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Beauty of Joseon vs MAC

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

Beauty of Joseon and MAC are two distinct beauty lines with unique foundations, where the former is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and the latter is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 1984. Beauty of Joseon is loved for its thoughtful serums, masks, moisturizers, sunscreens, and more that feature star ingredients like niacinamide, glycerin, and hyaluronic, whereas MAC is beloved for its thoughtful approach to daily skincare, offering reliable moisturizers and makeup removers crafted from carefully balanced formulas. The products of the former suit dry skin and sensitive skin best, offering gentle yet effective daily care, while the offerings of the latter suit balanced skin best, supported by gentle and effective ingredients. Both differ as the first focuses on targeted treatments such as the Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask, the Light On Serum: Centella + Vita C, and the Revive Eye Serum, whereas the second provides options including the Mineralize Timecheck Lotion, the Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil, and the Hyper Real Serumizer.

Beauty of Joseon is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by Goodai Global Inc. since 2019.

kbeautywiki.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.comgoodai-global.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 Beauty of Joseon and MAC products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Beauty of Joseon vs MAC products

People Say

Beauty of JoseonMAC
  • 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”
    • “Saved my dry winter skin — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
  • Texture and Application Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “feels like a light moisturizer — Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics”
    • “sinks in instantly — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water”
    • “skin feels incredibly smooth — Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “no irritation at all — Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum”
    • “doesn't irritate my sensitive skin — Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel”
    • “Does not cause breakouts — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
    • “Doesn't sting my eyes or blur my vision. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
  • Makeup Compatibility Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “foundation glides on — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Sits beautifully under makeup — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
    • “makeup sits beautifully on top — Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics”
  • Makeup Removal Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Removes waterproof mascara completely without needing a separate remover. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
    • “Emulsifies beautifully and rinses off without a greasy film. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
    • “melts waterproof mascara — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil”
  • Glow and Radiance Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “gives a glass skin look — Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum”
    • “Gives me that chok-chok dewy look — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
    • “lit-from-within look — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
  • High Price Point Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “too expensive — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
  • Scent and Fragrance Issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like cooking oil — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil”
    • “smells like cheese — Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask”
    • “scent is overpowering — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Has a scent that might irritate very sensitive noses. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
  • Breakouts and Acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Broke me out in cystic acne — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
    • “gave me cystic acne — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil”
    • “caused acne — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Breaks me out, I got pimples from this. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”

Questions and answers

Beauty of Joseon or MAC: which is better?

Beauty of Joseon is better for texture, lightweight toners, and fragrance-free formulas, while MAC is better for hydration, makeup compatibility, and makeup removal. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation. Hyaluronic acid benefits skin quality.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

What is the difference between Beauty of Joseon and MAC?

Beauty of Joseon offers fragrance-free formulas that fit dry and sensitive skin best, while MAC provides products featuring fragrances that work well for makeup compatibility and hydration. Lovi rates Beauty of Joseon as High or Superior for dry skin, and MAC is also rated High for dry skin on certain items like Mineralize Timecheck Lotion. Topical niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Beauty of Joseon or MAC: which moisturizer is better?

Beauty of Joseon offers moisturizers like the Dynasty Cream and Red Bean Water Gel that fit dry skin and mature skin at a High level, while MAC features options like the Hyper Real Serumizer and Mineralize Timecheck Lotion. Topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and signs of skin aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Which is more affordable, Beauty of Joseon or MAC?

Beauty of Joseon is more affordable, as MAC has a high price point.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Beauty of Joseon or MAC?

When it comes to breakouts, reviewers say that both Beauty of Joseon and MAC do equally well on this front.

Between Beauty of Joseon and MAC, which brand offers fragrance-free skincare products according to the page?

Beauty of Joseon offers fragrance-free skincare products, as every product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas MAC includes fragrance in all of its products on the page.

How do the founding years and countries of origin compare between Beauty of Joseon and MAC?

Beauty of Joseon was founded in 2016 in South Korea, whereas MAC was established earlier in 1984 in Canada.

Which brand performs better for hydration and moisture according to the review themes on the page?

MAC performs better for hydration and moisture according to the review themes on the page.

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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