
1 of 2 advertised claims delivered
This product offers broad spectrum sun protection, but it is weak. We recommend to use a broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30.
This product can be considered "reef safe" because it does not contain the UV filters (oxybenzone and octinoxate) that can be harmful to coral reefs when present in the water in high concentrations.
“Olay Total Effects 7 in One Day Cream Gentle is a daily facial cream that provides 7 anti-ageing benefits in 1, plus SPF 15 to help protect against sun exposure, the #1 cause of premature visible ageing.”
This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains niacinamide.
Keep in mind that it typically takes at least 6 weeks to notice any results because the changes that are needed to improve fine lines and elasticity happen in the deeper layers of the skin. No topical anti-aging product can “erase” wrinkles or fully reverse signs of aging.
This product contains good ingredients to attract water to the upper layer of the skin. These ingredients are called "humectants": glycerin, sucrose.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from within deeper layers of the skin. If the air is dry, humectants can speed up the moisture loss from the skin. This is why it is a good idea to use another product on top of this one to help "seal in" the moisture (look for ingredients like dimethicone, squalane, oils and butters).
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: niacinamide, panthenol
This product can help reduce breakouts and clogged pores because it contains the following ingredient: niacinamide. This ingredient is used for treating acne and can have a noticeable effect.
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: niacinamide
Keep in mind that you would need to apply any topical skincare targetted at hypigmentation consistently for a couple of months to get a result. No topical skincare product can help get rid of hyperpigmentation (including post-acne marks and age spots) instantly.
This product can also help with skin tone because it offers sun protection. Sun damage is the main factor causing age spots, darkening of post-acne marks and other discolorations. This is why sun protection is the best strategy for maintaining an even skin tone. We, however, do not recommend using this product as a sunscreen because the protection it offers is not strong enough).


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One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
More about GlycerinIs proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
More about NiacinamideOctisalate. A UV filter. It offers some protection against the sun rays that cause sunburn (UVB), but does not protect against the most aging sun rays (UVA). It loses its effectiveness quickly when exposed to sunlight. It is an organic, or so called "chemical" sunscreen
More about Ethylhexyl salicylateAvobenzone. An organic, or so-called "chemical" UV filter. Protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Needs to be combined with other filters in a formulation to be stable.
More about Butyl methoxydibenzoylmethaneAn emollient that helps soften the skin
More about Isopropyl isostearateA weak sunscreen that protects against the sun rays that cause sunburn (UVB) and is somewhat effective against the UVA rays. It is quite stable and can help stabilize other, more vulnerable, sunscreen ingredients like Avobenzone. It is an organic, or so called "chemical" sunscreen
More about OctocryleneHelps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can help improve skin barrier function
More about PanthenolEnsulizole. A UV filter that is effective against UVB rays. Does not protect against UVA light. It is photostable and can be used to help stabilize other sunscreen ingredients. It is water-soluble meaning that it can help create lighter sunscreen formulations
More about Phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acidUsed to improve product texture and help oil and water mix together
More about PolyacrylamideUsed to adjust pH of the product and can help improve the product's smell
More about TriethanolamineAn emollient that helps soften the skin
More about Stearyl alcoholA more stable but less bio-available form of vitamin E compared to Tocopherol. Might help moisturize and protect the skin from free radicals, but mostly used in low concentrations to stabilize other ingredients.
More about Tocopheryl acetateHelps soften the upper layer of the skin, dissolve other ingredients and create a thicker product consistency
More about C13-14 isoparaffinA preservative. Can be used to mask unpleasant smell. Can be irritating
More about Benzyl alcoholA non-drying alcohol that works to soften the skin and stabilize product formulations helping oil and water mix together
More about Cetyl alcoholWorks as a UV filter when used in high concentrations. It is photostable and is effective mostly against the UVB light, with some protection in the UVA range. In small concentrations, used for its ability to improve the color of cosmetic products. Is usually well tolerated by the skin
More about Titanium dioxideNon-drying alcohol that helps water and oil mix together. Also serves as an emollient
More about Behenyl alcoholCan help attract water to the upper layer of the skin. In crystal form, it can work as a gentle exfoliant, gentler than the salt scrub. Helps stabilize the emulsion
More about SucroseHelps oil and water mix together and works as an emollient
More about Stearic acidA broad spectrum sunblock (protects from both UVA and UVB rays). Is suitable for most sensitive skins. In small concentrations, can be used as a colorant
More about Zinc oxideCan contain potent anti-oxidant compounds (abbreviated ECG, GCG, EGC, and EGCG) that might help protect the skin from free radicals. Can help calm down inflammation and has some anti-bacterial properties. Unfortunately, these antioxidants are unstable and lose their effectiveness very quickly in products. The concentration of the antioxidant compounds in the extract also tends to be low to be effective in topical formulation
More about Camellia sinensis leaf extractA type of silicone that helps oil and water mix well together. Helps to disperse other ingredients, e.g. pigments, evenly in a formulation
More about TriethoxycaprylylsilaneHelps create a thicker or gel-like product texture. It is not a surfactant but can be used in gentle cleansing formulations
More about CarbomerA non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
More about Cetearyl alcoholHelps water and oil in the product mix well together and improves product texture
More about Cetearyl glucosideHelps oil and water mix togehter and creates a nice product texture
More about Peg-100 stearateA stable derivative of vitamin C. It is oil-soluble which means it is more likely to penetrate the skin compared to the pure form of vitamin C (which is water-soluble), but it is less bio-available and is way less effective in stimulating collagen and reducing wrinkles compared to the pure form of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) and its other derivatives (for example, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate). At the same time, this vitamin C derivative has been shown in studies to be effective in reducing acne, blemishes and clogged pores. It is less irritating then the pure form of vitamin C
More about Sodium ascorbyl phosphateWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Ethylhexyl salicylate, Butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, Isopropyl isostearate, Octocrylene, Panthenol, Phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid, Polyacrylamide, Triethanolamine, Stearyl alcohol, Tocopheryl acetate, C13-14 isoparaffin, Benzyl alcohol, Ptfe, Cetyl alcohol, Titanium dioxide, Behenyl alcohol, Sucrose, Disodium edta, Bht, Stearic acid, Zinc oxide, Iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, Camellia sinensis leaf extract, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Sucrose polycottonseedate, Methylparaben, Carbomer, Ethylparaben, Laureth-7, Propylparaben, Cetearyl alcohol, Cetearyl glucoside, Peg-100 stearate, Sodium ascorbyl phosphate
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Match % combines shared ingredients, the first five ingredients, shared actives and hero ingredients, irritancy (lower counts in the alternative's favour), texture and body area. Only products in the same routine step are compared.
| OlayTotal Effects Gentle SPFYOUR PRODUCT | OlazRegenerist Regenerating Day Cream SPF 15 | BaleaNiacinamide Tagescreme LSF30 | grüumskyda Daily Defence Face Lotion SPF50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | — | 97% | 93% | 88% |
| Price | $40.99 | — | — | $11.90−$29.09 |
| Shared key ingredients | — | 8 of 10 | 5 of 10 | 7 of 10 |
| Key difference | — | Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 | Uvinul T | Dimethicone |
| Irritancy | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
| SPF | SPF 15 | SPF 15 | SPF 30 | SPF 50 |
| Drying alcohol | — | — | — | — |
| View product | Shop | Shop | Shop |
"Olay - Total Effects Gentle SPF" "is a broad spectrum sunscreen meaning that it protects both from UVB rays (" burning "- they cause sunburn) and UVA rays (" aging "- they don't cause sunburn but lead to premature aging and pigmentation issues). However, this moisturizer does not offer enough sun protection. We recommend to use a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 daily.
Its formula is also hydrating, so you might not need an additional moistruizer during the day. Like all broad-spectrum sunscreens, this product helps prevent early signs of aging.
This sunscreen uses so-called" chemical ", or organic UV filters (organic simply means that their molecules contain atoms of carbon). These filters typically give good sun protection and rarely leave a white cast, but they can be irritating for sensitive skin. The UV filters in this sunscreen are: avobenzone 3.00% - 3.70%, octisalate 3.40% - 4.20%, octocrylene 2.10% - 2.50% and ensulizole 1.70% - 2.10%.
There are some common irritants in this product, including ingredients that do not have benefits for the skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be medium. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here
You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.
The product retails for 16.50A$ in Australia and for 63.00$ in the United States.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 20 studies and safety reviews.
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