MAC skincare
MAC is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 1984 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 1994.
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MAC is beloved for its thoughtful approach to daily skincare, offering reliable moisturizers and makeup removers crafted from carefully balanced formulas. Its products suit balanced skin best, supported by gentle and effective ingredients. For targeted concerns, the standout products include the Mineralize Timecheck Lotion for acne-prone skin, the Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil for skin with dark spots, and the Hyper Real Serumizer for mature skin. Together, these thoughtful offerings provide a calm and measured foundation for daily maintenance.
This page covers some of the most popular MAC products; for the whole MAC range, with a fit score for every product, use the Lovi app.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 9.4k+ reviewsReviewers most often praise MAC for lightweight hydration, a smooth makeup base, and glowing skin texture. The most common complaints are skin irritation from fragrance and lack of transformative anti-aging effects.
Highlights
Makeup bases and primers Mostly Mentioned
- “foundation glides on — Hyper Real Serumizer”
- “Sits beautifully under makeup — Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
- “Reduces appearance of pores — Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
Lightweight moisturizers Mostly Mentioned
- “absorbs quickly — Hyper Real Serumizer”
- “lit-from-within look — Hyper Real Serumizer”
- “Absorbs in a snap — Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
High price point Mostly Mentioned
- “too expensive — Hyper Real Serumizer”
- “A bit expensive — Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
- “It is expensive - very expensive. — Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
Strong fragrance and sensitivity Often Mentioned
- “scent is overpowering — Hyper Real Serumizer”
- “Has a scent that might irritate very sensitive noses. — Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, sephora.co.uk, macys.com, myer.com.au, influenster.com, and more
Questions and answers
Is MAC worth it?
MAC products on this page have a high price point, though Lovi rates the MAC-focused routine Superior for dry, oily, sensitive, combination, and acne-prone skin types.
What are MAC's best products?
MAC's best products are the Hyper Real Serumizer and the Mineralize Timecheck Lotion for moisturising, alongside the Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil for taking off makeup. Lovi rates the MAC-focused routines Superior for dry, oily, sensitive, combination, and acne-prone skin.
Which MAC moisturizer is best for dry skin?
Mineralize Timecheck Lotion is the best MAC moisturizer for dry skin, followed by Hyper Real Serumizer. Lovi rates Mineralize Timecheck Lotion High for dry skin and Hyper Real Serumizer Average.
Does MAC cause breakouts?
MAC is unlikely to cause breakouts for most shoppers, as the brand features lightweight moisturizers that reviewers mention frequently. Lovi rates the MAC-focused routine Superior for acne-prone skin.
Is MAC fragrance-free?
No, the MAC products on this page are not fragrance-free as all listed items contain fragrance.
What are the key ingredients in MAC products?
MAC products feature key ingredients like niacinamide and sodium hyaluronate, which help improve skin hydration and appearance. Niacinamide may assist in reducing skin pigmentation, while sodium hyaluronate supports skin quality.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Dermatologic Therapy, 2022
How do I build a MAC skincare routine?
To build a MAC skincare routine, use the Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil to remove makeup, followed by either the Hyper Real Serumizer or the Mineralize Timecheck Lotion to moisturize. Lovi rates the MAC-focused routine Superior for dry, oily, sensitive, combination, and acne-prone skin types.
Where can I buy MAC, and how much does it cost?
MAC products on this page are available in stores in United Arab Emirates. Prices on the page range from AED 182.48 to AED 182.48.
What are good alternatives to MAC?
Good alternatives to MAC include The Ordinary, Skinfix, ILIA Beauty, AlumierMD, grace & stella, and Luna Nectar. Reviewers often mention MAC for its makeup bases, primers, and lightweight moisturizers.
MAC vs The Ordinary: which is better?
MAC rates Superior for dry, oily, sensitive, combination, and acne-prone skin, matching The Ordinary across these skin types. Reviewers frequently mention MAC for its makeup bases, primers, and lightweight moisturizers, though some note a high price point and strong fragrance.
Who owns MAC, and where is it from?
MAC is a Canadian brand founded in 1984, owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 1994.
Is MAC cruelty-free?
PETA, Leaping Bunny, and Cruelty Free International, the registries Lovi checks, do not list MAC as cruelty-free.
Research behind MAC's key ingredients
The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer
Effect of Camellia japonica oil on human type I procollagen production and skin barrier function
Behind these ratings
Lovi rates every product from its full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.
