MAC Cosmetics Shade Guide
Finding the correct shade of foundation, powder or concealer can be a difficult task.
Our shade guide will help you understand what each MAC Shade means so you can find the one that’s best for you. Find your match!
The following chart was created by MAC to help you understand the wide array of foundation shades that MAC offers. Each shade’s name is a combination of letters followed by numbers (ie: NC 35 or NW 15). The shades range in depth from 15 (very pale) to 55 (very dark). The C, NC, N, NW or W distinguish between different skin tones.
To understand how MAC names their foundation, powder and concealer shades, here is a breakdown of MAC’s foundation codes:
| Shade: |
C
|
NC
|
N
|
NW
|
W
|
| Stands for: |
“Cool”
|
“Neutral Cool”
|
“Neutral”
|
“Neutral
Warm” |
“Warm”
|
| Match for: |
Yellow-Golden Olive Skin
|
Golden Beige Skin
|
Beige Skin
|
Pink Beige Skin
|
Pinkish Skin
|
The number that follows the letter(s) denotes the depth of the shade. The higher the number, the deeper the color. For instance NW55 is a match for very dark pinkish beige skin, whereas NC20 would be a match for somewhat lighter, golden beige skin.
The first step in selecting your shade is to simply look at your skin, without makeup, in daylight. If your skin looks more Yellow/Golden Olive or Golden Beige, you match with Neutral Cool or “NC” shades. If your skin is a neutral beige, you will match with the Neutral or “N” shades. If your skin looks more Pink Beige, you match with Neutral Warm or “NW” shades. This might seem backwards since usually we think of pinkish skin tones as cool and yellowish skin tones as warm. The reason for this is that MAC uses the makeup artists color wheel which is pretty much the opposite of what we usually think of as cool vs. warm. An easy way to look at it is like this: Think of each MAC foundation shade as being named with either the cool or warm shade that would neutralize and balance out your skin tone.
By looking at your skin in daylight, most skin tones will fall into either the NC or NW classifications. However, if you are still not certain which classification is right for you, looking at the undertones in your skin will help. To determine what your undertones are, take a look at the underside of your forearm. If your vein looks more blue, then you most likely have pinkish undertones. If your vein looks more greenish, then you have more yellow or golden undertones. If at all possible, it is highly recommended to match your skin tone in person at a MAC counter or MAC store to ensure you purchase the correct shade.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Finding the “right” colour is something very subjective. It is a good idea to choose the shade in person by visiting a MAC counter if at all possible.
- When choosing a foundation shade, you will want to make sure you use the skin near your jawline or neck area as your criteria for determining your match. This helps to ensure flawless blending and to avoid ending up with a face that’s too light or too dark that doesn’t match the rest of your skin! If you simply try to match the skin tone on your forehead or cheeks, you will often end up with a shade that looks to dark compared to the rest of you. It is much better to choose the shade that matches your jawline/neckline, and then to use a Bronzer or Skinfinish to highlight or add “sun” to your face, if desired. (Also, when it comes to actual makeup application, be sure to blend foundations and powders around the jawline and into the neckline.)
- With concealers, it is possible you may want to try a concealer with a slight tint to it. This will help cover up dark undereye circles or reddish imperfections.
- Slightly yellowish tones will help to cancel out and cover up dark purpleish/blueish undereye circles. (Or just selecting a concealer that is a few shades lighter than your regular foundation will also work well for diminishing undereye circles.)
- Slightly greenish toned concealers will help to cancel out any reddish tones in your skin caused by acne, or other skin conditions.
- If you have a significant undertone to your skin, you may choose to play it up or play it down by trying a shade that includes or excludes your undertones.
- Often, people will wear a couple different shades throughout the year because skin shade and tone can change according to the season, physical well being and general lighting.
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Why do some people say NW is cool and NC is warm? I saw the MAC site and its the other way around. AH~ it\’s just to confusing \\:[
Rie: like the article explains, people say NW is “cool” because it balances out the pink in cool skin, and the opposite for NC. I’m cool-toned, but I wear NW because the yellow balances out the pink tones in my skin.
It’s color theory. You match a color with its opposite to neutralize it and balance it out.
thanks for the very informative post! will link this to my page.. i’ll be mentioning your blog there!
I am in Kenya and I’ve been trying to differentiate original from imitation mac powder. Here the shades are quite different from what I’ve just read. All of them seem to be dark for my skin tone. I am black but fair skinned. Help?
Hi,when i was in kenyai found that you can buy the real mac foundation from the makeup shop in the WestGate mall.They should be able to match you to your right shade.
Hope this help.
Thank you for the helpful hints! The wrong shades were suggested to me in the store, and I can now clearly see what I need. Good info.
this is very helpful cos ive been confused for such a long time!thanks
Hi! Just wanted to say how EXTREMELY
helpful this was! The forearm vein trick
really helped me figure everything out!
Thanks for being so thorough and precise!!
Would you know whta color I would wear in MAC? I currently use Estee Lauder Double Wear in DESERT BEIGE. I am wanting to try MAC b/c es is just not working anymore and I dont have a mac counter near me to stop by and sample.
hello i think you would be an nc35 or nc40 based on the color shown on the website. i hope i helped (:
I use Desert Beige and I’m a NW20 in MAC Studiofix. Hope this helps
Is this foundation good for people that get break outs? Is the coverage good?
MAC creme is quite oily and thick, good for dryer skin. MAC Studio Fix Powder works great for oily skin and full coverage.
Thanks for putting time into making this, it was very helpful! The current foundation I use is revlon colorstay in the shade medium beige, it helps tone down the pink understones I have. I’m still deciding which mac-shade I should get. I know I’ll range around NC25? Not too sure yet. Any help will be very much appreciated
Revlon Medium Beige is comparable to NW20 in MAC. I wear them both and are about the same in colour.
Hi, I have a quick question I am Asian (Bengali/middle east). I have brought so many foundations from MAC, but I can never get my perfect match. When I went to the store, they gave me MAC foundation in NW35 and a select sheer loose powder in NC40. But It does not look too good. Do you think I should get both my foundation and powder in NC40? Or should my foundation be a little lighter then the powder?
hi, i need help about which shade i need.i have never used mac before. im a white girl with sensitive skin and red complextion.
Thankyou
hi, i am ordering the mac studio fix powder/foundation online and i was confused about what color to get. i wear nw35, but i think it might be a little orange for me. if i get nc35 will it be the same darkness but a little less yellow? from reading this article, i definitely think i am NC but not sure of the color.
Hello, I have been using studio fix powder in C3 for years and am sometimes happy with it…other times I feel very orangy. I am thinking of purchasing NW20, or 25. I was wondering if you may have an suggestions for me. My skin tone is very fair, and I use the foundation to even out the redness in my face. Thank you!
I have also used NC20, and NC25….20 being EXTREMELY too light/white.
Sooo confused im usually very good with cosmetics but mac takes the cake its got toooo many options and I don’t know what to do im american indian but pale not white though I usually wear merle norman but I change the color with the seasons im redder in the fall browner in summer but I don’t tan much I have red in my skin and look excellant in red yellow clothes make me have dark circles which color should I go with. Also which products do u suggest for a base kit I usually wear concealer powder blush lipstick mascara eye shadow and eye liner I need dark eyes and pink lips n rose blush but I have dark eye circles which concelear and primer mineral not mineral I don’t know where to go I know I like a good stay on base and a light powder u cannot see but I have oily skin t zone help advice please
hey, i love MAC products, am an african woman, oily skin, my shade for black opal is capuchinno, so which MAC, powder (studio fix) and full coverage, sahde fits me, and a listick.
I use loreal true match foundation, the colour i use is natural rose C4. Could you tell me which colour in mac foundation would be best suited to that? thanks!
I have very pale skin with freckles and pinky blue colours in it, my veins are blue so I presume I’m cool toned as I also suit silver jewellery better than gold. What colour would I be about in MAC shades as I didn’t seem to fit any of the codes above?
I think I am an NC35, but I’ll go to the MAC cosmetics counter and ask an artist in that department so I can know for sure.
I wear NC15 foundation and NW15 concealer. Does this mean I am cool toned, warm, or neutral? I’m so confused…
i am a natural redhead and pale,i want to know which shade is right for me and which foundation,id like full coverage.im really confused!!!
I think I should clarify this. According to the color wheel, Yellow is cool and pink is warm, even though we typically refer to them as the opposite. MAC uses the color wheel. therefore, NC means yellow, and according to MAC, is cool. NW is pink, and according to MAC, is warm. this has nothing to do with cancellation, although that’s what many people believe
I personally have not seen a color wheel that considers yellow cool and pink warm. I therefore agree with Renee, the second reply here, and with the original post where it reads: “Think of each MAC foundation shade as being named with either the cool or warm shade that would neutralize and balance out your skin tone.”
I went to the MAC counter and they matched me with NC 35 but doesn’t make my skin look natural. I use Clinique Superfit in Neutral. Please help me with the color
Hi i currently wear clinique powder in matte neutral, could you pls tell me what mac shade of the foundation plus powder i would fall under? thanks
Geez people… There is really no way the author of this article (or someone else) can tell what MAC color you should get, w/o personally looking at you. What someone calls “fair” may not be considered fair by someone else. (e.g. I wear NC20 but I don’t consider myself “EXTREMELY too light/white,” as Shelby calls the same color.) Even at the same brightness level there are different skin tones.
There is a really helpful foundation matrix at temptalia.com: ww w.temptalia.com/foundation-matrix
The info is based on compilation of info the readers submitted based on their experience. If you have a ball park idea, you can choose your undertone and find your current foundation in the matrx by the brand name; the number at the top of the grid should be your M.A.C. color (for most people). It may or may not work for you, but it gives you the idea of where to work from.
I use Black Opal Nutmeg but i not too keen on the coverage. my veins look greenish and i wonder what shades of concealer and foundation i should use.Please help
Hi I can never match with Mac studio fix powder. The mac associate first gave me nc40 and it looks to white or grayish on me and nc35 was too light. Then I came back saying my foundation really doesn’t match my neck and face but they said that was really my color cause nc42 would be too dark on me. I went to bobbi brown because my friend suggested I am yellow tone and that Bobbi brown is yellow based. So the lady suggested Warm beige and it does matches my skin very well. I had so many compliments that my skin looked so nice and natural. They tought I wasn’t wearing makeup. The problem now with Bobbi Brown is that I am breaking out having small pimples on my forehead. I want to go back to Mac because I don’t breakout with mac but I can’t seem to be matched with a correct color. All my friends are mostly nc 30 to nc 40 but doesn’t match them. I think that’s the only colors they know to suggest. Please help what bobbi brown warm beige would match with mac. Thanks
@Rhea – I have cool skin (I use NW) and warm freckles (NC) so I mix them together. Maybe that’s what you need to try. You might be neutral and you need both NC and NW to balance each other out. Any MAC artist should tell you that most women do need 2 colors to find the right match. You need to go to a store and try on several different combinations until you find the right match. Also, go out into natural sunlight and make sure the color matches. The lighting isn’t the best at the stores, so you can come out with an orange face when you thought it matched inside. Hope that helps!