’s unfortunate because I like the idea of this body mask, but the execution did not live up to my expectations.

I have seen this type of product before, and it was never something that I was interested in purchasing. Although I wasn’t convinced about not needing a moisturizer after a shower, I gave it a try.

I must say that I was pleasantly surprised as it was an easy way to add extra moisture to your skin in the shower.

Apply in the Shower After Cleansing, Rinse & Pat Dry

I applied a light layer of this body conditioner after cleansing in the shower. Its thick consistency melted on my skin and easily rinsed off.

I definitely felt a light layer of moisture on my skin, but it did not feel greasy or too heavy. Please note that it does have a light scent.

I use this with a body moisturizer, and I also use it without a moisturizer. Both applications work well.

On days that I don’t apply a moisturizer after this treatment, my skin still feels soft and moisturized all day. The more I use this product, the more I like it!

The one thing that I didn’t like is that it left the shower slippery.

The bottle notes that this product can make surfaces slippery, so please be careful when moving on slick surfaces while using this product.

Please note that this variety has mica in it, which leaves a subtle shimmer on your skin.

Two other varieties of this rinse-off body conditioner are Vitamin B3 Complex + Shea Butter and Vitamin B3 Complex + Vitamin E.

I’m not sure about 48 hours, but if you are looking for a lightweight moisturizer, this is the one. It contains moisturizing glycerin to protect the skin barrier and is fragrance-free.

I think this non-greasy moisturizer is best for warmer months when your skin doesn’t need intense hydration.

You only get 6 oz for the price, so you can probably find a less expensive body moisturizer for the size.

That being said, I really enjoy this during the hot weather in the summer. It absorbs quickly and is non-sticky.

Olay Retinol Body Wash and Body Conditioner

Olay Cleansing & Renewing Nighttime Body Wash With Retinol and Olay Nighttime Rinse-Off Body Conditioner with Retinol are formulated to replenish the skin’s moisture barrier overnight with ingredients found in Olay’s skincare products.

These Olay retinol products contain Olay’s Vitamin B3 Complex, retinol, and retinyl propionate to replenish skin while you sleep.

• Vitamin B3 is also known as niacinamide. Niacinamide has so many benefits for the skin, from regulating oil production to anti-aging benefits. It supports a healthy skin barrier for better hydration. It also can also help lighten pigmentation and has anti-inflammatory properties.
• Retinol, a derivative of vitamin A, is the ultimate over-the-counter anti-ager and helps to stimulate collagen formation and increase cell turnover. It can brighten the skin while minimizing the appearance of pores. Retinol improves skin tone, making it appear firmer and brighter with better clarity. (Over-the-counter retinol products take longer to see results than prescription retinoids.)
• Retinol Propionate is a retinol ester (retinol is attached to propionic acid). I love INCIDecoder’s funny analogy when describing this ingredient by comparing it to the royal family. When compared to retinol, it takes an extra conversion step to be active in the skin. Yet retinyl propionate can provide similar results to retinol but with fewer side effects and irritation.

Since retinol can make your skin sensitive to UV rays, the best time of day to use these two products is in the evening. They are ideal for dry, normal, and combination/oily skin.

Olay Retinol Body Wash Review

When I learned that Olay introduced a body wash with retinol, I quickly placed an order.

The signs of aging can show not only on your face, but also on your body too, so why not use a cleansing product that contains the same anti-aging ingredients used on your face?

Olay Cleansing & Renewing Nighttime Body Wash With Retinol has a soothing and calming fragrance and is easily dispensed with the pump. The body wash has a creamy texture that leaves my skin soft and smooth.

I will continue to use this body wash (especially with the body conditioner below) even if it only provides the most minimal anti-aging benefits since it is a lovely moisturizing and replenishing formula.

NOTE: It is important to remember that even though the active ingredients in this body wash provide fantastic anti-aging benefits for the skin, the body wash is ultimately washed off your skin.

Luckily, there is another Olay retinol body product that lasts longer on your skin and contains similar ingredients….

Olay Nighttime Rinse-Off Body Conditioner with Retinol Review

Olay Nighttime Rinse-Off Body Conditioner with Retinol works overnight to stop dry skin. This in-shower body conditioner is formulated with similar active ingredients to the Olay retinol body wash above.

It contains Olay’s Vitamin B3 Complex, retinol, and retinol propionate (a retinol ester that performs like retinol without many of the undesirable side effects such as redness and irritation).

The difference with this product is that some of it actually stays on your skin. After your normal body cleansing routine, you apply this product on wet skin while still in the shower, then rinse and pat dry.

If I am in a hurry, I will skip the body moisturizer after this, but if my skin is feeling extra dry I will apply a lightweight body moisturizer after using this in the shower.

This lightweight body conditioner leaves my skin so soft, smooth, and hydrated.

I love the fact that niacinamide and retinoids are working on the skin of my body overnight just like these ingredients work on my face.

This one is a keeper, for sure!

NOTE: This product can make surfaces slippery, so please be careful when using this product.

Olay Hand Care Products

Just like the skin on your face and body needs nourishment, your hands also deserve attention.

Olay’s hand care products are formulated with ingredients such as vitamin B3 and panthenol, which help to lock in moisture and hydrate the skin.

The moisturizing gloves are formulated with Olay’s Vitamin B3 Complex.

Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) helps to visibly improve dullness, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and uneven skin tone while strengthening the skin moisture barrier.

Other nourishing ingredients include panthenol (pro-vitamin B-5) which soothes the skin, and meadowfoam seed oil, a lightweight and hydrating oil derived from the meadowfoam plant.

After putting the gloves on, I massaged the serum all over my hands and sat for about 15 minutes, letting them do their magic.

Even though the gloves are plastic, they are soft and comfortable. The gloves are quite large, so they should fit most hands.

After removing the gloves, I massaged the residual serum into my hands for a final boost of hydration.

The result? My hands felt super soft, and my skin was well-hydrated for hours afterward.

This was no doubt an enjoyable pampering experience. Just forcing myself to sit down for 15 minutes helped! Soft, smooth, and hydrated hands were icing on the cake!

The serum is formulated with multi-tasking niacinamide (vitamin B3), which helps to improve the look of dullness, wrinkles, and uneven skin tone and texture.

It is an excellent anti-aging ingredient that can help dry, wrinkly, crepey skin on your hands look smoother.

This fragrance-free hand serum also contains panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) to help moisturize and condition skin, as well as glycerin for extra hydration.

Olay’s Hand Serum is a lightweight and silky hand serum that sinks into your skin quickly and doesn’t leave your hands feeling sticky or greasy.

I’ve been reaching for it during the colder winter months on days when hand cream doesn’t do enough for the dry skin on my hands.

It works well under hand creams, too, without piling, and boosts the look of my hands and manicure.

Olay Body Skincare Routine and Treatments

I really enjoy Olay’s facial care products, and while I’ve tried their body washes in the past, I didn’t know what to expect when it came to body exfoliators, conditioners, and masks.

There aren’t a lot of body exfoliators and masks available at drugstore prices, so I am happy to see body care products getting some exposure from a big brand like Olay.

Unfortunately, the exfoliating powder wasn’t potent enough for a solid exfoliation, and the kaolin clay body mask didn’t work for me at all.

But I really liked the body wash and was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked the body conditioner.

Have you tried any of these Olay bodycare products? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to know!

Thanks for reading!

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