🇸🇬Singapore

Elemis vs MAC

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

Elemis and MAC are distinguished beauty brands with differing focuses, as the former is a British skincare label founded in 1989 and the latter is a Canadian counterpart established in 1984. Skincare enthusiasts love the British brand for its expertly formulated serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and more enriched with glycerin and shea, while the Canadian brand is beloved for its thoughtful approach to daily skincare offering reliable moisturizers and makeup removers crafted from balanced formulas. The offerings from the British label suit dry, balanced, and sensitive skin best thanks to their gentle and deeply hydrating formulations, whereas the Canadian brand suits balanced skin best supported by gentle and effective ingredients. They differ in their targeted standout products and parent companies, since L'Occitane Group owns the first and The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. owns the second.

Elemis is a British skincare brand founded in 1989 and owned by L'Occitane Group since 2019.

elemis.comau.elemis.comen.wikipedia.org

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 Elemis and MAC products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Elemis vs MAC products

People Say

ElemisMAC
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs quickly — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Absorbs in a snap — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
    • “Leaves skin feeling soft and supple, never tight. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Absorbs almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “whipped silk feel — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “Emulsifies beautifully and rinses off without a greasy film. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
  • Makeup Base and Primer Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “foundation glides on — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Sits beautifully under makeup — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
    • “Sits nicely under make up... perfect base. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Sensitive Skin Care 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”
    • “no stinging or redness — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
  • Makeup Removal Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Removes waterproof mascara completely without needing a separate remover. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
    • “melts waterproof mascara — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
  • Anti-Aging and Firming Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Reduces appearance of pores — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
    • “My neck doesn't sag... plumps my skin to look more youthful. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
  • Price and Value Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “very expensive — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “too expensive — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “A bit expensive — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
  • Strong Scent and Fragrance Issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “scent is overpowering — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “The smell is very strong... could not handle for long. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Miscellaneous Complaints Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “didn't see a difference — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “tends to flake off — Elemis Pro-Collagen Eye Revive Mask”
    • “Don't expect miracles — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
    • “contains glitter — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”

Questions and answers

Elemis or MAC: which is better?

MAC does better for sensitive skin care, makeup removal, and anti-aging and firming, while Elemis stands out for texture and absorption. Both brands share a high price point according to reviewers.

What is the difference between Elemis and MAC?

Elemis offers a larger selection of products on this page compared to MAC, with key review themes noting Elemis does better for texture and absorption while MAC performs better for hydration, makeup removal, and sensitive skin care. Glycerin is a key ingredient featured across the products on this page.

Elemis or MAC: which moisturizer is better?

Both Elemis and MAC offer well-regarded moisturizers, with Elemis leaning towards rich, luxurious hydration and smoother skin texture while MAC is often praised for lightweight feel and use as a makeup base. Reviewers note that Elemis has a higher price point and strong fragrance, and glycerin helps provide effective hydration across the products on this page.

Which is more affordable, Elemis or MAC?

Both Elemis and MAC are equally matched on price and value, as reviewers frequently mention a high price point for the products on this page for both brands.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Elemis or MAC?

Reviewers note that MAC does better for sensitive skin care, while Elemis products on this page sometimes note skin irritation.

Which brand has more products that are free of added fragrance, Elemis or MAC?

Elemis has more products that are free of added fragrance, with 4 out of 22 products on this page listing no fragrance. In comparison, MAC has 0 out of 3 products on this page free of added fragrance.

Which brand is better for anti-aging and firming according to reviewer themes?

According to reviewer themes, MAC does better than Elemising for anti-aging and firming. Reviewers frequently note MAC for makeup bases and primers and lightweight moisturizers.

When comparing the two brands, which one performs better for sensitive skin care?

When comparing the two brands, MAC performs better for sensitive skin care according to the review themes on this page. Elemis products on this page frequently feature strong fragrances and occasionally note skin irritation.

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play