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 is often worth considering for its lightweight moisturizers and makeup bases, though reviewers frequently mention a high price point and strong fragrance. Lovi rates the MAC-focused routine Superior for dry skin, oily skin, sensitive skin, combination skin, and acne-prone skin.
What are MAC's best products?
MAC's best products are the Hyper Real Serumizer, Mineralize Timecheck Lotion, and Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil. Lovi rates the MAC-focused routine Superior for dry skin, oily skin, sensitive skin, combination skin, and acne-prone skin.
Which MAC moisturizer is best for dry skin?
Mineralize Timecheck Lotion is the best choice, as Lovi rates it High for dry skin, while Hyper Real Serumizer rates Average.
Does MAC cause breakouts?
MAC is unlikely to cause breakouts, as the acne-prone skin routine for the brand on Lovi rates Superior. Reviewers mention lightweight moisturizers as a strength.
Is MAC fragrance-free?
No, the MAC products on this page are not fragrance-free, as all three listed items contain fragrance.
What are the key ingredients in MAC products?
MAC products feature key ingredients like niacinamide and sodium hyaluronate. Niacinamide helps reduce dark spots and sodium hyaluronate improves skin hydration.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Dermatologic Therapy, 2022
How do I build a MAC skincare routine?
To build a MAC skincare routine, cleanse with Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil and then moisturize with Hyper Real Serumizer or Mineralize Timecheck Lotion. Lovi rates the MAC routine Superior for dry, oily, sensitive, combination, and acne-prone skin.
Where can I buy MAC, and how much does it cost?
MAC products on this page are available on Amazon US. They cost around $33.99.
What are good alternatives to MAC?
Good alternatives to MAC with pages on Lovi include The Ordinary, Skinfix, ILIA Beauty, AlumierMD, grace & stella, and Luna Nectar. These similar brands offer alternative options for shoppers looking to explore different skincare lines.
MAC vs The Ordinary: which is better?
MAC and The Ordinary are both well-suited for various skin needs, as Lovi rates the MAC-focused routine and The Ordinary-focused routine as Superior for dry, oily, sensitive, combination, and acne-prone skin. Reviewers most 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.
