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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 established beauty brands under the same corporate umbrella, yet they serve distinct skincare needs. The American pioneer is celebrated for hydrating moisturizers, serums, eye products, and cleansers enriched with hyaluronic acid and glycerin, suiting mature and sensitive skin best. Meanwhile, the Canadian sibling focuses on reliable daily moisturizers and makeup removers crafted for balanced complexions. While the former relies on nourishing compositions to support aging or reactive skin, the latter offers measured foundations for everyday maintenance.

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?

Estée Lauder fits mature, sensitive, and acne-prone skin best and offers a much wider selection of products on this page compared to MAC. MAC products on this page feature fragrance, whereas 12 of 14 Estée Lauder products on this page list no fragrance.

Estée Lauder or MAC: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, Estée Lauder provides options that Lovi rates as Superior or High for dry and mature skin, whereas MAC products on this page generally achieve Average or High fit levels across skin types. Additionally, topical glycerin helps support skin hydration.

Which is more affordable, Estée Lauder or MAC?

Both Estée Lauder and MAC are tied on affordability, as reviewers mostly mention a high price point for the products on this page for each brand.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Estée Lauder or MAC?

When comparing the products on this page, both Estée Lauder and MAC include items with moderate to high Lovi fit levels for acne-prone skin, though Estée Lauder offers a wider variety of specialized cleansers and serums.

Between Estée Lauder and MAC, which brand offers a cleansing oil or makeup remover that fits dry sensitive skin best?

Between Estée Lauder and MAC, both brands offer products on this page for dry sensitive skin, with Estée Lauder's Take It Away Makeup Remover Lotion achieving a High Lovi fit level. MAC also offers a suitable option with the Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil, which likewise has a High Lovi fit level for dry sensitive skin.

How does the country of origin and founding year differ between Estée Lauder and MAC?

Estée Lauder was founded in 1946 in the United States, whereas MAC was founded in 1984 in Canada.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products listed on the page compared to products with fragrance?

Estée Lauder has more fragrance-free products listed on the page compared to products with fragrance, as 12 of its 14 products list no fragrance. In contrast, all 3 MAC products listed on the page contain fragrance.

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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