This gentle retinol formula wins praise for its stable, well-tested formulation and thoughtful ingredient pairing, the niacinamide and peptides help minimize irritation while the retinol works on fine lines and texture. Most gurus rate it a smart first retinoid for sensitive or mature skin, though a few note the retinol concentration is undisclosed and some flag questionable ingredients like a comedogenic preservative, meaning patch-testing matters if you have reactive skin. The value proposition is strong for the price, though a couple of experts point out that stronger retinoid forms exist if you're ready to move past retinol itself.
Synthesized from 13 expert reviews · most recent take October 2026
"It's been tried and true and a lot of my patients love it. It's very gentle, has no fragrance, no dyes, and it's also with a moisturizer, so it's not too drying and people tolerate it well. [...] You have the niacinamide to help brighten the skin and support the skin barrier, a triple peptide blend to help with firming and cell-to-cell adhesion, plus the signal to increase collagen production, and the retinol that's going to boost collagen."
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"Some people are like, 'Oh, the Olay retinol is already so moisturizing itself.' Yes, you might get away with just that alone, but I think a thin layer of moisturizer over it will make me feel better, in terms of preventing you from getting an irritant contact dermatitis."
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"If you're more mature skin I like Olay's retinol because it has peptide that will also help boost collagen as well as niacinamide which will help soothe and repair the skin barrier. It might brighten the skin. So I like Olay a lot."
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"Some things you can consider with a peptide in it to help boost collagen further would be Olay Regenerist Retinol 24."
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"Olay Retinol 24 is nice because it has niacinamide and has peptides. Peptides are great because it's cell signaling and can tell your skin to make more collagen."
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"Another nice option is Olay's retinol. This is quite gentle for beginners. It has niacinamide which brightens the skin, regulates sebum and you have peptides to help boost collagen along with retinol. This one also is fragrance-free and again very gentle for those who are beginners."
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"If that's too harsh this winter you might want to consider something over the counter wise like retinol. You could alter your tretinoin with say Olay Retinol 24. That one is very gentle."
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"I like Olay Retinol 24. Retinol has been shown in studies and definitely evidence backed where you can see it improve collagen production in the dermis. An over-the-counter retinol can still be irritating but less so because less potent."
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"For those in their 30s and up you want to have efficient skin care. I like peptides in my retinoids like say Olay Regenerist Retinol 24. Their retinol has peptides."
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"For beginners, Olay Retinol 24 is a good option to start with when using a retinoid."
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"Olay will put it in their retinol 24. It's all great to have niacinamide in low concentrations because in the studies they show that for it to work in regulating sebum, repairing the skin barrier, maybe brightening the skin, it's only four to five percent concentrations."
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"We talk a lot about these really fun products like Olay retinol. [...] There are times when we have trouble with the skin irritation that comes with it."
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"Retinol is strong for helping with fine lines and wrinkles. [...] It's very gentle. You can find it over the counter, so it's very accessible. Olay [...] can range from 0.25% to 1% retinol, which is quite potent in the grand scheme of things. [...] Retinol is your beginner choice for anti-aging. So, you know, late 20s and up, maybe mid-20s."
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"Olay Retinol 24 has niacinamide, peptide complex and your retinol so this is very gentle. Just a pea-size amount is all you need to treat your whole face. It seems like not enough but I promise it's enough. [...] Olay Retinol 24 has made a nice serum. If you have never tried a retinol at all go for something gentler like Olay Retinol 24."
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"This has the niacinamide and the peptide in it to help. If you're in your mid-30s, 40s and up and you want peptides and retinol, they both work on boosting collagen and you've got your niacinamide to help brighten your skin. So this is a nice one here. Just a small amount goes a long way. [...] If you keep opening up the jar you could oxidize the product and it's less potent over time."
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"A lot of these you know 9 out of tens like Olay retinal 24 CeraVe resurfacing those are all nine out of tens I'd say but 10 out of 10 here this is a special one"
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"I bought the Olay Retinol 24, all great options. Be sure to moisturize after using your retinol. I usually recommend applying that at bedtime because a lot of retinoids are sensitive to sunlight and can become unstable and deactivate in sunlight."
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"Olay Retinol 24 is an over-the-counter option you can get at your local drugstore. It feels so much nicer compared to some other retinols that felt too oily and greasy on my skin."
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"Olay Retinol 24 is another one that we've talked about on the channel quite a bit. [...] These are gentle. I've been using these for quite some time. [...] I like to talk about products with a good track record, works well for those with sensitive skin and you're not going to break the bank when it comes to retinoids."
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"Olay retinol 24 has made a nice retinol. They have the 0.3% or the 1% retinol."
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"It has niacinamide to help brighten the skin, helps regulate sebum production, has peptides in it. Peptides we all love because it helps with increasing collagen production, works on fine lines and wrinkles. You got a gentle retinol that's in a nice moisturizing cream. People don't like the jar at times because when you open it you're allowing oxygen to come in contact with the product, which could decrease the potency. And also fingers, so having your dirty fingers go in."
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"If you want to do a gentler form of retinoid, there's retinol that you find over the counter. You can do Olay, their retinol 24 cream, their serum, their max is going to be probably still gentle."
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"Neutrogena Olay and a ton of other retinols of various strengths that you can consider"
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"There are people like other dermatologists I know who can't ever tolerate a retinoid and they have to do an over-the-counter retinol like Olay [...] Retinol. They have to stick with that, something more gentle, less potent, to tolerate it once a night or every other night."
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"Over the counter retinol, like Olay, [...] is one of my favorites for sure."
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"Olay Retinol 24 has niacinamide in it. [...] You're not missing out on anything if you have some nice niacinamide mixed in. You don't need that dedicated niacinamide serum."
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"The Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 has niacinamide in it and then peptides as well. I love retinols with vitamin B3 in it, niacinamide."
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"Olay Retinol 24 has peptides and niacinamide that will really help with firmness by increasing cell-to-cell adhesion and help boost collagen production. You also have the brightening effects of niacinamide, really nice thing to apply at night where you don't necessarily need a moisturizer over your retinoid when it comes to that particular product."
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"Some nice ones you can consider with niacinamide combined into it, which I'm okay with, I love niacinamide, don't get me wrong, [...] but you can consider Olay Retinol 24 that has niacinamide in it as a good over-the-counter option."
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"It's been tried and true and a lot of my patients love it. It's very gentle, has no fragrance, no dyes, and it's also with a moisturizer, so it's not too drying and people tolerate it well. [...] You have the niacinamide to help brighten the skin and support the skin barrier, a triple peptide blend to help with firming and cell-to-cell adhesion, plus the signal to increase collagen production, and the retinol that's going to boost collagen."
"Olay has great gentle options for drugstore retinol."
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"Olay is a classic one you can find over the counter their red jar as well as their retinol all contain the active ingredients plus matrixol or the palmetto pentapeptide that helps with skin rejuvenation."
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"I really love this one because you get more than just the retinol but also with the peptide that works synergistically and helping to tackle signs of skin aging and then along with niacinamide that will do the same while at the same time helping to reduce irritation and soothing the skin."
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"The same reel from the purple line from the skin renewing line I would not recommend using around the eyes just because it's a little creamier formula and if you're prone to milia I think you may want to steer away from something it's slightly too rich and nourishing"
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"Olay, their retinol 24, Neutrogena's retinol either the serum or the cream are very gentle. The cream is a really great one if you have extra drying sensitive skin, it's very nourishing and you can kind of put a moisturizer on top of that if you need."
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"Olay has great gentle options for drugstore retinol."
"This is the one I would recommend getting if you're into retinol because their retinol is very good. This is fragrance-free. It does have niacinamide, so if you're sensitive, you know, find another retinol. [...] I think this is a very moisturizing cream, and Procter & Gamble, they do extensive R&D. I've been behind the scenes with them and seen what they do, and it's legit. They're legit doing a lot of R&D back there. So this is a good formula. [...] I've used it. I've tried it."
"Their retinols are generally speaking quite good. Very stable formulas, good R&D. I've visited the Proctor and Gamble facilities. I've seen where they actually do penetration and testing for getting into the skin of their retinol and their niacinamide. They really put it through quite a bit of testing that is quite impressive. [...] Here at Costco, you get the two jars for $44.99. That's $13.23 an ounce, which is excellent. It's not on sale, but it is definitely quite good."
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"The retinol 24 I don't remember ever seeing this 10.99 that's a pretty good value whether or not the retinol ends up doing much hard to say."
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"This retinol from them is also a great option."
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"This is a very effective retinol, well formulated, with lots of R&D. [...] I went to Procter and Gamble's R&D facilities [...] and saw the level of testing they put their products through, not just for the retinol but for the niacinamide as well, which is probably why people who think they don't get along with niacinamide don't have a problem with Olay products, [...] because they go above and beyond [...] getting an effective niacinamide formulation with good penetration."
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"This is a good option for retinol, it also has peptides in it. [...] I've tried this micro sculpting cream before, it is not too bad, though this one has fragrance."
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"This is the one I would recommend getting if you're into retinol because their retinol is very good. This is fragrance-free. It does have niacinamide, so if you're sensitive, you know, find another retinol. [...] I think this is a very moisturizing cream, and Procter & Gamble, they do extensive R&D. I've been behind the scenes with them and seen what they do, and it's legit. They're legit doing a lot of R&D back there. So this is a good formula. [...] I've used it. I've tried it."
"The Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Hour Night Moisturizer [...] is a light cream that hydrates skin without feeling too thick, without leaving any greasy residue. It combines that hydration with a gentle retinoid blend to help improve fine lines, texture, and dullness overnight. There's no irritation with it because it's very gently formulated. It hydrates deeply while also promoting that smoother, brighter skin over time."
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"The Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Hour Night Moisturizer [...] is a light cream that hydrates skin without feeling too thick, without leaving any greasy residue. It combines that hydration with a gentle retinoid blend to help improve fine lines, texture, and dullness overnight. There's no irritation with it because it's very gently formulated. It hydrates deeply while also promoting that smoother, brighter skin over time."
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"The Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer is nighttime only. It does have that retinol 24, which is a light cream that hydrates skin without feeling too thick or leaving a greasy residue. It combines that hydration with a gentle retinoid blend to help improve the fine lines, texture, and dullness overnight without the irritation that's often associated with retinol use, especially in that mature skin. It hydrates deeply while also promoting that smoother, brighter skin over time."
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"This is a dermatologist favorite drugstore option for introducing retinol into your routine. It has this blend of retinol and retinyl propionate which provides both immediate and gradual vitamin activity for steady results with low irritation. The formula is completely fragrance-free, non-greasy and deeply hydrating making it really great pick for really dry or sensitive skin. The key ingredients here are the retinol and retinyl propionate."
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"It hydrates deeply while promoting stronger, brighter skin over time, but also provides that hydration in addition to the retinol. So it's perfect for dry, dull, or mature skin, or if you're just looking for a moisturizer and a retinol for a beginner type of anti-aging moisturizer that has it all in one. If you want to start your retinol, you want to start your moisturizer, but you're not looking for an extra step, this is your product. The key ingredients here are the retinol complex."
"I would go with the Olay one because it's got the more interesting ingredient combination, the niacinamide, the peptide. Biased by the internal studies and the fact that it's kind of like a derm favorite with a lot of studies, I would say [...] that I agree with that assessment."
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"I would go with the Olay one because it's got the more interesting ingredient combination, the niacinamide, the peptide. Biased by the internal studies and the fact that it's kind of like a derm favorite with a lot of studies, I would say [...] that I agree with that assessment."
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"This is really a great product. They come in a fragranced one and a fragrance free option, go with the fragrance free one because it has the same effective ingredients that the fragrance one does with the reduced risk of irritation and allergy. [...] You can [...] actually skip your moisturizing step if you use this, so cleanse, apply this at night, go to sleep."
"They put in laurith 4 which is five out of five on the comedogenic scale and five out of five on the irritency scale which is again very odd because why would you do that with retinol. They also put in DMDM hydroin which is a formaldehyde releasing preservative which I really don't like for anyone. Actually I have no idea why they chose this one. So overall, I'm not loving this formula."
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"They put in laurith 4 which is five out of five on the comedogenic scale and five out of five on the irritency scale which is again very odd because why would you do that with retinol. They also put in DMDM hydroin which is a formaldehyde releasing preservative which I really don't like for anyone. Actually I have no idea why they chose this one. So overall, I'm not loving this formula."
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"They put in Laureth 4 which is five out of five on the comedogenic scale and five out of five on the irritancy scale, which is very odd because why would you do that with retinol. They also put in DMDM Hydantoin, which is a formaldehyde-releasing preservative, which I really don't like for anyone. I have no idea why they chose this one. Overall, I'm not loving this formula."
"If you look at some of the big name brands such as Olay, you might look at Rock, some of the big retinol market shareholders, they'll never tell you what percentage they're actually using. And this is really a shame. That's because we need to know what percentage so we can match it to our individual level of skin sensitivity. If you have a resilient skin type, you can go for something with a higher strength in order to get the best results."
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"If you look at some of the big name brands such as Olay, you might look at Rock, some of the big retinol market shareholders, they'll never tell you what percentage they're actually using. And this is really a shame. That's because we need to know what percentage so we can match it to our individual level of skin sensitivity. If you have a resilient skin type, you can go for something with a higher strength in order to get the best results."
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"It's a proprietary blend, like a trade secret. We're not telling anyone about the percentage that we have. That to me is a huge, huge red flag because if a brand won't be transparent about what percentages are actually in their product that we're putting on our skin, usually that's a sign that they've got something to hide. [...] For a big brand like this to be promoting a bestselling product and not being transparent, I always felt like we as consumers should expect more."
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"The key issue I have with this is they don't disclose what the percentage is in terms of the active ingredient. For some people that's not a deal breaker but for me who's been using retinol for quite some time I kind of need to know what strength it is. I reached out to them and they wouldn't say, they said it's their proprietary blend, which is honestly utter garbage. When a brand tells you that they're just being secretive."
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"Should we still be using products like this the Olay regenerate retinol cream"
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"I really hated it. It's very heavily fragranced for a start, and they do do a fragrance-free version so look out for that one if you want to get around that. They don't disclose what the percentage of the retinol is. I suspect it's very low, otherwise they would tell us. They also are just not particularly great. I emailed them asking can you just let me know what the percentages are and they said no. [...] It's also really expensive. Here in the UK it's like 45 pounds for a jar."
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"The Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer doesn't actually tell you the percentage in there. We can take an educated guess it's probably on the low side by looking at that ingredients list and just some of the anecdotal data that's out there, but without actually knowing you don't really know what you're putting on your skin. [...] If you've reached for a retinol cream and been underwhelmed with the outcomes, you've got to question: do you actually know the strength?"
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"An Ole and something like that right"
Translated from the guru's original language.
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"With tretinoin, white patches, no dandruff, big fan. [...] You'll take little more than a pea-sized amount, dot it all over your face, smooth it over as normal face cream. [...] Then you can move to like the ordinary retinol or any other stronger retinol and then eventually you'll get to tretinoin."
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"This is a very common and very popular product is the olay regenerist 24 this is recommended for beginners"
"If you have really sensitive skin but you still really want to incorporate a retinoid into your skincare routine, I would try the Olay Regenerist Retinol. This is a little bit more gentle, it's in a more creamy base, and you still get those skin strengthening retinoid benefits."
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"If you have really sensitive skin but you still really want to incorporate a retinoid into your skincare routine, I would try the Olay Regenerist Retinol. This is a little bit more gentle, it's in a more creamy base, and you still get those skin strengthening retinoid benefits."
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"One of my favorite retinol products, especially if you have really dry mature skin, is the Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer. Even though this is quite a rich moisturizer, I do find that it absorbs well into the skin, and what I love about it is that it is both a retinol product and a moisturizer in one, so you can get some hydrating and skin barrier support while you're using your retinol."
"The Olay Retinol 24 [...] is not my first choice because retinol has to undergo two conversions to get to retinoic acid. [...] Retinaldehyde has to only undergo one, so retinaldehyde is closer to prescription strength. Now retinol can still be effective and you'll get even less side effects with that, but it's not the strongest option."
"Olay makes one in their retinol 24 line, and those are great products if you're just starting off on a retinol and you're going to be using it during the day."
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"Olay makes one in their retinol 24 line, and those are great products if you're just starting off on a retinol and you're going to be using it during the day."
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"Olay, I love. They're a really trusted brand."
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"I kind of prefer the Olay retinol line over the Neutrogena because this line you can get it in fragrance free and all of their products also come in a fragrance free version. They add a little bit more to the serum beyond just the retinol. These have a good dose of retinol in them but they also contain niacinamide, which is another one of my favorite anti-aging ingredients, and they also contain a peptide."
"There's the Olay Retinol 24 if you want something that's a nice thick luxurious feeling cream without having that big thick luxurious price tag. [...] These are brands with serious R&D, [...] research and development. [...] They have the science proven behind it. It's not just some TikTok hype. They might get hyped on TikTok, but they actually have the receipts to prove why they're being hyped."
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"There's the Olay Retinol 24 if you want something that's a nice thick luxurious feeling cream without having that big thick luxurious price tag. [...] These are brands with serious R&D, [...] research and development. [...] They have the science proven behind it. It's not just some TikTok hype. They might get hyped on TikTok, but they actually have the receipts to prove why they're being hyped."
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"You have the Olay retinol 24 night cream. I love that it's very, that's one of the silkiest moisturizers I've ever tried and it's really gentle."
"The Olay Retinol 24 range is popular worldwide and is a great product for beginners. This entire range contains retinol, retinol palmitate, pentapeptide, and niacinamide. Retinol and retinol help in boosting collagen synthesis and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Both products are fragrance free. The presence of niacinamide with retinol causes redistribution of melanin in the skin and reduces dark spots."
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What the evidence says.
Independent of what the gurus think, this is what
the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.
Retinoids
Retinoids are among the best studied ingredients in dermatology, with solid evidence for acne and for the fine lines and rough texture that come from sun exposure. Dryness and flaking in the first few weeks are common and usually settle.
Niacinamide has evidence behind it for redness, uneven tone and supporting the skin barrier, and it is usually well tolerated even by skin that reacts to most things.
Sun protection is the best evidenced way to slow visible ageing, and the filters are what does the work. Mineral and chemical filters both protect when a product is applied thickly enough and often enough, which is where most people fall short rather than on the choice of filter.
What is Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer?
A lightweight night moisturizer combining retinol with peptides and niacinamide, designed to reduce fine lines and improve skin texture overnight.
Is Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer worth it?
The gurus are split. 10 of the 13 gurus give it their stamp of approval while 3 would skip it, which lands it in the middle at a Guru Score of 70%.
What is Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer's Guru Score?
Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer holds a Guru Score of 70%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 13 expert reviewers we have collected. At least one expert has named it a Top Pick in its category.
Who is Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer best for?
Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer is generally suited to mature skin.
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