🇫🇷France

Clarins vs MAC

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

Clarins and MAC are respected beauty labels that offer diverse formulations for daily routines. The French house is known for nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, delicate eye products, and refreshing toners harnessing soothing shea and replenishing squalane, while the Canadian counterpart provides reliable moisturizers and makeup removers crafted from carefully balanced formulas. These offerings suit sensitive and mature skin or balanced skin best, respectively. While the first utilizes natural elements to address specific concerns like acne, dark spots, and aging, the second provides a calm and measured foundation for daily maintenance.

Clarins is a French skincare brand founded in 1954 and owned by Famille C (Groupe Clarins).

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MAC is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 1984 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 1994.

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This page compares some of the most popular Clarins and MAC products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Clarins vs MAC products

People Say

ClarinsMAC
  • Hydration and Glow Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “absorbs immediately — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “foundation glides on — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Sits beautifully under makeup — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
  • High Price Point Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “way too expensive — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “too expensive for results — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
    • “too expensive — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “A bit expensive — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”

Questions and answers

Clarins or MAC: which is better?

Clarins fits sensitive and mature skin types with a Superior or High rating across many products on this page, whereas MAC has fewer options with a High fit for dry sensitive or acne-prone skin.

What is the difference between Clarins and MAC?

Clarins, founded in 1954 in France and owned by Famille C, offers a wide variety of skincare items on this page, whereas MAC, founded in 1984 in Canada and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., provides only three products here. Clarins fits sensitive, mature, and dry sensitive skin best, while MAC's fit levels vary across its small selection.

Clarins or MAC: which moisturizer is better?

Clarins offers a wider range of moisturizers with varying Lovi fit levels such as Superior for the Extra-Firming Day Cream on mature skin, whereas MAC features options like the Mineralize Timecheck Lotion with High fit for dry and sensitive skin types.

Which is more affordable, Clarins or MAC?

Both Clarins and MAC are equal in terms of pricing, as reviewers mostly mention a high price point for the products on this page for each brand.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Clarins or MAC?

Neither brand clearly outperforms the other for fewer breakouts, as both feature products with average or mixed fit levels for acne-prone skin.

When was Clarins founded compared to MAC, and who owns each company?

Clarins was founded in 1954 in France and is owned by Famille C, whereas MAC was founded in 1984 in Canada and has been owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 1994.

How many products are listed for Clarins versus MAC, and do they contain fragrance?

Clarins has 24 products listed on this page and MAC has 3, and all of them contain fragrance.

What are the key ingredients found across Clarins skincare products?

The key ingredients across the Clarins products on this page are shea butter, squalane, oat, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and glycerin.

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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