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Foundation Stick 40 dupes and alternatives Essence

Very fair · Cool · rosy 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%).

Only showing matches with full coverage, in liquid form, without coconut oil.

  • 7 matches have no formulation listed and are not shown.
  • 1 match has no ingredient list listed and is not shown.

Closest shade match: IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream Illumination SPF 50+ Fair Light

The equivalent shade: scored on colour, depth and undertone only.

Your shade
Essence
40Change shade
Depth and undertone: Very fair · Cool · rosy
Finish and coverage: Matte · Medium coverage
The match
IT Cosmetics
Fair Light
Depth and undertone: Very fair · Cool · pink
Finish and coverage: Radiant · Full coverage
Shade match
99out of 100
Colour
99
Depth
99
Undertone
100
Medium confidence· Digital matchWhy it matches
Best price
$39Ulta BeautyUlta Beauty
Costs $32.01 more

Your shade $6.99 at Ulta Beauty

Ulta BeautyView at Ulta Beauty

Closest overall alternative: Tarte Face Tape Full Coverage Foundation 12B Fair Beige

The most similar foundation overall: shade match 55%, finish and visual result 25%, wear and performance 15%, skin suitability 5%.

Your shade
Essence
40Change shade
Depth and undertone: Very fair · Cool · rosy
Finish and coverage: Matte · Medium coverage
The match
Tarte
12B Fair Beige
Depth and undertone: Very fair · Cool · pink
Finish and coverage: Matte · Full coverage
Overall match
80out of 100
Shade (Shade match)
92
Finish (Finish & visual result)
81
Wear (Wear & performance)
40
Skin (Skin suitability)
60
Best price
$42SephoraSephora
Costs $35.01 more

Your shade $6.99 at Ulta Beauty

SephoraView at Sephora

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. #3 · Tarte

    Face Tape Full Coverage Foundation

    18B Fair-Light Beige
    Shade match 92
    $42SephoraSephoraCosts $35.01 more

    Matches: Very close colourSame cool undertoneSame matte finish

    Differences: Slightly deeperFull rather than medium coverageNot marketed for dry/sensitive skin

    Score details
    Shade match
    92
    Finish & visual result
    81
    Wear & performance
    40
    Skin suitability
    60

    Very close colour · Matte · Full coverage

    Ingredients (not scored): 3% ingredient overlap

    Differences: Slightly deeper · Full rather than medium coverage · Not marketed for dry/sensitive skin · Contains listed fragrance

    Retailer shade note: fair to light skin with cool, pink or rosy undertones

    Medium confidence· Digital match

    View match
  2. Shade match 89
    $45Ulta BeautyUlta Beauty(product price)Costs $38.01 more

    Matches: Near-identical swatch colourSame matte finishClaims a skin-like finish

    Differences: Neutral rather than cool undertoneFull rather than medium coverageContains drying alcohol

    Score details
    Shade match
    89
    Finish & visual result
    79
    Wear & performance
    40
    Skin suitability
    100

    Looks identical · Matte · Full coverage

    Ingredients (not scored): 5% ingredient overlap

    Differences: Neutral rather than cool undertone · Full rather than medium coverage · Contains drying alcohol

    Retailer shade note: for very fair neutral skin with a peach hue

    Medium confidence· Digital match

    View match
  3. #5 · Tarte

    Face Tape Full Coverage Foundation

    20B Light Beige
    Shade match 89
    $42SephoraSephoraCosts $35.01 more

    Matches: Same cool undertoneSame matte finishClaims a blurring effect

    Differences: Slightly deeperFull rather than medium coverageNot marketed for dry/sensitive skin

    Score details
    Shade match
    89
    Finish & visual result
    81
    Wear & performance
    40
    Skin suitability
    60

    Close colour · Matte · Full coverage

    Ingredients (not scored): 3% ingredient overlap

    Differences: Slightly deeper · Full rather than medium coverage · Not marketed for dry/sensitive skin · Contains listed fragrance

    Retailer shade note: light skin with cool, pink or rosy undertones

    Medium confidence· Digital match

    View match
  4. #6 · L'Oréal Paris

    Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation

    100 True Alabaster
    Shade match 90
    $14.99Ulta BeautyUlta Beauty(product price)Costs $8 more

    Matches: Near-identical swatch colourSame matte finishClaims a blurring effect

    Differences: Full rather than medium coverageNot marketed for combination/dry/sensitive skin

    Score details
    Shade match
    90
    Finish & visual result
    81
    Wear & performance
    40
    Skin suitability
    40

    Looks identical · Matte · Full coverage

    Ingredients (not scored): 10% ingredient overlap

    Differences: Full rather than medium coverage · Not marketed for combination/dry/sensitive skin

    Medium confidence· Digital match

    View match

Looking for a concealer in your shade?

The closest shade to Essence Foundation Stick 40 (Very fair · Cool · rosy undertone) in each concealer range, compared on measured colour, depth and undertone. Price never changes the order.

Closest concealers

  1. Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Multi-Use Concealer

    Cream Puff

    Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Multi-Use Concealer, shade Cream Puff

    • Very close colour
    • Very fair · Cool · rosy undertone

    $36

  2. Milk Makeup Future Fluid Longwear Hydrating Concealer

    2C

    Milk Makeup Future Fluid Longwear Hydrating Concealer, shade 2C

    • Very close colour
    • Very fair · Cool undertone

    $30

  3. Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Full Coverage Longwear Concealer

    Stone 1.3

    Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Full Coverage Longwear Concealer, shade Stone 1.3

    • Very close colour
    • Very fair · Cool · pink undertone

    $39

  4. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

    Affogato

    NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, shade Affogato

    • Very close colour
    • Very fair · Cool undertone

    $36

  5. Tarte Shape Tape Full Coverage Matte Concealer

    12B fair beige

    Tarte Shape Tape Full Coverage Matte Concealer, shade 12B fair beige

    • Very close colour
    • Very fair · Cool · pink undertone

    $32

  6. Maybelline Fit Me Natural Finish Concealer

    010 Fair

    Maybelline Fit Me Natural Finish Concealer, shade 010 Fair

    • Looks identical
    • Very fair

    $10.99

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

Why the closest shade match works

IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream Illumination SPF 50+ in Fair Light, against Essence Foundation Stick in 40. Every attribute compared, with its share of the score.

ComparedYour shade40Closest shade matchFair LightScore
Shade match55% of overall99
Colour99#fdd7c4#ffd8c5Looks identicalColour difference 0.4 (0 is identical)
Depth99Very fairVery fairSameDepth difference: 0.6
Retailer descriptionFairVery fairSome differenceRetailer descriptions one depth band apart
Undertone100Cool · rosyCool · pinkClosefrom retailer shade descriptions
Finish & visual result25% of overall · 2 of 4 compared43
Finish12MatteRadiantDifferentRadiant finish rather than matte
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, sensitiveNormal, dryBoth marketed for dry/​normal skin
Overall match 75/100Shade match 99/100Medium 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 IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream Illumination SPF 50+ in Fair Light.

Same or better

  • Near-identical swatch colour
  • Same cool undertone
  • Full rather than medium coverage
  • Adds SPF 50

Different

  • Radiant finish instead of matte
  • Not marketed for combination/oily/sensitive skin
  • Fragrance is listed in the formula

Ingredients (information only, not scored)

3 shared ingredients; weighted similarity 4%. Ingredients only affect results through the filters.

AttributeYour shadeClosest shade match
Basemoderate siliconeSilicone-based, high silicone
FragranceNot listedListed (limonene)
Drying alcoholNot listedNot listed
SPFNot listedSPF 50
OverlapUnknown-based vs silicone-based; silicone moderate vs high

Why the closest overall alternative works

Tarte Face Tape Full Coverage Foundation in 12B Fair Beige, against Essence Foundation Stick in 40. Every attribute compared, with its share of the score.

ComparedYour shade40Closest overall alternative12B Fair BeigeScore
Shade match55% of overall92
Colour88#fdd7c4#f5d5c8Very close colourColour difference 2.6 (0 is identical)
Depth97Very fairVery fairSameDepth difference: 1.6
Retailer descriptionFairFairBoth described as fairThe retailers describe the same depth
Undertone100Cool · rosyCool · pinkClosefrom retailer shade descriptions
Finish & visual result25% of overall · 3 of 4 compared81
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
Blurring40Not listedClaimedSome differenceThe match claims a blurring or smoothing effect; your product does not list it
Wear & performance15% of overall · 4 of 5 compared40
Longevity40Not listed12-hour wearSome differenceThe match claims long wear; your product does not list it
Transfer resistance40Not listedClaimedSome differenceThe match claims transfer resistance; your product does not list it
Settling40Not listedClaimedSome differenceThe match claims not settling into pores or fine lines; your product does not list it
Colour stabilitynot comparableNot listedNot listedNot claimed by eitherNeither product lists colour stability (no oxidation)
Comfort40Not listedClaimedSome differenceThe match claims a comfortable, lightweight feel; your product does not list it
Skin suitability5% of overall60
Skin type60Combination, dry, normal, oily, sensitiveNormal, combination, oilyBoth marketed for combination/​normal/​oily skin
Overall match 80/100Shade match 92/100Medium 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 Tarte Face Tape Full Coverage Foundation in 12B Fair Beige.

Same or better

  • Very close colour
  • Same cool undertone
  • Same matte finish
  • Full rather than medium coverage
  • Claims a blurring effect
  • Claims 12-hour wear
  • Claims transfer resistance
  • Claims not settling into lines
  • Claims a lightweight feel

Different

  • Not marketed for dry/sensitive skin
  • Fragrance is listed in the formula

Ingredients (information only, not scored)

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

AttributeYour shadeClosest overall alternative
Basemoderate siliconeSilicone-based, high silicone
FragranceNot listedListed (fragrance)
Drying alcoholNot listedNot listed
SPFNot listedNot listed
OverlapUnknown-based vs silicone-based; silicone moderate vs high

Where to buy

Closest shade match

IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream Illumination SPF 50+ Fair Light

Best price
$39Ulta BeautyUlta Beauty
Costs $32.01 more

Your shade $6.99 at Ulta Beauty

Ulta BeautyView at Ulta Beauty

Closest overall alternative

Tarte Face Tape Full Coverage Foundation 12B Fair Beige

Best price
$42SephoraSephora
Costs $35.01 more

Your shade $6.99 at Ulta Beauty

SephoraView at Sephora

How these matches are scored

31 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.