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L'Oreal Paris vs MAC

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

L'Oreal Paris and MAC are two distinct beauty lines with unique formulations. The French skincare brand is known for serums, moisturizers, masks, and eye products featuring hyaluronic acid and glycerin, while the Canadian skincare brand is beloved for reliable moisturizers and makeup removers with balanced formulas. L'Oreal Paris suits oily and oily acne-prone skin best, whereas the latter brand suits balanced skin best. Both differ because the former brand relies on scientific study findings showing how hyaluronic acid lengthens wrinkle reduction and glycerin increases hydration and barrier function, while the latter brand provides a calm and measured foundation for daily maintenance.

L'Oreal Paris is a French skincare brand founded in 1909 and owned by L'Oréal S.A..

en.wikipedia.orgloreal.comloreal-paris.co.ukcosmeticsbusiness.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 L'Oreal Paris and MAC products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular L'Oreal Paris vs MAC products

People Say

L'Oreal ParisMAC
  • Deep hydration Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “wake up with soft skin — L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream”
    • “Leaves my face feeling plump and dewy all day. — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift”
    • “absorbs quickly — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Absorbs in a snap — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
  • Luxurious and lightweight texture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “melts into skin — L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream”
    • “glides on easily without residue — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Eye Cream”
    • “Soaks right in, doesn't sit on top of skin. — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift”
    • “Emulsifies beautifully and rinses off without a greasy film. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
  • Radiance and brightening Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin looks luminous — L'Oreal Paris Glycolic Bright”
    • “skin looks glowing — L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream”
    • “overall improvement in skin clarity — L'Oreal Paris Bright Reveal 12% Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum”
    • “lit-from-within look — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
  • Excellent makeup base Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “foundation glides on — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Sits beautifully under makeup — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
  • Gentle on skin Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Does not cause breakouts — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
    • “Doesn't sting my eyes or blur my vision. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
    • “very gentle, didn't irritate my skin — L'Oreal Paris Bright Reveal 12% Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum”
  • Smoothes skin texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “skin is a lot smoother — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Laser Pure Retinol Night Serum”
    • “My skin feels silky and soft to the touch. — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift”
    • “skin felt noticeably smoother after one use — L'Oreal Paris Dark Spot Exfoliant Peel”
    • “petal-soft skin — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
  • High price point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “a little bit pricy — L'Oreal Paris Glycolic Bright”
    • “taken aback by the price — L'Oreal Paris Bright Reveal 12% Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum”
    • “too expensive — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
  • Skin irritation and sensitivity Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “caused acne — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Has a scent that might irritate very sensitive noses. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
    • “slight tingling the first few times — L'Oreal Paris Dark Spot Exfoliant Peel”
  • Strong fragrance Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “scent is overpowering — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “The perfume smell is overwhelming and lingers. — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift”

Questions and answers

L'Oreal Paris or MAC: which is better?

L'Oreal Paris does better for luxury texture, radiance, and smoothing skin texture, while MAC excels as a makeup base and is more gentle on skin. Lovi gives L'Oreal Paris a High fit for dry and mature skin with Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream, and MAC a High fit for dry sensitive skin with Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil.

What is the difference between L'Oreal Paris and MAC?

L'Oreal Paris excels with products on this page that offer deep hydration, luxurious textures, and brightening effects, featuring key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. Meanwhile, MAC focuses more on makeup bases, primers, and lightweight moisturizers.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

L'Oreal Paris or MAC: which moisturizer is better?

For moisturizers on this page, L'Oreal Paris achieves a High Lovi fit for dry and mature skin with products like Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream, while MAC reaches a High Lovi fit for dry and sensitive skin with Mineralize Timecheck Lotion. L'Oreal Paris formulas help deliver deep hydration, whereas MAC is known for lightweight moisturizers.

Which is more affordable, L'Oreal Paris or MAC?

L'Oreal Paris is more affordable than MAC, as reviewers frequently note high price points for MAC while recognizing value and affordability in L'Oreal Paris.

Which causes fewer breakouts, L'Oreal Paris or MAC?

Mineralize Timecheck Lotion by MAC has a High Lovi fit for acne-prone skin, whereas most L'Oreal Paris products on this page have an Average or Low fit for it.

Between L'Oreal Paris and MAC, which brand offers more products that are fragrance-free?

L'Oreal Paris offers more fragrance-free options, as 5 of its 10 products on this page list no fragrance. In contrast, none of the 3 MAC products on this page are fragrance-free.

How do the founding years and corporate ownerships of L'Oreal Paris and MAC compare?

L'Oreal Paris was founded in 1909 in France and is owned by L'Oréal S.A., whereas MAC was founded in 1984 in Canada and has been owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 1994.

Which brand has more positive review mentions for deep hydration and moisturization?

Both L'Oreal Paris and MAC perform equally well for deep hydration, as both brands receive equal positive review mentions for this benefit.

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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