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Avène vs MAC

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

Avène and MAC are established beauty brands offering distinct approaches to daily maintenance. The French brand, founded in 1990 and owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre, is loved for its gentle moisturizers, protective sunscreens, targeted serums, and soothing cleansers formulated with glycerin, suiting oily acne-prone skin and combination skin best. Conversely, the Canadian brand, founded in 1984 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 1994, is beloved for reliable moisturizers and makeup removers crafted from carefully balanced formulas, suiting balanced skin best. While both provide thoughtful options for particular concerns, they differ in their heritage, foundational ingredients, and ideal skin types.

Avène is a French skincare brand founded in 1990 and owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre.

pierre-fabre.comavene.co.ukaveneusa.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 Avène and MAC products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Avène vs MAC products

People Say

AvèneMAC
  • Excellent makeup base and primer Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “foundation glides on — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Sits beautifully under makeup — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
  • Soothes and calms skin Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “Calmed my angry red skin overnight — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
    • “Nothing has ever worked to soothe or heal my skin like these before. — Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm”
    • “Perfect cleanser for sensitive skin. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
  • Lightweight hydration and radiant glow Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs quickly — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “lit-from-within look — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Absorbs in a snap — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
  • Softens skin texture and blurs pores Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Reduces appearance of pores — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
    • “petal-soft skin — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
  • Gentle and non-stripping cleansing Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Emulsifies beautifully and rinses off without a greasy film. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
    • “Leaves skin feeling soft and supple, never tight. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
    • “Doesn't sting my eyes or blur my vision. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
    • “leaves face clean but not dry — Avène Cleanance”
  • Effective makeup removal Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Removes waterproof mascara completely without needing a separate remover. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
    • “Remove a all of the makeup with ease. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
  • Price point and value Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Its a bit pricey but so worth it!! — Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm”
    • “a bit pricey — Avène Cleanance”
    • “Tiny tube for the money — Avène Cold Cream”
    • “too expensive — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
  • Strong fragrance and scent Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “The fragrance is very present. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
    • “smell is too strong — Avène Cleanance”
    • “scent is overpowering — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Has a scent that might irritate very sensitive noses. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
  • Causes breakouts and acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Woke up with tiny whiteheads all over — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
    • “Caused small bumps/texture — Avène Soothing Radiance Mask”
    • “caused acne — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Breaks me out, I got pimples from this. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
  • Not hydrating enough or ineffective Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “no difference — Avène Antirougeurs Fort Relief Concentrate”
    • “Not hydrating enough and my skin feels so dry even right after applying the cream. — Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm”
    • “no difference after month — Avène Vitamin Activ Cg Radiance Concentrated Serum”
    • “Don't expect miracles — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”

Questions and answers

Avène or MAC: which is better?

Avène may be better for soothing irritation, while MAC is often preferred for makeup bases and primers. Reviewers note that Avène generally offers better value, although both brands share concerns regarding strong fragrances.

What is the difference between Avène and MAC?

Avène focuses on soothing irritation and offers products like Eau Thermale Thermal Spring Water with a Superior fit for dry sensitive skin, whereas MAC is known for its makeup bases and primers with lightweight hydration. Reviewers note that Avène generally has a better price point and value, while MAC products on this page all contain fragrance.

Avène or MAC: which moisturizer is better?

For moisturizers, Avène is a better choice for dry or sensitive skin since Lovi rates products like its Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm as having High to Superior fit levels. MAC also offers moisturizers like the Mineralize Timecheck Lotion, which has a High fit for dry skin, though all MAC products on this page list fragrance.

Which is more affordable, Avène or MAC?

Avène is more affordable than MAC, as review themes on the products on this page note that Avène is better for price point and value while MAC has a high price point.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Avène or MAC?

According to the review themes on this page, Avène and MAC perform equally regarding whether they cause breakouts and acne.

Which brand has more products without fragrance, Avène or MAC?

Avène has more products without fragrance on the products on this page, with 7 out of 15 products listing no fragrance, compared to 0 out of 3 for MAC.

Which brand was founded earlier and in which country?

MAC was founded earlier in 1984 in Canada, whereas Avène was founded in 1990 in France.

Which brand is owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre?

Avène is owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre. MAC is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

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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