Is Olay Micro-Sculpting Serum Worth the Money?

PRODUCT:

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum, 
olay.com

PRICE: $29.99, 1.7 oz., prices vary  
CATEGORY: Skin Care Product
TYPE: Firming Serum

*My Rating: 6/10
*Ulta: 4.4/5
*Beautipedia: BEST
*Total Beauty: 9.8/10
*Makeupalley: 3.5/5

FOR BRIGHT, PLUMP AND HYDRATED SKIN

“This antioxidant-packed serum will diminish fine lines. ”

The Claim:

This fast absorbing, non-greasy formula provides specially designed hydration that softens the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improves skin's texture. Skin looks brighter, more radiant and significantly firmer after just five days.

Benefits: 

• Serum provides ultra-lightweight, non-greasy moisturization
• Anti-aging serum with an amino-peptide + B3 complex penetrates deep into your skins surface to fight the look of tired skin
• Instantly plumps skin for a more lifted appearance
• Helps to regenerate damaged skin.
• Hydrates for noticeably younger and firmer skin
• Improves uneven skin tone and texture
• Skin looks brighter and more radiant

QUICK TAKE

Fragrant Scent: Floral                  

Key Ingredient(s): Amino-peptide + B3, Niacinamide, Green Tea, Vitamin E, Hyaluronic Acid

Texture: Velvety Smooth                        

Consistency: Water- and-silicone-based

Coverage: Absorbs Quickly                            

Complexion: Glowing

Finish: Shiny                               

Results: Radiant skin

Wear: All Day                                   

Best Usage: Daily, AM and PM

Best For: Dry/Combination Skin                              

Tested on Animals: Yes

Jar Packaging: No                           

Verdict: I do not recommend it

DOWN and DIRTY DETAILS

Key Ingredient(s):

• Vitamin E - (Tocopherol) also has a well-established reputation as an effective antioxidant. It neutralizes free radicals and replenishes skin's lipids.
• Vitamin B3 - also known as niacinamide,  is an antioxidant that can improve skin's elasticity, dramatically enhance skin's hydration, help erase discolorations, and revive skin's healthy tone and texture.
• Glycerin - is a humectant and extremely hygroscopic, meaning it readily absorbs water from other sources. So, in part, glycerin works because of its ability to attract water from the environment and from the lower layers of skin (dermis) increasing the amount of water in the surface layers of skin. Another aspect of glycerin’s benefit is that it is a skin-identical ingredient, meaning it is a substance found naturally in skin.
• Panthenol - is a provitamin of B5.
• Hyaluronic acid (moisturizers) -Provides smoothness and softening to the skin. It can reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
• Allantoin (anti-inflammatory) - is a natural soothing, anti-irritant, and skin protectant that increases its water content. It also increases the smoothness of the skin; promotes cell replication; and promotes the healing of wounds, burns, and scars.

Other Ingredients:

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Panthenol, Dimenthicone Crosspolymer, Polyethylene, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carnosine, Allantoin, Dimethiconol, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-4, Laureth-7, Citric Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Dmdm Hydantoin, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Tin Oxide, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Titanium Dioxide. Original Contains Fragrance.

Fragrant Scent: Floral - Has a soft, barely-there floral scent that vanishes quickly, too.

Texture: Velvety Smooth - Provides a smooth feeling to surface of skin. Feels like velvet when you apply.

Consistency: Silky - This water- and silicone-based serum makes my skin feel smooth and silky without any greasiness. Its silky consistency helps my makeup glide on easier.

Coverage: Absorbs Quickly

The airy formula sinks right into skin. It does not make you feel greasy and penetrates well into the skin.

Best Usage:

Use one pump of the serum in the morning and at night. Apply with your fingertips, massaging the serum onto your face and neck in an upward circular motion. Focus on areas like the brow and jaw line. Use a cream over the serum to hold in the moisture.

FEEDBACK

PInkyPrIss Review: While this serum may have many great ingredients that are beneficial for the skin, I cannot recommend it. I could not tell people to use a product that so many other people have had problems with. I have read reviews on several websites (totalbeauty.com, ulta.com, makeupalley.com) and there are just an overwhelming number of people who have had breakouts while using this serum. Personally, I don’t usually like wasting my time trying products that don’t have good reviews. I also cannot recommend a product that does not do what it claims to do.

*Allure Winner, Readers' Choice 2013

MORE PRODUCT INFORMATION:

According to Ingredient expert Paula Begoun:

This water- and silicone-based serum doesn't have any sculpting ability, either on a micro or macro scale. Hydrating and plumping skin that is showing signs of sagging isn't going to make it look lifted—it’s not as though this serum is a mini face-lift in a bottle.

The reason this is rated so highly is because it has a lot in common with the other serums from Olay Regenerist. That means with each use your skin is treated to a helpful amount of cell-communicating ingredient niacinamide, skin-identical glycerin, and a cadre of other anti-aging ingredients, including peptides, antioxidants, and more cell-communicating ingredients.

According to TopWrinkleCream.org,

Olay Regenerist Micro Sculpting Serum specifically names peptide concentrates in its formulation as well as vitamin B combinations. Peptides are proven ingredients that stimulate collagen and elastin production in skin for wrinkle reduction. But in order to produce enough collagen to reduce wrinkles a product must contain three or more peptides. Olay Regenerist Micro Sculpting Serum only contains two peptides in low amounts.

Also, a majority of Olay Regenerist Micro Sculpting Serum’s ingredients are thickeners and moisturizers. Some ingredients are pure plastic or wax. Despite being an affordable product Olay Regenerist Micro Sculpting Serum does not deliver the results it advertises.