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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 accessible beauty lines that offer thoughtful options for daily routines. L'Oreal Paris is beloved for its serums, moisturizers, masks, and eye products featuring hyaluronic acid and glycerin, suiting oily skin and combination skin best. Conversely, the Canadian brand is known for reliable moisturizers and makeup removers that suit balanced skin best. While both brands address specific concerns with targeted products, they differ primarily in their core formulations and the skin types they serve.

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 offers better options for radiance, smoothing, and lightweight textures across the products on this page, while MAC works well as an excellent makeup base. Hyaluronic acid helps provide deep hydration for both brands.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

L'Oreal Paris products on this page often fit oily, combination, and oily acne-prone skin best and tend to excel in anti-aging, radiance, and skin smoothing, while MAC is noted more for lightweight moisturizers and serving as an excellent makeup base. Reviewers mention that L'Oreal Paris offers better value and affordability, whereas MAC has a higher price point. Additionally, topical hyaluronic acid helps provide deep hydration across both brands.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

For moisturizers on this page, Lovi rates L'Oreal Paris high for dry skin with options like Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream, while MAC achieves high ratings for dry skin specifically with Mineralize Timecheck Lotion. Reviewers note that L'Oreal Paris products on this page provide deep hydration and moisturization with luxurious textures, whereas MAC offers lightweight moisturizers.

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

L'Oreal Paris is more affordable than MAC, as MAC has a high price point while L'Oreal Paris offers products noted for value and affordability.

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

MAC is generally gentler on sensitive skin compared to L'Oreal Paris, which reviewers note can sometimes cause skin irritation and breakouts.

Which brand has been around longer, L'Oreal Paris or MAC?

L'Oreal Paris has been around longer, having been founded in France in 1909 compared to MAC, which was founded in Canada in 1984.

Do both L'Oreal Paris and MAC skincare products contain fragrance?

Yes, both L'Oreal Paris and MAC skincare products on this page include fragranced items. For L'Oreal Paris, 5 out of 10 products list no fragrance, while all 3 MAC products contain fragrance.

Which brand performs better when it comes to radiance and brightening effects?

L'Oreal Paris performs better for radiance and brightening effects, as the products on this page help improve skin radiance and brightness.

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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