Simple and MAC are two distinct beauty houses, with the former being a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and the latter being a Canadian skincare brand founded in 1984. Simple is known for gentle moisturizers, makeup removers, cleansers, and toners crafted with niacinamide and glycerin, while the brand is beloved for its thoughtful approach to daily skincare, offering reliable moisturizers and makeup removers crafted from carefully balanced formulas. The British line suits acne-prone skin and skin with dark spots best, whereas the Canadian brand suits balanced skin best, supported by gentle and effective ingredients. They differ in their specific formulations and targeted selections, as the former relies on niacinamide to reduce hyperpigmentation and glycerin to improve hydration, while both provide a calm and measured foundation for daily maintenance.
Simple is a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.
This page compares some of the most popular Simple and MAC products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
“Can't beat the price for the quality. — Simple Micellar Water”
+Convenience and formulation featuresOften MentionedNot noted
“Love that it has absolutely no scent. — Simple Micellar Water”
“love that it's alcohol-free — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
“No need to rinse... perfect for traveling or lazy nights. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
–High price pointNot notedMostly Mentioned
“too expensive — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
–Caused breakouts and skin reactionsSometimes NotedSometimes Noted
“Gave me tiny bumps on my forehead. — Simple Micellar Water”
“caused major breakouts — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
“caused acne — MAC Hyper Real Serumizer”
“Breaks me out, I got pimples from this. — MAC Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil”
–Struggles with waterproof makeupOften MentionedNot noted
“Did not remove my mascara very well at all. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
Questions and answers
Simple or MAC: which is better?
Simple is gentler on sensitive skin and more affordable, whereas MAC performs better as a makeup base and primer. Lovi rates Simple with a High fit for sensitive skin using its Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner, while glycerin helps maintain skin hydration across the products on this page.
Simple offers affordable, fragrance-free products on this page that are gentler on sensitive skin, while MAC features strong fragrances in its items and comes with a high price point.
Simple or MAC: which moisturizer is better?
Simple offers better value-friendly moisturizers with no fragrance on this page, whereas MAC has a high price point and features strong fragrance and sensitivity. Glycerin helps provide hydration in moisturizers.
Which is more affordable, Simple or MAC?
Simple is more affordable, as the products on this page offer an affordable price point and value, whereas reviewers often note a high price point for MAC.
Which causes fewer breakouts, Simple or MAC?
Simple does better at causing fewer breakouts compared to MAC, as MAC has frequent mentions of strong fragrance and sensitivity.
Which brand has more products without fragrance, Simple or MAC?
Simple has more products without fragrance, as every product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas MAC includes fragrance in all three of its products on this page.
How do the founding years and parent companies of Simple and MAC compare?
Simple was founded in 1960 in the United Kingdom and has been owned by Unilever PLC since 2011, whereas MAC was founded in 1984 in Canada and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 1994.
Which brand performs better for makeup bases and primers according to reviewers?
MAC performs better for makeup bases and primers according to reviewers.
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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.
