Super Serum is a hydrating and firming serum sold by cosmetic giant Olay. The brand claims that their product has "5 Luxury Serum Benefits In 1," referring to skin texture, tone, firmness, anti-wrinkle activity and hydration.
But does Olay Super Serum contain research-backed ingredients to hydrate the skin and produce a more youthful appearance? Does the brand use any questionable additive ingredients? How do real customers rate and describe the aesthetic effects of this serum? And which retailer sells Olay Super Serum for the best price?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Olay Super Serum based on clinical studies, to give our take on whether or not it's likely to be effective.
We'll also feature unsponsored customer reviews and provide a cost comparison to show which retailer sells Olay Super Serum for the best price.
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Olay Super Serum are shown above.
This serum does contain some research-backed active ingredients.
Glycerin is clinically shown to increase skin hydration.
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that's been shown in clinical studies to have an anti-aging effect, as we discussed in our OneSkin reviews article.
Lactic acid increased skin firmness and smoothness when applied topically, in a clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Sodium hyaluronate is the sodium salt of a compound called hyaluronic acid, which was described as possessing “remarkable anti-wrinkle...anti-aging, space-filling, and face rejuvenating properties” in a 2018 medical review.
Titanium dioxide is a "physical" sunscreen ingredient, which suggests that this serum may have UV-protective effects.
There is only one inactive ingredient in this formulation that we consider to be questionable from a health perspective.
Fragrance was described in a medical review published in the Medical Hypotheses journal as a “pervasive health risk.”
Overall, we consider Olay Super Serum likely to hydrate the skin, to have an anti-aging effect and to protect the skin from UV damage. From an efficacy perspective, this is a high-quality formulation.
We don't currently recommend this product due to the use of fragrance.
Real People Try Olay Super Serum
A TikTok creator named Alexandra shared her experience using Olay's serum:
@yourtvgirl2.0 Why are more people not talking about this? This serum is amazing! #olaysuperserum #olay #viralbeauty #skincare #ttsacl #ttsaclbeauty ♬ original sound - Alexandra
A YouTube creator named JC Couch has a review of Olay Super Serum after 30 days of use:
Is Olay Super Serum Overpriced?
We compare prices of cosmetic products per-ounce to standardize and allow for a fair comparison.
Here's a price breakdown per-ounce of Olay Super Serum and other serums from major cosmetic retailers at the time of publishing this article:
Plexaderm Rapid Reduction Serum: $119.90
Naked & Thriving Renew Serum: $68
Olay Super Serum: $34.99
CeraVe Retinol Serum: $14.68
Olay's serum is relatively affordable for a major cosmetic retailer. As often is the case, CeraVe overperforms on price.
Where to Buy Super Serum for the Best Price
Olay Super Serum is sold at a variety of online retailers.
Here's a price breakdown for a one-time purchase at the time of publishing this article:
Ulta: $43.99 (free shipping, link)
Brand website: $34.99 (free shipping, link)
Amazon: $34.99 (free shipping, link to official Amazon listing)
Target: $29.99 (plus shipping, link)
Olay Super Serum is currently around 15% cheaper at Target than Ulta, even when factoring in shipping fees.
Our Clean Skincare Picks
There are skincare products containing ingredients shown in clinical trials to be effective for reducing wrinkles and improving skin quality.
Annie Mak Vitamin C Serum is our top anti-aging serum.
It contains hyaluronic acid which was described as a "skin-rejuvenating biomedicine" in a medical review due to its ability to reduce wrinkles and signs of facial aging.
HYDRAGLOW by CLEARSTEM is our top moisturizer pick.
It features bakuchiol as an active ingredient which was described in a 2014 clinical trial as "clinically proven to have anti-aging effects."
Bulletproof Collagen Powder is our top skin supplement.
Collagen supplementation was shown in a medical review published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology to reduce visible signs of skin aging as well as improve skin elasticity and skin hydration.
All of the products recommended in this section are entirely free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy or unsafe.
Real Customers Review Olay Super Serum
Amazon is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand's website in our opinion.
Olay Super Serum has been reviewed over 1,600 times on Amazon at the time of publishing this article, with an average review rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars.
The top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named "Bmariel" who gives the product a 5/5 star rating, and who claims that it improved skin quality:
"This is a great serum. I started using it at night originally and loved the results. I now use it morning and night. My skin is smooth, looks healthy and feels really hydrated. You only need one drop because it absorbs in the skin quickly."
The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named "Maribeth y." who gives the product a 1/5 star rating, and claims it irritated the skin:
"I ordered this product and was super excited to try it. I have slightly sensitive skin... but only slightly sensitive. This product totally pissed my skin off. The next day after using it, my skin was rough, irritated, slightly red. Over the next few days, my skin became dry, flaky, and took about a week to return to normal."
Pros and Cons of Super Serum
Here are the pros and cons of Olay Super Serum in our opinion:
Pros:
- Contains active ingredient that's anti-aging
- Contains active ingredient that's hydrating
- Contains active ingredient that's UV-protecting
- Dye-free
- Relatively affordable
- Mostly positive Amazon reviews
Cons:
- Contains fragrance
