Olay

Olay has one of the longest histories in mass-market skincare, originally launched in 1952 in South Africa as Oil of Olay by chemist Graham Wulff, who created the formula for his wife. The brand (now owned by Procter & Gamble, which acquired it in 1985) has undergone significant evolution, shifting from a single pink moisturizer to a technology-driven anti-aging brand. Olay's Regenerist line, launched in 2003, was a watershed moment -- clinical studies showed it performed comparably to products costing 10 to 20 times more, making it a frequent winner in blind consumer testing against luxury competitors. The brand invests heavily in proprietary technology, including amino-peptide complexes and their niacinamide-centered formulations. With 19 products across 7 categories averaging 78/100, Olay performs solidly at the drugstore tier, with particular strength in anti-aging moisturizers where the value proposition is exceptional.