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L'Oreal Paris vs MAC

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

L'Oreal Paris and MAC are accessible beauty lines that offer thoughtful options for daily routines. L'Oreal Paris is beloved for its serums, moisturizers, masks, and eye products featuring hyaluronic acid and glycerin, suiting oily skin and combination skin best. Conversely, the Canadian brand is known for reliable moisturizers and makeup removers that suit balanced skin best. While both brands address specific concerns with targeted products, they differ primarily in their core formulations and the skin types they serve.

L'Oreal Paris is a French skincare brand founded in 1909 and owned by L'Oréal S.A..

en.wikipedia.orgloreal.comloreal-paris.co.ukcosmeticsbusiness.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 L'Oreal Paris and MAC products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular L'Oreal Paris vs MAC products

People Say

L'Oreal ParisMAC
  • Deep hydration Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “wake up with soft skin — L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream”
    • “Leaves my face feeling plump and dewy all day. — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift”
    • “absorbs quickly — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Absorbs in a snap — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
  • Luxurious and lightweight texture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “melts into skin — L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream”
    • “glides on easily without residue — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Eye Cream”
    • “Soaks right in, doesn't sit on top of skin. — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift”
    • “Emulsifies beautifully and rinses off without a greasy film. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
  • Radiance and brightening Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin looks luminous — L'Oreal Paris Glycolic Bright”
    • “skin looks glowing — L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream”
    • “overall improvement in skin clarity — L'Oreal Paris Bright Reveal 12% Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum”
    • “lit-from-within look — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
  • Excellent makeup base Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “foundation glides on — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Sits beautifully under makeup — MAC Mineralize Timecheck Lotion”
  • Gentle on skin 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”
    • “very gentle, didn't irritate my skin — L'Oreal Paris Bright Reveal 12% Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum”
  • Smoothes skin texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “skin is a lot smoother — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Laser Pure Retinol Night Serum”
    • “My skin feels silky and soft to the touch. — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift”
    • “skin felt noticeably smoother after one use — L'Oreal Paris Dark Spot Exfoliant Peel”
    • “petal-soft skin — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
  • High price point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “a little bit pricy — L'Oreal Paris Glycolic Bright”
    • “taken aback by the price — L'Oreal Paris Bright Reveal 12% Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum”
    • “too expensive — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
  • Skin irritation and sensitivity Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “caused acne — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “Has a scent that might irritate very sensitive noses. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
    • “slight tingling the first few times — L'Oreal Paris Dark Spot Exfoliant Peel”
  • Strong fragrance Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “scent is overpowering — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
    • “The perfume smell is overwhelming and lingers. — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift”

Questions and answers

L'Oreal Paris or MAC: which is better?

L'Oreal Paris and MAC each perform better in different areas, with L'Oreal Paris offering superior radiance and skin smoothing benefits through the products on this page, while MAC excels as a makeup base. Topical hyaluronic acid helps provide deep hydration, and retinol may improve signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

What is the difference between L'Oreal Paris and MAC?

L'Oreal Paris offers a wider variety of affordable anti-aging serums and moisturizers, whereas MAC focuses more on lightweight moisturizers and products that act as excellent makeup bases. L'Oreal Paris achieves a High fit for dry and mature skin with items like the Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream, while MAC provides gentle options such as the Mineralize Timecheck Lotion.

L'Oreal Paris or MAC: which moisturizer is better?

L'Oreal Paris offers a wider variety of moisturizers on this page with High fit levels for dry and mature skin, whereas MAC features lightweight options like the Hyper Real Serumizer and Mineralize Timecheck Lotion. Topical hyaluronic acid, found in L'Oreal Paris products, helps improve skin hydration and reduce signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Which is more affordable, L'Oreal Paris or MAC?

L'Oreal Paris is more affordable, whereas MAC is noted for having a high price point.

Which causes fewer breakouts, L'Oreal Paris or MAC?

L'Oreal Paris products on this page have a High Lovi fit for acne-prone skin, whereas MAC does not list any fit for acne-prone skin. Therefore, L'Oreal Paris is the better choice for avoiding breakouts.

How does the founding year and country of origin compare between L'Oreal Paris and MAC?

L'Oreal Paris was founded in 1909 in France, whereas MAC was founded later in 1984 in Canada.

Which brand has more products listed on the page that do not contain fragrance, L'Oreal Paris or MAC?

L'Oreal Paris has more products listed on the page that do not contain fragrance, with five fragrance-free products compared to none for MAC.

What are the key ingredients shared across L'Oreal Paris products?

The key ingredients shared across the products on this page for L'Oreal Paris are hyaluronic acid and glycerin.

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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