Olay Regenerist Serum is a silky, ultra-lightweight gel serum that is said to regenerate surface cells while restoring skin’s elasticity. The serum penetrates the skin quickly and is designed to deliver moisturizing ingredients 10 layers deep into the skin surface. According to the brand, Olay Regenerist Serum will improve skin’s firmness after just 4 weeks while also reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. In this review, we’ll discuss the key ingredients in this serum, how to use it, Olay Regenerist Serum reviews from real customers, and more.
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What’s Inside Olay Regenerist Serum?
In order to determine if the Olay Regenerist Serum can provide all of the benefits we mentioned above, we must evaluate the key ingredients in the formula. The key ingredients in the Olay Regenerist formula include niacinamide, panthenol, peptides, and vitamin E.
Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
If you’ve read any of our Olay reviews, you know that Olay loves to use niacinamide in nearly all of their skin care products. Not surprisingly, niacinamide is a key ingredient found in Olay Regenerist Serum.
Niacinamide is the amide form of vitamin B3 (niacin) that functions as a potent antioxidant.
Antioxidants help the skin combat free radicals, the unstable molecules that contribute to the formation of premature wrinkles and fine lines on the skin.
In addition to functioning as an antioxidant, niacinamide provides many more benefits to the skin. For example, a publication in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, states that niacinamide can repair the skin barrier and improve skin moisture, as well as reduce inflammation, blotchiness, hyperpigmentation, acne, and wrinkling.
Panthenol (Provitamin B5)
Another B vitamin in the Olay Regenerist Serum is panthenol (provitamin B5). Panthenol is a highly effective humectant, which means it has a molecular structure with several hydrophilic (water loving) groups. This structure allows humectants to attract and retain the moisture in the air nearby via absorption, drawing the water vapor into or beneath the surface of the skin. In addition to improving skin hydration, humectants like panthenol can help give the skin a more plump appearance.
Peptides
As you age, your body’s production of collagen and elastin slows down. These two proteins are responsible for your skin’s structural support. As a result, the skin loses its natural plumpness and smoothness.
While collagen is necessary for maintaining youthful-looking skin, the collagen protein is too large to absorb into the skin topically. That’s why applying skin care products that contain collagen won’t provide the anti-aging benefits you’re looking for.
This is where peptides come into action. Peptides are the building blocks of protein, and they are easily absorbed into the deeper layers of skin due to their smaller size.
Olay Regenerist Serum contains palmitoyl pentapeptide-4, a type of matrikine. Matrikines are messenger peptides that regulate cell activities through cell signaling. For example, when the collagen protein is degraded, matrikines send signals to fibroblasts to produce new collagen.
Since matrikines have the ability to increase the production of collagen, elastin, and other macromolecules in the ECM, synthetic peptides like palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 have been created to mimic these effects.
Thus, the inclusion of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in the Olay Regenerist Serum means you may notice an improvement in skin firmness.
If you’re looking for a peptide serum, we recommend Carrot & Stick The Repair Serum. It contains 7 plant-based peptides to promote plumper and smoother-looking skin. It also has skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.
Vitamin E
Tocopheryl acetate is a form of vitamin E used in the Olay Regenerist Serum formula that provides powerful antioxidant properties and natural skin-conditioning effects. Vitamin E is the major lipid soluble antioxidant in skin.
As an antioxidant, vitamin E has the ability to stop harmful free radicals right in their tracks, which is important because free radicals contribute to signs of aging, damaged cells, and mutated DNA.
According to a 2016 publication in Dermatology News by Dr. Leslie Baumann, MD, vitamin E can protect the skin from both acute UV-induced damage as well as responses to chronic UVA and UVB exposure, including skin wrinkling and skin cancer.
In addition to functioning as an antioxidant, vitamin E can help the skin retain moisture by strengthening the skin’s barrier function.
Silicones
Lastly, we’d like to point out that the Olay Regenerist Serum contains a high concentration of several different types of silicones, such as dimethicone, dimethicone crosspolymer, and polymethylsilsesquioxane.
Silicones improve the spreadability of a product and impart a silky, smooth skin feel. In addition, silicones function as film-forming agents by forming an invisible film on the surface of the skin that helps the skin to retain moisture.
However, those with acne-prone skin may want to avoid products with high concentrations of silicones because these ingredients can act as a barrier and trap oil, dirt, and dead skin cells, making acne worse.
That’s why we recommend Carrot & Stick The Moisturizer. It contains vegetable silicones, a natural alternative to conventional silicones that can irritate skin or cause breakouts. Plus, the formula delivers multi-level hydration thanks to potent plant proteins, vitamins, peptides and amino-collagen, plus a plant-based stem cell extract from hardy alpine roses.
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How to use Olay Regenerist Serum
After cleansing, apply Olay Regenerist Serum to your entire face and neck, morning and night.
Where is Olay Regenerist Serum sold?
Olay Regenerist Serum and other Olay skin care products are sold on the brand’s website, as well as third party ecommerce websites such as Amazon, eBay, Ulta, and more. You can also purchase Olay skin care products from drug stores like Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Target, and more.
What is the Olay return policy?
The Olay return policy states, “You will be responsible for the shipping charges to return the item(s). To obtain your refund, the item must be returned to us, unopened and in its original packaging, with all accessories, within 30 days of the date upon which we provided the item to the carrier for shipment to you.”
Is Olay cruelty free?
Olay is not cruelty free. Olay is owned by Procter & Gamble, a company that tests on animals.
Olay Regenerist Serum reviews
Olay Regenerist Serum reviews on the brand’s website are a mix of positive and negative, with the product receiving an average rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars. There are many positive reviews for this serum that report it has a very nice silky texture that absorbs into the skin quickly. There are also quite a few Olay Regenerist Serum reviews that confirm this serum does provide noticeable results.
One very positive Olay Regenerist Serum review says, “I started using this product when it first went on the shelf and I am in my fifties and I can easily pass for my early thirties.
I know good genes help but from the time I started using it and the total effects daily moisturizer all those tiny wrinkles disappeared and even better the deep lines they haven’t appeared. I don’t have droopy skin in the neck and my skin remains smooth and supple.”
There are some negative Olay Regenerist Serum reviews from customers who were upset that Olay made changes to this formula. For example, one review from a long-time customer says, “My mom and I have used and recommend this product for over 8 years. This new formula is not working for me at all. Now I have no clue what product line to use, because I will not be purchasing this new formula. Wish I could insert a picture of my skin… I’ve always received compliments over the year and swore by this product as well as the daily facial cloth. I am disappointed, why change something if it’s not broken.”
What are some alternatives to Olay Regenerist Serum?
If you’re looking for skincare products to address the signs of aging, we recommend Carrot & Stick. Carrot & Stick maximizes the use of powerful ingredients and minimizes the use of superficial ones, resulting in advanced skincare solutions that help promote healthy, more youthful-looking skin. We recommend this serum.
References:
1. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2010 Feb; 3(2): 22–41
2. Dermatology News “Updated on Vitamin E” August 2016 Leslie S. Baumann, MD
