Lipsticks are probably MAC’s most popular product.
So that’s it for MAC foundation shades, now moving on to…
(L-R, Pro Longwear in NC20, Studio Fix in NC15, Studio Sculpt in NC20, Face & Body in C1 and Studio Fix in NC20) (L-R Pro Longwear in NC20, Studio Fix in NC20 and Studio Sculpt in NC20) (L-R Studio Fix in NC15 and Face & Body in C1) It is important to do a shade test and not to assume you are the same shade as in other foundations. So if you are buying a new MAC foundation, don’t be so sure it will be the same shade as your old ones. I have Studio Sculpt, Studio Fix and Pro Longwear all in NC20 (See what I mean about MAC artists matching you to the wrong shade?) and there are subtle differences in each shade (see below). I’m not sure why, it’s possibly just down to the formulas of each foundation. Not all shades are the same in all foundations. This is where things get confusing again. I’m an NC15, but I have been matched to different shades in the past and it’s taken a while to work out exactly what shade I am in which foundations.
Once you know you’re undertone and how dark your skin is, working out your shade is easy.
Most of us paler Irish girls are around the 15/20 mark, except for you lucky tanned girls (or boys!). However there is an NC13 and some other odd numbers, which generally indicate that the shade is more neutral toned than cool or warm toned. The numbers generally start at NC15, and go up in 5’s. The higher the number, the darker the colour. This is actually extremely easy to understand. You have to take these guides with a pinch of salt however, because some peoples skin doesn’t follow the guides and you may show signs of one undertone, while actually having the other. A few of my favourites are here, here and here. If you’re not sure of you’re undertones, there are loads of great guides to working it out online. The way I like to remember it is as “Not Cool” and “Not Warm”. I’ve heard a few different meaning for this code, but the prevailing theories seem to be that it means “Neutralises Cool” or “Neutral Cool” (NC), which is skin with a yellow undertone, and “Neutralises Warm” or “Neutral Warm” (NW), which means a pink skin tone. Usually, we would say that warm skin has a yellow undertone, and cool skin has a pink undertone. This is in reference to the tones of your skin, and is where most people get confused. Firstly, I’ll explain the letters as best as I can.
At the start of the code is either NC or NW, or sometimes just C and W, followed by a number. MAC are usually good with samples aswell, so if you’re unsure, ask for a sample of your nearest shade.īy now, you’ve probably noticed that MAC code their foundations in 2 ways. My experience with MAC artists is that they can sometimes match you to shades that are too dark for you, which can then appear orange under natural light. I would advise trying to find a match yourself also, especially under natural lighting. I am far from an expert so if you really need help in finding a match, go to your nearest MAC counter and they will match you as best as they can. This can be a hugely confusing thing for any MAC newbies. MAC can be confusing for beginners, especially because they have such a huge range of products, but I hope that after reading this you will be able to walk into any MAC store with confidence rather than confusion. This is a comprehensive guide to understanding how MAC codes their foundations, and the different textures and finishes of lipstick and eyeshadow.
However, MAC can be daunting for anyone new to the brand and so I wrote this post in an attempt to clear up any confusion you may have about MAC. Aren’t we all just a little bit obsessed with MAC? Their endless limited edition collections, huge range of shades and classic matte black packaging is enough to drive any beauty nerd crazy.