Olay is a drugstore skincare brand loved for its affordable and effective skincare products. Two of its most popular moisturizers are the Collagen Peptide 24 Hydrating Moisturizer and Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream.
Both of these creams come from Olay’s Regenerist line of skincare products and are designed to hydrate and nourish the skin, but each has its own unique ingredients and benefits.
So, when it comes to Olay Collagen Peptide 24 vs Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream, which one is right for you?
![Olay Collagen Peptide 24 vs Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream: both moisturizers side by side.](https://www.abeautyedit.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/olay-regenerist-collagen-peptide-24-max-olay-regenerist-micro-sculpting-cream-fragrance-free-1024x768.jpg.webp)
Here’s a comparison of Olay Collagen Peptide 24 and Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream. We’ll look at product ingredients, texture, price, and benefits to determine how they compare.
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Which Is Better: Olay Regenerist or Olay Collagen Peptide 24?
If you are looking for a more affordable Olay moisturizer, Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream is a great option.
For the highest concentration of anti-aging peptides, your best bet is Olay Collagen Peptide 24 MAX Moisturizer.
Olay Collagen Peptide 24 MAX Moisturizer
Olay Collagen Peptide 24 MAX Hydrating Moisturizer is part of Olay’s Collagen Peptide 24 skincare range, first introduced in the fall of 2020.
Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 MAX products contain 2X the amount of Collagen Peptide compared to base Collagen Peptide 24 products. In this post, I’ll compare the MAX moisturizer to Micro-Sculpting Cream.
The Collagen Peptide 24 MAX Moisturizer is designed to help the skin look firmer and more elastic. The rich cream leaves the skin feeling deeply moisturized and plump.
This Olay moisturizer is all about peptides, which are short chains of amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins like collagen and elastin, which give skin strength and elasticity and help keep skin looking firm and plump.
Olay does a great job of describing peptides by using an analogy comparing your skin to fabric and threads. Here is the paraphrased analogy:
Using Peptides In Your Skincare Routine
Think of your skin like fabric, with the threads of the fabric being proteins. Peptides can be considered the minuscule fiber fragments in each thread (protein).
When we are young, fabric (our skin) is flexible, with resiliency and elasticity. As we age, fabric threads (proteins) break down, and new thread creation slows down.
Adding properly formulated peptides to your skincare routine can help signal to your skin that it needs to create new threads (proteins) for smoother, firmer, and more youthful-looking skin.
Olay Collagen Peptide 24 MAX Hydrating Moisturizer: Key Ingredients
The main active ingredients in the Olay Collagen Peptide 24 MAX Hydrating Moisturizer include:
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4: Olay’s Collagen Peptide is palmitoyl pentapeptide-4. It helps to reduce wrinkles and fine lines and improve skin texture. It is often compared to retinol, but it is a more gentle ingredient that is suitable for sensitive skin.
Palmitoyl DiPeptide-7: Works alongside palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 to help reduce wrinkles and fine lines, improve skin resiliency, and help Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 better penetrate the skin.
Glycerin: A type of alcohol that helps to attract water to the skin and keep it hydrated.
Niacinamide: A form of vitamin B3 that helps to brighten skin and even out the complexion. Niacinamide is found in most Olay products, as it has multiple benefits for the skin. Olay calls it their unicorn for a reason:
Niacinamide can help stimulate collagen production for firmer skin, diminish fine lines and wrinkles, and replenish the skin barrier.
It’s also a favorite of those dealing with acne and oily skin, as it helps reduce acne, balance oil (sebum) production, reduce inflammation, and the look of enlarged pores.
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract: A type of mushroom extract that is a natural moisture-binding ingredient.
Panthenol: Also known as pro-vitamin B5, this active ingredient helps to moisturize and soothe the skin.
The Olay Collagen Peptide 24 MAX moisturizer has a creamy, silky texture that glides on the skin and is quickly absorbed. It leaves skin feeling hydrated and plump without any greasy residue or heavy feeling.
I like to use this moisturizer both day and night, under makeup or on its own.
The moisturizer is fragrance-free, so it’s suitable for those with sensitive skin.
You won’t notice changes overnight, like with a retinol cream, but when used consistently, it can help to smooth the look of wrinkles and fine lines. It also helps reduce dullness for a more radiant complexion.
Like other Olay product lines, Collagen Peptide 24 products come in a cleanser, serum, eye cream, and moisturizer.
The serum, eye cream, and moisturizer are available in original and MAX versions that contain 2X the amount of Collagen Peptide compared to base Collagen Peptide 24 products.
When it comes to Olay Collagen Peptide 24 vs MAX, I like the MAX version much better. It has a richer texture and feels more nourishing on my skin. For a complete review of Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 products, please see this post.
Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream
Reformulated in 2013, Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream, known as “The Red Jar”, is a best-selling Olay moisturizer that has sold over 50 million units over the years.
This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated to reduce the look of wrinkles and fine lines the day you start using it.
Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream: Key Ingredients
This moisturizing cream contains multiple active ingredients to improve the visible signs of aging.
Niacinamide: Also known as Vitamin B3, niacinamide is Olay’s favorite ingredient and, as previously noted, can be found in most Olay products. This ingredient has multiple skin benefits, so it’s not surprising that it is so popular.
Niacinamide brightens, hydrates, improves skin cell turnover to gently exfoliate dead skin cells, balances oil production, and smoothes fine lines and wrinkles.
It also hydrates the skin and helps improve skin conditions like acne and rosacea.
Panthenol: Also known as vitamin B5, panthenol is a powerful humectant that helps to replenish the skin’s moisture barrier.
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide 4: This peptide that Olay calls Collagen Peptide is a shortened form of the protein collagen. It works by supporting the skin’s natural production of collagen to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Sodium Hyaluronate: This salt form of hyaluronic acid helps to attract and hold water in the skin’s surface, resulting in plumper, more hydrated skin.
Micro-Sculpting Cream also contains mica, which is a mineral that reflects light, giving the skin a soft focus effect and blurring imperfections.
This makes the cream ideal for use during the day. Just be sure to follow with sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays.
The moisturizer has a creamy texture that feels luxe on the skin. It sinks into the skin for a plumped, hydrated, and smooth complexion without any stickiness or greasiness.
This anti-aging cream comes in both scented and fragrance-free versions.
Olay Collagen Peptide 24 vs Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream
When it comes to Olay Collagen Peptide 24 vs Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream, which is better? It depends on your skin concerns and skin type.
Both Collagen Peptide 24 and Micro-Sculpting Cream address the visible signs of aging.
While both creams contain Palmitoyl Pentapeptide 4, Olay’s Collagen Peptide, Olay Collagen Peptide 24’s MAX cream contains Olay’s highest concentration of peptides for firmer, smoother skin.
If your main concerns are wrinkles and fine lines, Collagen Peptide 24 MAX products may get you the best results.
Olay Micro-Sculpting Cream has a slightly thicker texture, but both feel deeply nourishing and hydrating on the skin. Micro-Sculpting Cream contains mica, which gives the skin a soft focus effect, making it a great choice to wear during the day, alone or under makeup.
Micro-Sculpting Cream comes with or without fragrance, while Collagen Peptide 24 (both the original version and MAX version) are fragrance-free.
Olay Collagen Peptide 24 MAX Moisturizer is the most expensive, while Collagen Peptide 24 Moisturizer is a few dollars less, and Micro-Sculpting Cream is a few dollars less than the original Collagen Peptide 24 moisturizer. Of course, this is based on Olay website pricing.
You might be able to find them cheaper at stores or on Amazon.
Olay Moisturizer Alternatives
Of course, if Collagen Peptide 24 Moisturizers and Micro-Sculpting Cream don’t appeal to you, Olay offers many other related products to moisturize your skin.
These Olay moisturizers work especially well if you have dehydrated, mature, and aging skin.
They are formulated with actives like retinol, peptides, and vitamin C derivatives that help to improve skin texture, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Olay Retinol 24 MAX Moisturizer
If you are looking for a moisturizer that will provide quick anti-aging results, Olay Retinol 24 MAX Night Hydrating Moisturizer (or the original Olay Retinol 24 Moisturizer) is an excellent choice.
This retinol cream is formulated with Olay’s retinoid complex that contains two retinoids (retinol and retinyl propionate), niacinamide, and palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 to visibly reduce the appearance of wrinkles and even out skin tone.
The MAX version contains 20% more Retinol 24 Hydrating Complex than the original. For more on this moisturizer, please see my Olay Retinol 24 review.
Olay Whip Moisturizer
Olay Whip Moisturizer continues to be one of my favorite everyday moisturizers.
One of the more affordable Olay moisturizers, it has a unique lightweight texture that transforms from cream to liquid on contact, leaving skin soft and smooth.
It is enriched with Olay’s Amino-Peptide Complex II, niacinamide, and sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid) to reduce the look of wrinkles and fine lines while providing a weightless finish.
It leaves a plumped but matte finish on my skin, which I absolutely love. It’s perfect for normal, oily, and combination skin types.
This Olay cream comes in scented, fragrance-free, and SPF 25 versions.
Olay Hyaluronic + Peptide 24 Hydrating Gel Cream
Olay Hyaluronic + Peptide 24 Hydrating Gel Cream is part of Olay’s newest collection that hydrates the skin for up to 24 hours with sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid), niacinamide, and peptides.
The gel formula isn’t sticky or greasy, so it works well as a day moisturizer.
It floods the skin with hydration and leaves it looking plump and healthy.
It’s fragrance-free, lightweight, and feels cooling on the skin.
For more on this collection, please see my Olay Hyaluronic + Peptide 24 review.
Olay Vitamin C + Peptide 24 Moisturizer
Olay Vitamin C + Peptide 24 Moisturizer combines a vitamin C derivative (3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid) with niacinamide, lactic acid, and Olay’s collagen peptide to brighten the skin and provide antioxidant protection.
The lightweight formula has a silky texture that won’t clog pores or cause breakouts. It has a light citrus fragrance. Like Olay’s other moisturizers, it isn’t greasy or sticky.
It feels weightless on the skin and leaves it looking healthy and radiant.
Please see my review for more details on Olay’s vitamin C products.
Olay Niacinamide + Peptide 24 Moisturizer
Olay Niacinamide + Peptide 24 Moisturizer is all about a stronger skin barrier with its luxe, hydrating formula.
The moisturizer focuses on Olay’s favorite ingredient: niacinamide.
As previously noted, niacinamide has so many skin benefits:
- Balances oiliness and improves the appearance of enlarged pores, making it ideal for those with oily and acne-prone skin.
- Fades hyperpigmentation and dark spots, as it interrupts the transfer of pigment from melanocytes to keratinocytes in your skin.
- Increases the production of ceramides for a stronger skin barrier, which helps to keep the skin hydrated and prevent moisture loss.
- Stimulates collagen production for smoother, visibly firm skin.
- Calms inflammation and redness, making it a great choice for those with sensitive skin.
This hydrating moisturizer is also enriched with peptides to help improve the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and skin texture.
Sodium hyaluronate, the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid, and hyaluronic acid work together to increase skin hydration and help retain moisture.
Panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) moisturizes and soothes the skin.
The rich cream has a silky yet lightweight texture that leaves your skin feeling very hydrated. I think this nourishing moisturizer would be ideal for those with dehydrated and dry skin that needs additional hydration.
Please note there is added fragrance in this Olay moisturizer.
When it comes to Olay Niacinamide + Peptide 24 vs Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream, they contain similar active ingredients, but it seems like there is a slightly higher concentration of niacinamide in Olay Niacinamide + Peptide 24.
Also, Olay Niacinamide + Peptide 24 does not contain mica, while Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream does.
Final Thoughts on Olay Collagen Peptide 24 vs Olay Regenerist
If you are looking for an anti-aging Olay moisturizer, Collagen Peptide 24 and Micro-Sculpting Cream are both great options.
They both contain ingredients like niacinamide and peptides to help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
If your focus is the visible signs of aging, Olay Collagen Peptide 24 MAX is probably your best choice since it contains Olay’s highest concentration of peptides that help firm your skin.
Or, you can always choose from Olay’s large selection of daily moisturizers that address the visible signs of aging.
For more on the best Olay anti-aging products, please see my post: Best Olay Products For Your 40s And Beyond.
Thanks for reading!
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Pam Calandra
Wednesday 28th of December 2022
Can you use OLAY Regenerist 24 at night and then OLAY Regenerist micro sculpting cream for daytime?
sulari
Tuesday 25th of April 2023
Hi can you use Olay regenerist collagen peptide 24 Max day time and then Olay Niacinamide + peptide 24 night time ?
Sarah
Tuesday 17th of January 2023
Olay Micro Sculpting Cream is a good choice for daytime wear, since it contains mica, which gives you a bit of a glow. All retinol products should be used at night, including Olay Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer. Thanks!