Hey beauties! As a self-professed skincare junkie and MAC devotee, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on their new Hyper Real SkinCanvas Balm Moisturizing Cream. I’ve spent the last few weeks rigorously testing it out, and I’m excited to share my honest thoughts with you all. Buckle up, because this is going to be a deep dive!
First impressions: The sleek white jar looks chic on my vanity and I love that it comes with a little spoon applicator for a hygienic application process. When I first unscrewed the lid, an elegant floral fragrance wafted out. I know scent is a personal preference, but I found it light, fresh and luxurious without being overpowering.
The texture is divine – it’s a thick, sumptuous balm that melts into the skin like butter. A little goes a long way with this rich formula. I found that a chickpea-sized amount was plenty to cover my entire face and neck. It glided over my skin effortlessly and absorbed quickly without any greasy residue.
Now let’s talk performance. MAC promises this balm will provide “high-performance hydration” to plump, smooth, and renew skin’s appearance. As someone with combination skin that’s prone to dehydration, I had high hopes. And I’m happy to report, it delivered!
From the very first application, my skin drank this up and instantly felt quenched, soft and supple. I was amazed at how it balanced my skin – hydrating dry patches while keeping my T-zone shine-free. It worked beautifully both morning and night, and played nicely under makeup too.
Over time, I noticed my skin looking bouncier, smoother, and more radiant overall. Fine lines appeared plumped and my skin tone looked more even. Even my persistently dry, flaky cheeks became soft and moisturized. I was impressed!
Of course, no product is perfect and skincare is highly individual. While I personally adored the scent, I know fragrance can be irritating for some. If you’re sensitive, you may want to check this out in person first.
Also, though I found it suitable for my combo skin, it is a rich balm. If you’re very oily, you may find this too heavy, especially for daytime use in humid weather. I’d recommend getting a sample to test it out before committing to the full size.
Speaking of which, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: the price. At $95 for 1.7 oz, this is undeniably a luxury skincare splurge. As much as I loved it, I know that’s not a realistic ongoing purchase for many people, myself included. However, a little goes such a long way that it ended up lasting me 2 months with daily use, morning and night. Not too bad.
Overall, I was truly blown away by the Hyper Real SkinCanvas Balm. MAC really nailed it with this sumptuous moisturizer that thoroughly hydrates, plumps and cocoons skin in nourishing goodness. It made my face look and feel incredibly smooth, soft, and radiant. If it fits your budget and skin type, I highly recommend giving this a try. Your skin will thank you!
But you don’t have to just take my word for it. Let’s dive into some reviews from other MAC Lovers out there in the beauty community to get more diverse perspectives:
Many reviewers were as impressed as I was, raving about the SkinCanvas Balm’s rich, luxurious texture and intense hydration. Here are some of the positive highlights:
“This moisturizer is amazing!!! I love the way it feels as I’m putting it on. It doesn’t leave my skin oily.” – Nikki, 35-44
“Must purchase this product. I really love this product!!” – JK, 25-34
“This is hands down one of my favorite products in this lineup. The cream is super soft and leaves my face feeling fresh. I have never purchased a full size until recently, but I have had 3 of the trial size, which lasts a good amount of time.” – Selina, 25-34
Many called out how it played beautifully with makeup as a smoothing, plumping primer:
“I stumbled upon this from my usual bobbi brown moisturizer and it’s magnificent product. Heals and nourishing. Must have in routine” – Fionags24, 35-44
“This was a free mini product with purchase. I already have my skin routine down and in my mind I don’t need any more creams. Usually I throw away lotion/cream samples. I almost tossed it out. Then I saw that it was a canvas for make up, and I thought what the heck, I had to run out and do something really fast, needed to look good quick, and I thought at least my skin will be moist just put it on. I was really surprised when I looked in the mirror! I mean, it almost looked like I had foundation on it. Kind of blew me away.” – Tinlizzy, 55-64
Some even said it totally transformed their skin over time:
“Brought my smooth skin back use it every other day since my skin is sensitive. But well worth it. Bought the whole collection each product I use different days and my skin has never looked and felt so good and smooth” – Jess, 25-34
“This lotion has literally changed my skin in more ways than one. As a 22-year-old, my skin breaks out like crazy…I can happily say this lotion is my skincare routine. It has transformed my skin to the extreme. I get so many compliments about how glowy I look and how soft my skin looks. It hides any imperfections on my face, keeping me more moisturized than ANY other product I have ever used.” – Rachel, 19-24
However, not everyone had such glowing experiences. The most common complaints were about the fragrance and rich texture:
“I like the feel and consistency of this product. However, if I would have known it was scented, I wouldn’t have ordered it. I have always ordered your moisturizers because they are good quality AND unscented, which is hard to find.” – KM, 35-44
“You lost me at fragrance. This has an extremely strong fragrance. Fragrance is not good for skin and will cause long term damage.” – Hez, 35-44
“Cream is VERY STICKY, once applied doesn’t totally absorb and if makeup is applied it won’t apply evenly. Has a very strong fragrance that lingers – this DOES NOT compare to the studio moisture cream/complete comfort cream and will not mix with foundation as well as other MAC moisturizers.” – MacObessed, 35-44
Some found it simply didn’t work well for their skin type:
“I’m better off using straight Niacinamide, colloidal silver soap, and basic vitamin e cream.” – Crae, 25-34
Now that my favorite Studio Moisture cream is unfortunately discontinued :-(, I am on a quest to find a new moisturizer. Since the SkinCanvas Balm is quite a bit pricier than studio moisture, I decided to sample it before purchasing. I don’t care for it, because it does not absorb well into the skin. It just sits on my face. And the search continues . . .” – KLyn, 55-64
A few even had pretty severe reactions:
“I wish I could like this one…The smell really irritated my allergies and I had to just wash my entire face. When I did I noticed I was all red and blotchy. It was really itchy so I have come to the conclusion I’m allergic. This is too much for my sensitive skin.” – Ericazal, 35-44
“How dissapointing I was, because my skin is so sensitive that my cheeks starting getting bigger with hives appearing after having the cream on for only a few minutes! I washed it off as quickly as possible and am grateful that I tried this at night before bed, instead of looking like a chipmunk before work the next day.” – Crae, 25-34
Interestingly, there were quite a few complaints about the packaging, with multiple people mentioning flaking:
“I really enjoyed this product, but overtime of opening and closing the paint started flaking off on my hands. Very disappointing for the price of the product.” – Jessica, 25-34
“Need to change your packaging lid flakes off and onto face and can be difficult to get flakes off. Product is not all it claims to be” – Plbohall, 55-64
“I wish I could give this 5 stars. My face feels so soft and supple almost instantly. This is a beautiful product. My disappointment is the fragrance, which I find quite strong. I love it and will use it up but will not buy another, unfortunately.” – Cabby, 55-64
So, what’s the final verdict? Ultimately, it seems the Hyper Real SkinCanvas Balm is a bit of a “love it or hate it” product. Those who loved it REALLY loved it, praising its rich texture, intense hydration, and skin smoothing effects. But for others, the strong fragrance and thick consistency were dealbreakers. And no one was thrilled about the steep price tag.
As with any skincare product, it really comes down to your individual skin type, preferences, and budget. If you love a luxurious texture, don’t mind fragrance, and have dry to combo skin, this very well could be your new holy grail moisturizer. But if you have very oily, sensitive, or reactive skin, or simply prefer lighter gel creams, this probably isn’t the best choice.
My biggest tips? Definitely sample it first if you can, to see how your skin reacts before splurging on the full size. Use a light hand – a little goes a long way. And if you do fall in love and want to purchase, keep an eye out for MAC sales and value sets to get the best bang for your buck.
I hope you found this review helpful, informative, and entertaining! Of course, this is just my experience and opinion. I’d love to hear your thoughts! Have you tried the Hyper Real SkinCanvas Balm? Did you love it or hate it? What other MAC skincare products would you like to see reviewed? Leave a comment below and let’s chat all things beauty!
Till next time, beauties – may your skin be plump, your complexion glowing, and your bank account able to support your luxury skincare habit. Wink!
Stay beautiful! Xoxo
~ Your Friendly Neighborhood Beauty Blogger
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