🇬🇧United Kingdom

Beauty of Joseon vs MAC

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

Beauty of Joseon and MAC are two distinct beauty lines with unique foundations, where the former is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and the latter is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 1984. Beauty of Joseon is loved for its thoughtful serums, masks, moisturizers, sunscreens, and more that feature star ingredients like niacinamide, glycerin, and hyaluronic, whereas MAC is beloved for its thoughtful approach to daily skincare, offering reliable moisturizers and makeup removers crafted from carefully balanced formulas. The products of the former suit dry skin and sensitive skin best, offering gentle yet effective daily care, while the offerings of the latter suit balanced skin best, supported by gentle and effective ingredients. Both differ as the first focuses on targeted treatments such as the Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask, the Light On Serum: Centella + Vita C, and the Revive Eye Serum, whereas the second provides options including the Mineralize Timecheck Lotion, the Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil, and the Hyper Real Serumizer.

Beauty of Joseon is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by Goodai Global Inc. since 2019.

kbeautywiki.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.comgoodai-global.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 Beauty of Joseon and MAC products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Beauty of Joseon vs MAC products

People Say

Beauty of JoseonMAC
  • Hydration and Moisture Often 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”
    • “Saved my dry winter skin — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
  • Texture and Application Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “feels like a light moisturizer — Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics”
    • “sinks in instantly — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water”
    • “skin feels incredibly smooth — Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “no irritation at all — Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum”
    • “doesn't irritate my sensitive skin — Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel”
    • “Does not cause breakouts — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
    • “Doesn't sting my eyes or blur my vision. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
  • Makeup Compatibility Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “foundation glides on — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Sits beautifully under makeup — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
    • “makeup sits beautifully on top — Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics”
  • Makeup Removal Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Removes waterproof mascara completely without needing a separate remover. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
    • “Emulsifies beautifully and rinses off without a greasy film. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
    • “melts waterproof mascara — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil”
  • Glow and Radiance Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “gives a glass skin look — Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum”
    • “Gives me that chok-chok dewy look — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
    • “lit-from-within look — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
  • High Price Point Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “too expensive — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
  • Scent and Fragrance Issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like cooking oil — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil”
    • “smells like cheese — Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask”
    • “scent is overpowering — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Has a scent that might irritate very sensitive noses. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
  • Breakouts and Acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Broke me out in cystic acne — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
    • “gave me cystic acne — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil”
    • “caused acne — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Breaks me out, I got pimples from this. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”

Questions and answers

Beauty of Joseon or MAC: which is better?

Beauty of Joseon is generally better for texture and value, whereas MAC performs better for hydration and makeup compatibility. Every product from Beauty of Joseon lists no fragrance, while all MAC products on this page contain fragrance.

What is the difference between Beauty of Joseon and MAC?

Beauty of Joseon and MAC differ in formulation and focus, as every product on the Beauty of Joseon page lists no fragrance while all three MAC products on this page contain fragrance. Reviewers note that MAC performs better for makeup compatibility and hydration, whereas Beauty of Joseon excels in texture and application.

Beauty of Joseon or MAC: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, Beauty of Joseon's Dynasty Cream and Red Bean Water Gel fit dry, mature, and acne-prone skin with High Lovi fit levels and feature fragrance-free formulas. In contrast, MAC offers lightweight moisturizers like the Hyper Real Serumizer and Mineralize Timecheck Lotion, though they contain fragrance.

Which is more affordable, Beauty of Joseon or MAC?

Beauty of Joseon is more affordable, whereas MAC has a high price point. Review themes show that a high price point is a downside for MAC, but not for Beauty of Joseon.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Beauty of Joseon or MAC?

Reviewers note that both Beauty of Joseon and MAC can sometimes cause breakouts and acne. However, Beauty of Joseon offers products on this page with High to Superior Lovi fit levels for acne-prone skin, such as the Ginseng Essence Water.

Between Beauty of Joseon and MAC, which brand offers better options for sensitive skin without added fragrance?

Beauty of Joseon offers better fragrance-free options for sensitive skin, as every product on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients. In contrast, none of the MAC products on this page are fragrance-free, and Lovi rates Beauty of Joseon with high or superior fits for sensitive skin across multiple routines.

How do the founding years and corporate ownership of Beauty of Joseon and MAC compare?

Beauty of Joseon was founded in South Korea in 2016 and is owned by Goodai Global Inc. MAC was founded in Canada in 1984 and is owned by The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.

Which brand provides better makeup removal products according to the Lovi fit levels and review themes?

MAC provides better makeup removal products according to the review themes on this page. Reviewers note that MAC outperforms Beauty of Joseon specifically for makeup removal.

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