MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme Review

MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme Review

This is the first product from MAC’s Marine Bright Formula on the blog.  The other products in this range are Lightful Cleanser, Softening Lotion, Foaming Cleanser, Lightful Essence Serum.  Out of all the products, I thought of trying the moisture creme first. It looked gel creme type and light enough for oily skin.  I was assured that it wouldn’t break my acne-prone/sensitive skin and so it came in the MAC bag along with the Volcanic Ash Exfoliator and MAC Charged Water Cleanser. Read on further for more details on this moisture creme.

MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme

Product Description:

Nourish, hydrate and brighten the skin with the exclusive Asia-inspired formula that defies dull skin while fortifying against key environmental aggressors. Enhanced with Marine-Bright Formula, featuring three potent seaweeds harvested from the world’s oceans and optimized with Vitamin C. This unprecedented skin-brightening complex, made possible through our exclusive technology, improves clarity, evens pigmentation and creates perfectly luminous skin instantly and over time.

MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme

Price:

Rs. 2800 for  50 ml.

Ingredients:

MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme

My Experience with MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme:

I am going to talk about the ingredients first because there’s an impressive array of ingredients that I should put down here lest I forget. Most importantly, this is a water-based moisture creme, so yay for that one! Next comes jojoba seed oil, soybean sterols, green tea leaf extract, gentian root extract, algae extract, caffeine, hydrolyzed rice bran extract, silk powder, etc.  So, it’s all loaded with antioxidants, a whole bunch of them in this list here.  I had seen “caffeine” in MAC’s Charged Water Cleanser too, so there must be something with caffeine and MAC, but it sounds all good.  The bummer is that the list also has glycerin which I do not like at all because it tends to grease up my face.

MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme

MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme

Coming to the packaging, this lightweight, gel creme consistency moisturizer cream comes in a jar packaging with a protective lid inside.  The outer packaging is very shiny and hmmm….I don’t know, okay type.  The added fragrance is a very pleasant and subtle one which disappears within a few minutes of application.

MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme

As mentioned earlier, the texture is very soft, lightweight, and since it’s a gel creme, there is no oily texture.  This gel creme immediately clears dry patches on the skin.  Some of us with oily skin may still have dry areas on the face due to acne ointments, this creme rescues skin from dryness, soothes irritated skin, and moisturizes parched skin.  This gel creme gets absorbed into the skin quickly without leaving an oily layer behind.  It will be a good moisturizer for all skin types in summers because it provides adequate moisturization/hydration to the skin without greasing up the skin, but in winters, those with dry skin will have to invest in a heavier moisturizer than this.  I have seen that it soothes and calms irritated and inflamed skin, so that’s a big plus.

MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme

Since the ingredient list had glycerin in it, I was a little skeptical that it might cause my face to sweat up quickly, but thankfully, nothing like that happened.  Just a little bit is required to cover the entire face and then if a little tinted moisturizer or compact is topped up, it’s all cool.

MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme

Since it rescues the skin from dryness and provides moisturization without being greasy, it acts as a good base for makeup.  Some foundations tend to highlight the dry patches on the skin if you don’t use a good enough moisturizer, but this creme takes care of all such issues.  In summers, you don’t have to worry about the moisturizer melting away your makeup in the heat.  Though, I think a primer underneath would also help a lot.

MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme

I feel it works in the same way as Clinique’s Dramatically Different Gel and if not for the heavy dose of antioxidants in MAC’s gel creme, I would have indicated clearly that both are same.  I can even give you another option – Lotus Herbals Whiteglow Skin Whitening and Brightening Gel Creme.  The gel creme from Lotus Herbals also works in the same way, but of course, you can get the benefits of algae and silk powder from the MAC one only.

MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme

Coming to the brightening claim, when your skin is dry and deprived of moisturization, it tends to look dull and dark.  This moisturizer brightens by adding moisturization and that’s the only brightness I see, don’t expect more magic.  With the impressive antioxidants in this creme, skin would benefit in the long run, but no immediate results.  Also, there’s no SPF content.  Some of us would like to have at least some level of SPF in our day creams, this one does not have any sun protection factor.

Also, MAC’s Moisture Creme hasn’t broken me out and I cannot attribute any of my acne breakouts to this creme, so it’s a pretty good moisturizer from MAC for oily and acne-prone skin.

If you are looking for a good moisturizer for your oily/combination/sensitive skin with loaded antioxidant benefits, I would suggest you to try this cream.  If you are just looking at a good moisturizer with brightening claims, skip this one.  As suggested earlier, Lotus Herbals Gel Creme works in the same way.

Summing up the pros and cons:

Pros of MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme:

  • Loaded with antioxidant benefits – see the ingredients list – caffeine, green tea, algae extract, gentian root, etc.
  • A lightweight gel creme that does not make skin greasy.
  • Does not make the face sweaty.
  • Clears off all dry patches on the skin.
  • Soothes redness and inflammation.
  • Gets absorbed into the skin without leaving any oily slick.
  • Subtle, pleasant fragrance.
  • Acts as a smooth base for makeup.
  • Does not sting.
  • Does not melt away the makeup.
  • Good for all skin types during summers; however, dry skin will need a heavier moisturizer than this in winters.

Cons of MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme:

  • Does not contain SPF.
  • If you take away all the antioxidants and jazzy ingredients, it works as an average gel creme moisturizer.
  • Contains glycerin.
  • No immediate or remarkable brightening effect.

Would I Repurchase MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme?

Not sure!

IMBB Rating:

3.5/5

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L’Occitane Immortelle Brightening Moisture Cream
MAC Studio Moisture Cream
L’Oreal Hydra Renewal Continuous Moisture Cream
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Johnson’s 24 Hour Moisture Soft Cream
Lakme Fruit Moisture Skin Renewal Night Cream
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18 thoughts on “MAC Lightful Marine Bright Formula Moisture Creme Review

  1. The texture looks so good *drool* and the ingredients list is also superb *woot* , but as you are saying I shall stick to lotus one for now, thanks for the comparison and alternative suggestion 🙂

  2. Wow another detailed review from u jomol….i will better stick to my most trusted clinique ddmg…even i am from hyderabad n moved to us after marriage 1 yr ago..the words inorbit, gvk etc are so soothing to ears.

    1. Mayuri……the texture is so good….if you have oily/combination skin, you would love it…..thankooooooo *happy dance* *happy dance*

  3. OMG!! when did mac’s skin care range got launched?? …guess i need to update myself a LOT *specs*
    nice review Jomol 🙂 ..sounds good for autumn months!

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