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Foundation Stick 203 dupes and alternatives Essence

Tan · Cool undertone

Closest shade match is the equivalent shade, scored on colour, depth and undertone only. Closest overall alternative is the most similar foundation overall, scored on shade match (55%), finish and visual result (25%), wear and performance (15%) and skin suitability (5%).

Filters, 2 applied

Coverage

Finish

  • Matte4
  • Natural matte0
  • Natural0
  • Radiant0

Formulation

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Only showing matches with full coverage, with SPF.

  • 25 matches have no SPF listed and are not shown.

Closest shade matchClosest overall alternative: BLK/OPL TRUE COLOR Mineral Matte Crème Powder Foundation SPF 15 Kalahari Sand

The equivalent shade and the most similar foundation overall.

Your shade
Essence
203Change shade
Depth and undertone: Tan · Cool
Finish and coverage: Matte · Medium coverage
The match
BLK/OPL
Kalahari Sand
Depth and undertone: Tan
Finish and coverage: Matte · Full coverage
Overall match
79out of 100
Shade (Shade match)
85
Finish (Finish & visual result)
91
Wear (Wear & performance)
50
Skin (Skin suitability)
40
Shade match
85out of 100
Colour
89
Depth
93
Undertone
70
Medium confidence· Digital matchWhy it matches
Best price
$14.95Ulta BeautyUlta Beauty
Costs $7.96 more

Your shade $6.99 at Ulta Beauty

More matches

Show
Overall alternativesShade matchesRanked by the overall match: the most similar foundation on shade, finish, wear and skin suitability together. Each row leads with its overall match; the shade match is beneath it.

Ranked by the overall match: the most similar foundation on shade, finish, wear and skin suitability together. Each row leads with its overall match; the shade match is beneath it.

  1. Shade match 77
    $14.95Ulta BeautyUlta BeautyCosts $7.96 more

    Matches: Very close colourSame matte finishAdds SPF 15

    Differences: Slightly warmer undertoneFull rather than medium coverageNot marketed for combination/oily/sensitive skin

    Score details
    Shade match
    77
    Finish & visual result
    91
    Wear & performance
    50
    Skin suitability
    40

    Very close colour · Matte · Full coverage

    Ingredients (not scored): 6% ingredient overlap

    Differences: Slightly warmer undertone · Full rather than medium coverage · Not marketed for combination/oily/sensitive skin

    Medium confidence· Digital match

    View match
  2. Shade match 77
    $14.50Ulta BeautyUlta BeautyCosts $7.51 more

    Matches: Very close colourSame matte finishClaims a blurring effect

    Differences: Slightly warmer undertoneFull rather than medium coverage

    Score details
    Shade match
    77
    Finish & visual result
    81
    Wear & performance
    40
    Skin suitability
    100

    Very close colour · Matte · Full coverage

    Ingredients (not scored): 8% ingredient overlap

    Differences: Slightly warmer undertone · Full rather than medium coverage

    Medium confidence· Digital match

    View match
  3. Shade match 76
    $14.50Ulta BeautyUlta BeautyCosts $7.51 more

    Matches: Very close colourSame matte finishClaims a blurring effect

    Differences: Slightly warmer undertoneFull rather than medium coverage

    Score details
    Shade match
    76
    Finish & visual result
    81
    Wear & performance
    40
    Skin suitability
    100

    Very close colour · Matte · Full coverage

    Ingredients (not scored): 8% ingredient overlap

    Differences: Slightly warmer undertone · Full rather than medium coverage

    Retailer shade note: medium shade with warm undertones

    Medium confidence· Digital match

    View match

Looking for a concealer in your shade?

The closest shade to Essence Foundation Stick 203 (Tan · Cool undertone) in each concealer range, compared on measured colour, depth and undertone. Price never changes the order.

Closest concealers

  1. Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer

    440C

    Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer, shade 440C

    • Very close colour
    • Tan · Neutral · neutral pink undertone

    $24

  2. L'Oréal Paris True Match Radiant Serum Concealer

    W9.5

    L'Oréal Paris True Match Radiant Serum Concealer, shade W9.5

    • Very close colour
    • Tan · Cool undertone

    $16.99

  3. IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Anti-Aging Water-Resistant Concealer

    40.5 Deep

    IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Anti-Aging Water-Resistant Concealer, shade 40.5 Deep

    • Close colour
    • Tan · Cool undertone

    $30

  4. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

    Hazelnut

    NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, shade Hazelnut

    • Close colour
    • Tan · Cool undertone

    $36

  5. Maybelline Fit Me Natural Finish Concealer

    050 Café

    Maybelline Fit Me Natural Finish Concealer, shade 050 Café

    • Very close colour
    • Tan

    $10.99

  6. Revlon ColorStay Skin Awaken Concealer

    Cinnamon

    Revlon ColorStay Skin Awaken Concealer, shade Cinnamon

    • Very close colour
    • Tan

    $14.99

Concealer shade colours are sampled from retailer swatch images, so check the shade on the retailer page before buying.

Why the closest match works

BLK/OPL TRUE COLOR Mineral Matte Crème Powder Foundation SPF 15 in Kalahari Sand, against Essence Foundation Stick in 203. Every attribute compared, with its share of the score.

ComparedYour shade203Closest matchKalahari SandScore
Shade match55% of overall85
Colour89#af7854#b57f59Very close colourColour difference 2.5 (0 is identical)
Depth93TanTanSameDepth difference: 3.6
Retailer descriptionMediumNot statedNo depth word in one descriptionNot compared
Undertone70CoolUnknownSome differencefrom retailer shade descriptions
Finish & visual result25% of overall · 2 of 4 compared91
Finish100MatteMatteSameSame matte finish
Coverage80MediumFullCloseFull coverage rather than medium (buildable: one step of tolerance)
Skin-like finishnot comparableNot listedNot listedNot claimed by eitherNeither product lists a skin-like finish
Blurringnot comparableNot listedNot listedNot claimed by eitherNeither product lists a blurring or smoothing effect
Wear & performance15% of overall · none of 5 comparable50
Longevitynot comparableNot listedNot listedNot claimed by eitherNeither product lists long wear
Transfer resistancenot comparableNot listedNot listedNot claimed by eitherNeither product lists transfer resistance
Settlingnot comparableNot listedNot listedNot claimed by eitherNeither product lists not settling into pores or fine lines
Colour stabilitynot comparableNot listedNot listedNot claimed by eitherNeither product lists colour stability (no oxidation)
Comfortnot comparableNot listedNot listedNot claimed by eitherNeither product lists a comfortable, lightweight feel
Skin suitability5% of overall40
Skin type40Combination, dry, normal, oily, sensitiveDry, normalBoth marketed for dry/​normal skin
Overall match 79/100Shade match 85/100Medium confidence· Digital match

Weights are each part's share of the overall match and each attribute's share of its part; an attribute neither product lists is not comparable and its weight goes to the others in its part. Confidence reflects data quality, not similarity. Price and ingredients are not part of either score.

How scoring works

If you switch

To BLK/OPL TRUE COLOR Mineral Matte Crème Powder Foundation SPF 15 in Kalahari Sand.

Same or better

  • Very close colour
  • Same matte finish
  • Full rather than medium coverage
  • Adds SPF 15

Different

  • Not marketed for combination/oily/sensitive skin

Ingredients (information only, not scored)

3 shared ingredients; weighted similarity 6%. Ingredients only affect results through the filters.

AttributeYour shadeClosest match
Basemoderate siliconehigh silicone
FragranceNot listedNot listed
Drying alcoholNot listedNot listed
SPFNot listedSPF 15
OverlapBoth unknown-based; silicone moderate vs high

Where to buy Kalahari Sand

Best price
$14.95Ulta BeautyUlta Beauty
Costs $7.96 more

Your shade $6.99 at Ulta Beauty

How these matches are scored

30 similar shades scored two ways: the shade match on colour, depth and undertone; the overall match on shade match, finish and visual result, wear and performance and skin suitability. Ingredients are shown for information and used by the filters only. Prices are shown next to every match and never change a score. How scoring and confidence work.

Shade colours are sampled from Beautler’s processing of retailer swatch images and are a digital approximation. Prices and stock were last checked when the product was imported; the retailer page is the source of truth.