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Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 Foundation NC40 dupes and alternatives MAC Cosmetics

Medium · Warm · golden 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 medium coverage, with SPF, without talc.

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

Closest shade match: Hourglass Illusion Luminous Glow Foundation SPF 30 16

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

The match
Hourglass
16
Depth and undertone: Medium · Warm · golden
Finish and coverage: Radiant · Medium coverage
Shade match
96out of 100
Colour
95
Depth
96
Undertone
100
Best price
$60SephoraSephora
Costs $21 more

Your shade $39 at Sephora

SephoraView at Sephora

Closest overall alternative: Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Care and Glow Foundation 405W

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

The match
Lancôme
405W
Depth and undertone: Medium · Warm · golden
Finish and coverage: Natural · Medium coverage
Overall match
81out of 100
Shade (Shade match)
94
Finish (Finish & visual result)
67
Wear (Wear & performance)
70
Skin (Skin suitability)
40
Match price
$53Ulta BeautyUlta Beauty
Costs $14 more

Your shade $39 at Sephora · product price; shade not separately priced

Looking for a concealer in your shade?

The closest shade to MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 Foundation NC40 (Medium · Warm · golden undertone) in each concealer range, compared on measured colour, depth and undertone. Price never changes the order.

From the same range

  1. MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix 36HR Smooth Angles Hydrating Concealer

    NC42

    MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix 36HR Smooth Angles Hydrating Concealer, shade NC42

    • Very close colour
    • Medium · Warm · golden undertone

    $30

Closest concealers

  1. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Long-Wear Blur Concealer

    11.5 Tan

    Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Long-Wear Blur Concealer, shade 11.5 Tan

    • Looks identical
    • Medium light · Warm undertone

    $36

  2. NYX Professional Makeup Bare With Me Hydrating Face & Body Concealer Serum

    Medium Golden

    NYX Professional Makeup Bare With Me Hydrating Face & Body Concealer Serum, shade Medium Golden

    • Very close colour
    • Medium · Warm · golden undertone

    $12

  3. Kosas Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer

    Tone 08 W

    Kosas Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer, shade Tone 08 W

    • Very close colour
    • Medium · Warm · golden undertone

    $32

  4. Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Full Coverage Longwear Concealer

    Topaz 7

    Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Full Coverage Longwear Concealer, shade Topaz 7

    • Very close colour
    • Medium light · Warm · peach undertone

    $39

  5. Make Up For Ever HD Skin Full Cover Multi-Use Waterproof Concealer

    3N42

    Make Up For Ever HD Skin Full Cover Multi-Use Waterproof Concealer, shade 3N42

    • Very close colour
    • Medium · Neutral · neutral golden undertone

    $35

  6. Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Hydrating Face and Under-Eye Concealer

    5.5

    Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Hydrating Face and Under-Eye Concealer, shade 5.5

    • Close colour
    • Medium light · Warm · peach undertone

    $42

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

Hourglass Illusion Luminous Glow Foundation SPF 30 in 16, against MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 Foundation in NC40. Every attribute compared, with its share of the score.

ComparedYour shadeNC40Closest shade match16Score
Shade match55% of overall96
Colour95#e09564#d99264Looks identicalColour difference 1.5 (0 is identical)
Depth96MediumMediumSameDepth difference: 2.2
Retailer descriptionMedium tanMediumSome differenceRetailer descriptions one depth band apart
Undertone100Warm · goldenWarm · goldenSamefrom retailer shade descriptions
Finish & visual result25% of overall · 2 of 4 compared34
Finish12MatteRadiantDifferentRadiant finish rather than matte
Coverage60FullMediumSome differenceMedium coverage rather than full
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 overall63
Longevity3524-hour wear12-hour wearDifferent12-hour wear claimed against 24-hour wear
Transfer resistance100ClaimedClaimedSameBoth products claim transfer resistance
Settling100ClaimedClaimedSameBoth products claim not settling into pores or fine lines
Colour stability40ClaimedNot listedSome differenceOnly your product claims colour stability (no oxidation); the match does not list it
Comfort40ClaimedNot listedSome differenceOnly your product claims a comfortable, lightweight feel; the match does not list it
Skin suitability5% of overall40
Skin type40Normal, oilyNormal, dry, combinationBoth marketed for normal skin
Overall match 73/100Shade match 96/100High 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 Hourglass Illusion Luminous Glow Foundation SPF 30 in 16.

Same or better

  • Near-identical swatch colour
  • Same warm undertone
  • Both claim transfer resistance
  • Both claim not settling into lines
  • SPF 30 instead of SPF 15

Different

  • Radiant finish instead of matte
  • Medium rather than full coverage
  • Does not claim colour stability
  • Does not claim a lightweight feel
  • Not marketed for oily skin

Ingredients (information only, not scored)

10 shared ingredients; weighted similarity 9%. Ingredients only affect results through the filters.

AttributeYour shadeClosest shade match
BaseWater-based, high siliconeWater-based, high silicone
FragranceNot listedNot listed
Drying alcoholNot listedNot listed
SPFSPF 15SPF 30
OverlapBoth water-based; silicone high vs high

Why the closest overall alternative works

Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Care and Glow Foundation in 405W, against MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 Foundation in NC40. Every attribute compared, with its share of the score.

ComparedYour shadeNC40Closest overall alternative405WScore
Shade match55% of overall94
Colour91#e09564#d8935fVery close colourColour difference 2.2 (0 is identical)
Depth97MediumMediumSameDepth difference: 2.1
Retailer descriptionMedium tanMediumSome differenceRetailer descriptions one depth band apart
Undertone100Warm · goldenWarm · goldenSamefrom retailer shade descriptions
Finish & visual result25% of overall · 2 of 4 compared67
Finish56MatteNaturalSome differenceNatural finish rather than matte
Coverage80FullMediumCloseMedium coverage rather than full (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 overall70
Longevity10024-hour wear24-hour wearSameBoth claim 24-hour wear
Transfer resistance100ClaimedClaimedSameBoth products claim transfer resistance
Settling40ClaimedNot listedSome differenceOnly your product claims not settling into pores or fine lines; the match does not list it
Colour stability40ClaimedNot listedSome differenceOnly your product claims colour stability (no oxidation); the match does not list it
Comfort40ClaimedNot listedSome differenceOnly your product claims a comfortable, lightweight feel; the match does not list it
Skin suitability5% of overall40
Skin type40Normal, oilyNormal, combination, sensitiveBoth marketed for normal skin
Overall match 81/100Shade match 94/100High 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 Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Care and Glow Foundation in 405W.

Same or better

  • Very close colour
  • Same warm undertone
  • Medium rather than full coverage
  • Both claim 24-hour wear
  • Both claim transfer resistance
  • SPF 27 instead of SPF 15

Different

  • Natural finish instead of matte
  • Does not claim not settling into lines
  • Does not claim colour stability
  • Does not claim a lightweight feel
  • Not marketed for oily skin
  • Fragrance is listed in the formula
  • Contains alcohol denat.

Ingredients (information only, not scored)

9 shared ingredients; weighted similarity 19%. Ingredients only affect results through the filters.

AttributeYour shadeClosest overall alternative
BaseWater-based, high siliconeSilicone-based, high silicone
FragranceNot listedListed (fragrance)
Drying alcoholNot listedListed (alcohol denat.)
SPFSPF 15SPF 27
OverlapWater-based vs silicone-based; silicone high vs high

Where to buy

Closest shade match

Hourglass Illusion Luminous Glow Foundation SPF 30 16

Best price
$60SephoraSephora
Costs $21 more

Your shade $39 at Sephora

SephoraView at Sephora

Closest overall alternative

Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Care and Glow Foundation 405W

Match price
$53Ulta BeautyUlta Beauty
Costs $14 more

Your shade $39 at Sephora · product price; shade not separately priced

How these matches are scored

33 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.