🇦🇪United Arab Emirates

Some By Mi vs MAC

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

Some By Mi and MAC are distinct skincare houses originating from Korea and Canada respectively. The former offers serums, cleansers, toners, and moisturizers built around niacinamide, centella asiatica, and salicylic acid, while the latter is beloved for thoughtful daily moisturizers and makeup removers crafted from carefully balanced formulas. Some By Mi fits sensitive skin and dry sensitive skin best, whereas the Canadian brand suits balanced skin best. They differ primarily in their core compositions and target audiences, with the Korean brand addressing targeted concerns like acne, dark spots, and aging through specific toners and cleansers, and the other providing a calm and measured foundation for daily maintenance.

Some By Mi is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by JKL Partners since 2021.

kedglobal.compreqin.comtracxn.com

MAC is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 1984 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 1994.

elcompanies.comen.wikipedia.org

This page compares some of the most popular Some By Mi and MAC products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Some By Mi vs MAC products

People Say

Some By MiMAC
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs quickly — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Absorbs in a snap — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
    • “Leaves skin feeling soft and supple, never tight. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
    • “Lasts 100 hours as claimed — Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Base Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “foundation glides on — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Sits beautifully under makeup — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
    • “sits fine under makeup — Some By Mi V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen”
  • Brightening and Glow Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Fades dark spots — Some By Mi Galactomyces Pure Vitamin C Glow Serum”
    • “skin looks visibly brighter — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Anti Blemish Serum”
    • “brightens dull skin — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream”
    • “lit-from-within look — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
  • Skin Texture and Smoothing Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Skin became smoother — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “Skin feels baby soft — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum”
    • “petal-soft skin — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
  • Gentle Exfoliation and Formula Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Zero irritation or redness — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum”
    • “doesn't strip dry my skin — Some By Mi Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask”
    • “Surprisingly gentle — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “Does not cause breakouts — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
  • Absorption and Texture Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “absorbs quickly — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream”
    • “absorbs quickly — Some By Mi Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Anti Blemish Serum”
  • Price and Packaging Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive — Some By Mi Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask”
    • “Too expensive for 50ml — Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream”
    • “Hate dipping fingers in a jar — Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream”
    • “too expensive — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
  • Strong Scent and Fragrance Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “scent is overpowering — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Has a scent that might irritate very sensitive noses. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
    • “overwhelming citrus fragrance — Some By Mi V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen”
  • Skin Purging and Breakouts Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Zits appeared initially — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “gave me cystic acne — Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum”
    • “caused acne — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Breaks me out, I got pimples from this. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”

Questions and answers

Some By Mi or MAC: which is better?

Some By Mi is better for gentle exfoliation, brightening, and fragrance-free formulas, while MAC is better for makeup compatibility and rich hydration. Reviewers note that Some By Mi products on this page often help smooth skin texture, whereas MAC items frequently feature strong fragrance and a higher price point.

What is the difference between Some By Mi and MAC?

Some By Mi focuses on fragrance-free skincare with key ingredients like niacinamide to help brighten the complexion and smooth skin texture, whereas MAC features products with added fragrance and strong review mentions for makeup bases and primers. Reviewers note that MAC performs better for hydration and moisture, while Some By Mi excels in brightening, gentle exfoliation, and skin smoothing.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Some By Mi or MAC: which moisturizer is better?

Some By Mi is better for targeted moisture care, as the products on this page feature fragrance-free options like the Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream which Lovi rates as Superior for dry skin, whereas MAC moisturizers frequently contain fragrance.

Which is more affordable, Some By Mi or MAC?

Some By Mi is more affordable than MAC, as MAC has a high price point while Some By Mi scores better for price and packaging.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Some By Mi or MAC?

Some By Mi and MAC do equally well at preventing breakouts, as reviewers note their skin purging and breakouts performance is equal.

Between Some By Mi and MAC, which brand offers better options for brightening and glow?

Some By Mi is better for brightening and glow, as the products on this page excel in complexion brightening compared to MAC. Lovi rates several of its brightening items, such as the Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream, as a Superior fit for skin with dark spots.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

How do the fragrance ingredients and scent profiles compare between Some By Mi and MAC products?

Some By Mi products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients, whereas all MAC products on this page contain fragrance. Reviewers note that MAC products often have strong fragrance and sensitivity issues.

Which brand provides superior products for skin texture and smoothing based on reviewer feedback?

Some By Mi provides superior products for skin texture and smoothing compared to MAC based on reviewer feedback. Lovi rates several of its exfoliating and renewing products as having High or Superior fit levels for smoothing.

Research behind their key ingredients

Behind this comparison

Lovi compares products by their fit scores, calculated from the 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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    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.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play