Olay

Is Olay a good brand of skincare? Compare the ethics of this skincare company.

Olay (formerly known as Oil of Olay, Oil of Olaz, Oil of Ulan, or Oil of Ulay) is an American skin care company owned by multinational conglomerate, Procter & Gamble (P&G). Olay receives a low score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Skincare Ratings Table. Founded by a South-African Unilever chemist, Olay has been a popular skincare brand for over fifty years. But how ethical is Olay? And how ethical is its parent company, P&G?

The Good Shopping Guide encourages all Skincare brands and companies to keep pushing for higher ethical standards. We encourage Olay and P&G to change their business activities. Ethical changes to business activity can push a brand higher up our Ethical Ratings Tables.

In which categories does Olay perform well?

Olay receives a top rating in the Nuclear Power, Fossil Fuels and Armaments categories. This is because P&G does not own any companies involved in these controversial industries.

In which categories does Olay perform badly?

Unfortunately, Olay receives a low rating in numerous research categories, including a bottom rating in both criteria within the Animals section; Animal Welfare and Vegetarian/Vegan Verified. This is because Olay and P&G have been linked to animal testing and Olay does not have any products labelled or certified as vegetarian or vegan.

Olay also receives a bottom rating for Public Record Criticisms+, due to the fact that P&G has been criticised on numerous occasions for a wide range of unethical activities. The problematic behaviours P&G has been involved in include deforestation, plastic pollution, workers’ rights abuses and exploitation, unsustainable palm oil consumption and more.

Is Olay an ethical brand?

Unfortunately, due to the unethical practices of P&G, and the continuation of animal testing and the use of animal products, Olay does not score well on our Ethical Skincare Ratings Table. Olay still has a long way to go if it wants to meet our ethical benchmark and gain Ethical Accreditation.