Simple and MAC are two distinct skincare brands known for their thoughtful approach to daily maintenance through reliable moisturizers and makeup removers. The British line launched in 1960 relies on niacinamide and glycerin to suit acne-prone and mature skin, whereas the Canadian label established in 1984 utilizes balanced formulas tailored best for balanced skin. While the former brand offers targeted soothing, micellar, and cleansing options, the latter brand features specialized lotions, oils, and serumizers.
Simple is a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.
This page compares some of the most popular Simple and MAC products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
“Can't beat the price for the quality. — Simple Micellar Water”
+Convenience and formulation featuresOften MentionedNot noted
“Love that it has absolutely no scent. — Simple Micellar Water”
“love that it's alcohol-free — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
“No need to rinse... perfect for traveling or lazy nights. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
–High price pointNot notedMostly Mentioned
“too expensive — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
–Caused breakouts and skin reactionsSometimes NotedSometimes Noted
“Gave me tiny bumps on my forehead. — Simple Micellar Water”
“caused major breakouts — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
“caused acne — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
“Breaks me out, I got pimples from this. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
–Struggles with waterproof makeupOften MentionedNot noted
“Did not remove my mascara very well at all. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
Questions and answers
Simple or MAC: which is better?
Simple is a better choice for sensitive skin because every product on the page lists no fragrance, whereas MAC products contain fragrance. Glycerin helps improve skin hydration.
Simple offers affordable, fragrance-free products on this page that have a High fit for sensitive skin, whereas MAC features items with strong fragrance and a higher price point. Glycerin in these formulations helps support skin hydration.
Simple offers more affordable, lightweight moisturizers with fragrance-free formulas, while MAC moisturizers provide high fit levels for dry and sensitive skin types but often feature added fragrance. Glycerin helps improve skin hydration in these products.
Simple offers better affordability, as reviewers mostly mention its value-friendly moisturizers and the brand performs better on affordable price points and value. In contrast, MAC reviewers mostly mention a high price point.
Which causes fewer breakouts, Simple or MAC?
Simple and MAC perform equally when it comes to causing breakouts and skin reactions, as reviewers report issues for both brands. Simple features no fragrance across the products on this page, which may be gentler for sensitive skin.
Simple or MAC: which brand is better suited for sensitive skin based on fragrance and reviews?
Simple is better suited for sensitive skin than MAC, as every product on the Simple page lists no fragrance and reviewers note its gentle makeup removers, whereas MAC products on this page contain fragrance and reviewers often note sensitivity issues.
How do the founding years and corporate ownership of Simple and MAC compare?
Simple was founded in the United Kingdom in 1960 and has been owned by Unilever PLC since 2011, whereas MAC was founded in Canada in 1984 and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 1994.
Which brand offers better makeup removers and cleansers according to reviewers?
Simple does better for gentle, sensitive-skin-friendly makeup removers, while both brands perform equally well for effective cleansing and makeup removal. Reviewers mostly mention Simple for gentle makeup removers and MAC for makeup bases and primers.
Saccharide isomerate · Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023
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.
