As a beauty editor, it’s my literal job to try different moisturisers, so I’ve tested everything from the ones that cost $15 to the ones that go for $500. And maybe it’s because said job requires me to slap on a whole lot of skin care day to day, but I like a formula that allows me to streamline my daily routine by addressing multiple concerns in one hit. Personally I prefer those concerns to be ‘dehydration’ and ‘visible lines’, because A) the two are so closely linked, and B) unfortunately I’m dealing with the duo.

Like the great Paris Hilton (and according to the fact that I’m still watching Gossip Girl on repeat), I’ll claim to be 21 forever, but my skin is starting to tell a different tale as I edge toward the ‘30’ mark. I’ve always had a dry skin type, with dehydration as my biggest concern, especially since it can leave the appearance of lines more pronounced - rude! Also rude? The prices of most skin care these days. So whenever I’m looking to add a product into my routine, I’m after something that feels luxe, but isn’t super expensive, and that focuses on all-day moisture that I can actually feel (and see).

Luckily, that’s the Olay Micro-Sculpting Cream (which recently landed on my desk) to an absolute tee. And I have a feeling you’re going to be as smitten with the stuff as I am…

The product

My decade in the beauty business has taught me that I can consistently trust the formulas that come housed in a red Olay jar. I’ve been a fan of their face creams for years, and TBH, a new launch from them always gets me excited.

So when I weighed up the product’s aims (to smooth visible skin tone-disruptors like fine lines and wrinkles, and to keep the skin deeply hydrated) and stellar ingredients (rejuvenating niacinamide and plumping amino-peptide complex) in comparison with the cost ($59.99 RRP, but just $35.99 at Chemist Warehouse currently), I knew it was a must-try.

And you know how I mentioned I like to claim the ripe age of 21? As someone on the cusp of their 30s, this cream is *actually* designed to help my face support that lie. Its goal? “Reducing the look of up to 10 years of wrinkles”*. In just 28 days*, so it says. So how did it fare? Let’s find out…

Olay Micro-Sculpting Cream review

Let’s start by saying my excitement was not for nothing. I used the cream morning and night for a few weeks, and I must admit I started to feel a difference in smoothness and moisture just a few days in. Cut to two weeks later and I was noticing my skin looked refreshed and (blessedly) a bit more youthful. It felt ‘bouncier’ to the touch and appeared firmer and more hydrated than it had for a while, with the visible lines around my mouth and my eyes looking softer and less noticeable.

As a twice-daily ritual, I applied the cream onto clean skin, taking extra time (and a bit of extra product) when working it into line-prone areas such as around the mouth, the eyes, and the forehead. Texture wise, it feels pretty luxurious. It’s light but it’s rich, it has a refreshing feel and smell, and my makeup goes on so smooth over it. It’s nice on no makeup days too though, as it leaves your skin with a bit of a glossy finish. It definitely gives off an ‘expensive’ skin look, which again, is incredibly impressive for the price.

I didn’t personally notice a difference in visible pore size, but frankly, with a dry skin type rather than an oily one, pores have never been my big problem. The firmer feel and appearance of my skin was enough to lock me in long-term though, especially once I found that my forehead was looking less like it had an ‘equals’ sign on it, thanks to two previously very visible lines.

That’s the great thing about a moisturiser with a dual focus on hydration and fine lines - the more hydrated your skin is, the less pronounced the lines will look, and I was stoked I was able to combat both concerns with one cream. Told you I liked a multitasker!

The verdict

Did I look exactly like my 21-year-old self again in just a month? No. But hey, maybe that’s because I was brunette then, and I’ve since gone blonde, you know? Because my skin itself did look visibly refreshed! My face felt firmer, softer, and hell I’ll say it again: ‘bouncier’, as if its hydration stocks were finally filled up to a level it was happy with.

Overall, I’d say the results are very impressive for the price - it’s only 60 bucks, which is unheard of for a face cream that actually feels like it’s making a visible difference.

*With Regular use, clinical study among 39 females, USA, Feb-Mar, 2016

Image credits: Supplied