NIVEA and MAC are a German skincare brand founded in 1911 and a Canadian skincare brand founded in 1984, respectively. NIVEA is known for its dependable sunscreens, targeted serums, and nourishing moisturizers formulated with hydrating glycerin, while MAC is beloved for its reliable moisturizers and makeup removers crafted from carefully balanced formulas. The German brand suits sensitive skin and skin with dark spots best, whereas the Canadian brand suits balanced skin best. They differ primarily in their formulation focus, with one relying on glycerin for barrier function and the other offering a calm foundation for daily maintenance.
NIVEA is a German skincare brand founded in 1911 and owned by maxingvest GmbH & Co. KGaA since 2004.
This page compares some of the most popular NIVEA and MAC products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
“Works better than expensive luxury creams — NIVEA Creme”
“Best affordable vegan moisturizer. — NIVEA Soft”
“absolute steal for the price — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
–High price pointNot notedMostly Mentioned
“too expensive — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
–Causes breakoutsSometimes NotedOften Mentioned
“Clogged my pores and caused bad acne — NIVEA Creme”
“I noticed some acne breakouts on my chin after using this crème for a while. — NIVEA Soft”
“Don't expect miracles — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
–Strong fragranceSometimes NotedOften Mentioned
“Scent is too overpowering for sensitive noses — NIVEA Creme”
“Has a heavy, baby powder smell. — NIVEA Soft”
“smell is too strong — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
“scent is overpowering — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
Questions and answers
NIVEA or MAC: which is better?
NIVEA and MAC serve different needs, with NIVEA offering good value and skin softening and smoothing, while MAC performs better for makeup bases and primers and effective cleansing. Glycerin helps provide hydration for the products on this page.
What is the difference between NIVEA and MAC?
NIVEA and MAC differ in their product strengths and pricing, with NIVEA offering better value through budget-friendly moisturizers and blemish-clearing serums, while MAC is known for makeup bases and primers. Glycerin helps provide deep hydration across both brands.
NIVEA or MAC: which moisturizer is better?
When comparing moisturizers, NIVEA Creme has a High Lovi fit level for dry and dry sensitive skin, while MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion has a High Lovi fit level for dry skin, dry sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, and sensitive skin.
Which is more affordable, NIVEA or MAC?
NIVEA provides better value than MAC, which has a high price point. Glycerin is a key ingredient across NIVEA products on this page.
Which causes fewer breakouts, NIVEA or MAC?
MAC is not noted for causing breakouts on this page, whereas reviewers sometimes note that NIVEA causes breakouts and acne.
Which brand has been around longer, NIVEA or MAC?
NIVEA has been around longer than MAC, having been founded in Germany in 1911 compared to MAC which was founded in Canada in 1984.
Do NIVEA and MAC offer any fragrance-free products?
NIVEA offers fragrance-free products, as 3 of 9 products on this page list no fragrance. MAC does not offer fragrance-free options, as all 3 of its products on this page contain fragrance.
How do the prices of NIVEA and MAC compare according to reviewers?
Reviewers note that MAC has a high price point, whereas NIVEA offers good value.
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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.
