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Estée Lauder vs MAC

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

Estée Lauder and MAC are corporate sister brands under The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., with the American house founded in 1946 and the Canadian label established in 1984. The older brand is beloved for comprehensive collections of moisturizers, serums, eye products, cleansers, and more that thoughtfully incorporate hyaluronic acid and glycerin, suiting dry sensitive skin and dry skin best. Conversely, the Canadian brand is known for daily skincare featuring reliable moisturizers and makeup removers crafted from carefully balanced formulas, which suit balanced skin best. While both offer targeted options like specialized lotions and serums for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin, they differ in their foundational ingredients and ideal skin types.

Estée Lauder is an American skincare brand founded in 1946 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.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 Estée Lauder and MAC products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Estée Lauder vs MAC products

People Say

Estée LauderMAC
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up immediately — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “Absorbs quickly into the skin — Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+”
    • “Sits beautifully under makeup — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
    • “Removes waterproof mascara completely without needing a separate remover. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
  • High price and expensive products Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “way too expensive for the size — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “too pricey — Estée Lauder Micro Essence Treatment Lotion”
    • “too expensive — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “A bit expensive — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”

Questions and answers

Estée Lauder or MAC: which is better?

When comparing the products on this page, both Estée Lauder and MAC offer deep hydration and moisturization equally, though reviewers frequently mention high price points for both brands. Estée Lauder features a much larger selection of items with key ingredients like glycerin, which helps maintain skin moisture.

What is the difference between Estée Lauder and MAC?

Estée Lauder offers a much wider selection of skincare products on this page than MAC, featuring cleansers, serums, and masks with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin. Reviewers note that Estée Lauder products on this page often provide deep hydration, while MAC products on this page frequently serve as makeup bases and primers. Additionally, most products on the Estée Lauder page list no fragrance, whereas all listed MAC products include fragrance.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

Estée Lauder or MAC: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, Estée Lauder features a wider variety of options on this page with different fit levels for specific skin types, such as Revitalizing Supreme+ for mature skin and DayWear Moisturizer for dry skin. Meanwhile, MAC offers lightweight moisturizers like Hyper Real Serumizer and Mineralize Timecheck Lotion, both of which have a High fit for dry sensitive skin.

Which is more affordable, Estée Lauder or MAC?

When it comes to pricing, both Estée Lauder and MAC are considered equal as shoppers on the page frequently mention a high price point for the products on this page.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Estée Lauder or MAC?

When it comes to breakout prevention, both brands offer products on this page with varying fit levels depending on the specific product and skin type. For instance, Estée Lauder's Micro Essence Treatment Lotion has a Superior Lovi fit for acne-prone skin, while MAC's Mineralize Timecheck Lotion has a High fit.

Which brand has more fragrance-free skincare products, Estée Lauder or MAC?

Estée Lauder has more fragrance-free skincare products than MAC on this page, with 12 out of 14 products listing no fragrance, while all 3 MAC products contain fragrance.

Which brand offers a treatment lotion with a Superior fit for oily acne-prone skin?

Estée Lauder offers a treatment lotion with a Superior fit for oily acne-prone skin through its Micro Essence Treatment Lotion on the products on this page.

What are the main reviewer pros and cons for Estée Lauder skincare compared to MAC?

Reviewers of Estée Lauder skincare on this page mostly mention deep hydration and gentle, often non-drying cleansers as pros, alongside a high price point as a con. For MAC, reviewers mostly praise makeup bases and primers and lightweight moisturizers while noting a high price point and strong fragrance and sensitivity as cons.

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?

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