Wednesday, 22 September 2010

A guide to MAC foundation colors. C? NC? N? NW? W?

So many of you are confused as to what the difference is between MAC's foundation shades (C, NC, N, W, NW). Its pretty simple unless your really rubbish at remembering! Okay so....

C - Stands for Cool. Best for yellow, golden olive skin.
NC - Stands for Neutral Cool. So is best for skins with a slight golden glow. Common color.
N - Stands for Neutral. Beige skin. Common color. (only available in Studio Fix Foundation)
W - Stands for warm. So best for pinkish skin.
NW - Stands for Neutral warm. Pink beige skin. If you have irish in your blood you could be W or NW.

Ive found MAC foundations to be so easy to apply. Unlike most foundations it doesnt dry as quickly so its very much easy to blend and smooth out. It also doesnt have that powdery look afterwards so its great for all skin types including dry. Most of all there isnt that awful shine you get with some foundations, even if your skin is oily MAC foundations seem to work with every skin type.  You can layer the foundation up or keep it to simply not there bare.  They are a great way to get your perfect match with their personal colour chart that Highstreet Brands just simply dont have. I myself go between NC30 and NC40 - a great way to mix.
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83 comments:

  1. Sharlynn 9 August 2011 at 10:32

    Great help, thanks a lot, I knew about NW and NC and assumed N was neutral but wasn't too sure about N and W.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous2 November 2012 at 15:04

    i need help!!!!!!!

    im very pale and i bought mac studio fix powder, NC15. I want to buy the face and body foundation because it was used for a photoshoot and it was perfect for my skin but im not sure what shade was used. so which shade is nearest to NC15 in the face and body!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TheColorBug10 October 2013 at 01:04

      I'm sorry if I come off as being a smartass, but NC15 IS the name of the shade. So, just as you bought the NC15 powder, you'd also buy the NC15 liquid.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous18 November 2013 at 23:19

      Most likely c1.

      Delete
    3. Unknown18 March 2014 at 00:44

      Well colorbug if you were really as smart as your implying you would know that the mac face and body range uses a different color name. Instead of nc and nw it uses c and n. Thats why she was asking. It is a completely different thing.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous9 February 2013 at 21:29

    Hello, great help! But I am still wondering about what colour I should pick. I will order the Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 from MAC, and now I have Fit Me foundation from maybelline, number 130. What colour at the MAC foundation do you think I should order?

    If you want to help me with that you can email me back at stinochkaa@hotmail.com :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous24 April 2017 at 21:44

      You can also find your match on findation.com - that website helped me alot from using high-end brand to drugstore brand.

      Delete
    2. Sandie B22 February 2020 at 04:25

      You need to be colour matched in store - it's quick, done by a pro and costs nothing..that's why we went to Beauty School..take advantage of our skills!!

      Delete
  4. Copycat21 March 2013 at 15:18

    I love MAC concealers..I wear NW30, I have beige skin but I'm Indian and I do get reddish in the heat/cold. So the girl at the make up counter was right on! I would advise to go to a MAC store or Macy's before buying this product online..They will try it on you, to see which color matches. It's a bit pricey so it's best to make sure to get the right one.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous8 April 2013 at 13:39

    I am NC 30 in the MAC Studio Fix fluid but i want to go one shade lighter and use the Pro longwear, does that mean i should be NC25?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Paula Kemp2 May 2013 at 15:20

    Thanks for clearing up the colour shades issue for me :)

    I was recently just matched for the Pro longwear and the MUA suggested that I am a NC20 (got a sample, as was out of stock), but following your guide I should be in the NW range as I am fair with fairly red cheeks, do you think he suggested that to counter balance the redness? or do you think I should go for NW20 instead?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous31 May 2013 at 14:37

    Since forever have I been told that warm is for yellows (greenish veins and tans easily), and cool is for pinks (bluish veins and sun sensitivity)...neutrals are somewhere in between. I am still convinced of that.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Kate18 September 2013 at 04:57

    It should really be mentioned here that MAC does NOT adhere to the beauty world standard in their definitions of warm and cool (as Anonymous above has mentioned). Basically every other makeup company sticks to the real definitions-- that warm skin tones have yellow/olive undertones and cool skin tones have pink undertones, not the other way around. MAC uses the reverse for some reason, but they are the only respected makeup brand that I have seen that does this. So, just a warning that people should NOT use MAC's definitions of warm and cool when buying ANY other foundation (aside from MAC's, of course). I hope not too many people see this guide and think that these definitions of warm and cool are the standard because there is no warning to the contrary!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous13 November 2013 at 10:55

    I have blue eyes and medium brown hair my skin is pale to medium,which do you think I should go for,I always seem to get it wrong

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous2 May 2014 at 18:31

    Hie. Please help me. I have bought Mac Studio Fix NW45 and everyone (including myself) seem to be of the opinion that it is making me look a bit darker. Kindly advise which shade comes before NW45? I believe I need just one shade lighter. Help

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Former MAC employee17 May 2019 at 23:16

      I’m pretty sure there’s an NW 43 that would probably work better

      Delete
  11. Anonymous27 May 2014 at 16:06

    Which face & body color is closest to studio sculpt nc37? Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous6 June 2014 at 07:05

    Im using maybelline stick foundation in the shade 120 can someone advise me which shade i should buy from the studio fix line?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12 December 2014 at 23:17

      You would be an NC20 ! ��

      Delete
  13. Unknown7 June 2014 at 18:38

    Can someone help me. I'm VERY pale almost see through but hate pinkish looking foundation preferring yellow tones which do seem to suit me. What colour would you recommend for MAC opaque full coverage foundation x

    ReplyDelete
  14. Unknown29 June 2014 at 08:10

    HI, the mac guy gave me my studio fix powder in shade c 4.5, I am wondering what my shade would be in NC?

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  15. Unknown22 August 2014 at 15:10

    I was told by the girls at a MAC counter that NW stands for "Not Warm" and "Warm" skin tones are yellow and olive, therefore; NW is for people with pink/beige undertones. And vice versa with NC.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9 September 2014 at 18:15

      Not warm? I don't think that does excist, not warm is cool and cool is C so...

      Delete
  16. Anonymous13 October 2014 at 14:34

    If u cud help me...i went to a store n dey recommended nc41 studio fix fluid foundation n my frnd gt nc 37 fix fluid foundation ...is it a huge difference... Or it can work..pls help

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous3 April 2015 at 20:32

    I googled undertone and found that cool undertone means pink and warm undertone means yellow, golden. Now I am really confused...need some help !!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Lynda-a million little pieces of me29 September 2015 at 08:12

    Best to go in to a shop and test it out. Your skin changes tone slightly throughout the year.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous18 November 2016 at 13:03

    I am indian and can switch between the nc and the nw range, my skin is light to olive and I found the NW covers and blends better, I used to get bright pictures when using the flash on my camera, so my body would look completely different to my face, and also it never blended with the neckline and chest area,

    NW seems to be the perfect blend

    ReplyDelete
  20. Eva22 November 2016 at 14:24

    MAC use the opposite to the other makeup houses. Best remembered as "NC" = "Not Cool" and "NW" = "Not Warm".

    ReplyDelete
  21. Unknown23 January 2017 at 00:04

    Hey i m not v fair not dark medium complextion but my mistake i bought nc 15 which is quiet fairer for me...should i switch to nc 20 is nc 20 is more of yellow tone or it goes well with my skin coz nc 25 is far more darker

    ReplyDelete
  22. Unknown14 April 2017 at 15:42

    Can someone help me I have black hair olive skin what shade would people recommend thanks

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous17 September 2017 at 19:29

    I want to buy me face and body foundation, I wear in powder c4 and in spf 15 foundation c 3.5, pls help!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous12 April 2018 at 01:36

    The closest shade to my skin I can be matched with is NC42, however I have actually noticed, particularly in photographs, that this foundation actually makes me look peachy/pink. At first I thought it was the lighting, but then I kept taking photos in different lighting and realised it was the foundation. At first when I put it on, its nice and golden, albeit maybe a tad too yellow, but then after about 3 hours on, it starts to look peachy/pink/red and dull. Its definitely not my primer, or my moisturiser. I have mainly golden undertones, no red or pink at all in my skin...could I actually be a C shade and not NC? I've only recently learnt that the 'NC' shades of 'Golden Beige' skin actually include peach, yellow, and gold undertones... For someone who has no pink or red in their skin, I think this could be the problem.

    ReplyDelete
  25. musa17 April 2018 at 14:39

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  26. MAC GIVEAWAY13 December 2018 at 22:19

    This is my personal experience getting hired.For Get Free Products Giveaway Free Everyone's hiring process varies but I hope I am able to give a little insight for you Mac Products Giveaway

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  27. Unknown10 January 2019 at 17:32

    Nc 25 is too dark and nc 15 is too light and nc 20 is not look like something on face .what to do. And face and body no for me .and my foundation oxidize ..nc 20 will oxidize?

    ReplyDelete
  28. Unknown10 January 2019 at 17:32

    Studio fix oxidize ?

    ReplyDelete
  29. Shelly1 February 2019 at 06:18

    If nw 20 is my tone.. And I want to go for NC.. What would be the best substitute nw 20 in NC?

    ReplyDelete
  30. Punam4 March 2019 at 09:47

    NC 30 fix fluid mqtches me but i have pink undertones so which shade will suit me in NW range

    ReplyDelete
  31. Unknown18 March 2019 at 16:21

    I have NW45 in a powder that I love so I bought NW45 in Max studio Tech foundation and it is much darker. Normally Mac makes me look like I am not wearing make up. But this doesn’t ! can you suggest a color I could try that would be closed to the color of NW45

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10 December 2019 at 08:39

      How much darker does it look on your skin?
      Go down a shade or two

      Delete
  32. Anonymous27 September 2019 at 23:49

    They gave me nc15 but I don’t see where you can pick that when i want to order Mac and body foundation. They just give me cool and neutral undertones separately.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. David & Chaia10 December 2019 at 08:31

      If you haven't already gotten your face & body foundation.
      I would go with the lightest color in the c range or the second to lightest color in the c category . Like C1 that seems to be what should match your skin tone of you are using that in the powder already . Good luck

      Delete
  33. David & Chaia10 December 2019 at 08:40

    Try to go down a shade or two

    ReplyDelete
  34. Deblina Sanyal7 January 2020 at 06:57

    Hey...please help me too pick up my Mac shade...I use Maybelline fit me foundation shade 228.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Unknown9 April 2020 at 17:13

    I wear nc30 and was looking to purchase face and body but dont know what shade. Could someone please help me thanks

    ReplyDelete
  36. jayR24 April 2020 at 21:12

    If my powderis nc30 what would my foundation color be

    ReplyDelete
  37. Unknown9 November 2020 at 10:09

    Hi there,
    I am currently using NC25 foundation what concealer and contour shade should go well it? Advice please

    ReplyDelete
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