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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 distinct beauty houses, with the former being a French skincare brand founded in 1990 and owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre, while the latter is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 1984 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 1994. The French label is universally loved for its versatile moisturizers, reliable sunscreens, targeted serums, and gentle cleansers, all formulated with nourishing glycerin, whereas the Canadian label is beloved for its thoughtful approach to daily skincare, offering reliable moisturizers and makeup removers crafted from carefully balanced formulas. Products from the former suit acne-prone skin and oily acne-prone skin best, offering profound relief without heaviness, while offerings from the latter suit balanced skin best, supported by gentle and effective ingredients. They differ because the former relies on glycerin to improve skin hydration and restore barrier function, whereas the latter provides a calm and measured foundation for daily maintenance.

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 is better for soothing irritation, whereas MAC does better for lightweight hydration and makeup bases. Reviewers note that Avène offers better price points, while both brands score equally on strong fragrances and breakouts.

What is the difference between Avène and MAC?

Avene is better known for soothing and calming skin and offers better price point and value, while MAC excels as a makeup base and primer, and provides lightweight hydration and a radiant glow. Both brands have strong fragrance and scent concerns, and can cause breakouts and acne.

Avène or MAC: which moisturizer is better?

For a moisturizer, Avène provides superior fit for dry skin through options like its Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm, while MAC offers a high fit for dry sensitive skin with products such as Mineralize Timecheck Lotion. Glycerin helps support skin hydration in these formulas.

Which is more affordable, Avène or MAC?

Avène is more affordable than MAC, as reviewers note Avène is better for price point and value while MAC has a high price point.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Avène or MAC?

Reviewers note that both Avène and MAC perform equally when it comes to causing breakouts and acne.

How do the founding years and corporate ownerships of Avène and MAC compare?

Avène was founded in France in 1990 and is owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre, whereas MAC was founded in Canada in 1984 and has been owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 1994.

Which brand has more fragrance-free options among the products listed?

Avene has more fragrance-free options among the products on this page, with 7 out of 15 products listing no fragrance, while MAC includes fragrance in all 3 of its listed products.

What are the primary skin types that Avène focuses its brand routines on?

Avène focuses its brand routines primarily on acne-prone skin, oily acne-prone skin, and combination skin.

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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