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Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 Foundation NC45.5 dupes and alternatives MAC Cosmetics

Medium tan · 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%).

Filters, 3 applied

Coverage

Finish

Formulation

Skin type

Preferences

Fragrance-free2No drying alcohol2Vegan1Cruelty-free2Oil-free1With SPF0Mineral0

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Only showing matches made for normal skin, with medium coverage, in stick form.

  • 5 matches have no formulation listed and are not shown.
  • 1 match has no skin type listed and is not shown.

Closest shade match: Ulta Beauty Collection Moisturizing Complexion Stick Tan Warm

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

Your shade
MAC Cosmetics
NC45.5Change shade
Depth and undertone: Medium tan · Warm · golden
Finish and coverage: Matte · Full coverage
The match
Ulta Beauty Collection
Tan Warm
Depth and undertone: Medium tan · Warm
Finish and coverage: Natural · Medium coverage
Shade match
97out of 100
Colour
95
Depth
97
Undertone
100
Medium confidence· Digital matchWhy it matches
Match price
$16Ulta BeautyUlta Beauty
$23 less (59%)

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

Ulta BeautyView at Ulta Beauty

Closest overall alternative: MERIT The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation and Concealer Stick Amber

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

Your shade
MAC Cosmetics
NC45.5Change shade
Depth and undertone: Medium tan · Warm · golden
Finish and coverage: Matte · Full coverage
The match
MERIT
Amber
Depth and undertone: Medium tan · Warm
Finish and coverage: Natural · Medium coverage
Overall match
85out of 100
Shade (Shade match)
96
Finish (Finish & visual result)
67
Wear (Wear & performance)
70
Skin (Skin suitability)
87
Medium confidence· Digital matchWhy it matches
Best price
$38SephoraSephora
$1 less (3%)

Your shade $39 at Sephora

SephoraView at Sephora

Looking for a concealer in your shade?

The closest shade to MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 Foundation NC45.5 (Medium tan · 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

    NC47

    MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix 36HR Smooth Angles Hydrating Concealer, shade NC47

    • Slight colour difference
    • Tan · Warm · peach undertone

    $30

    SephoraView at Sephora

Closest concealers

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

    8.75

    Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Hydrating Face and Under-Eye Concealer, shade 8.75

    • Very close colour
    • Medium tan · Warm · golden undertone

    $42

    SephoraView at Sephora
  2. IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Anti-Aging Water-Resistant Concealer

    34.5 Rich Golden

    IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Anti-Aging Water-Resistant Concealer, shade 34.5 Rich Golden

    • Very close colour
    • Medium tan · Warm undertone

    $30

    Ulta BeautyView at Ulta Beauty
  3. Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Longwear Liquid Concealer

    440

    Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Longwear Liquid Concealer, shade 440

    • Very close colour
    • Medium tan · Warm undertone

    $30

    SephoraView at Sephora
  4. Glossier Stretch Concealer for Dewy Buildable Coverage

    Deep 1

    Glossier Stretch Concealer for Dewy Buildable Coverage, shade Deep 1

    • Very close colour
    • Tan · Warm · golden undertone

    $22

    SephoraView at Sephora
  5. Clinique Even Better All-Over Concealer + Eraser

    WN 115.5 Mocha

    Clinique Even Better All-Over Concealer + Eraser, shade WN 115.5 Mocha

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

    $22

    SephoraView at Sephora
  6. L'Oréal Paris True Match Radiant Serum Concealer

    C8

    L'Oréal Paris True Match Radiant Serum Concealer, shade C8

    • Close colour
    • Medium tan · Warm undertone

    $16.99

    Ulta BeautyView at Ulta Beauty

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

Ulta Beauty Collection Moisturizing Complexion Stick in Tan Warm, against MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 Foundation in NC45.5. Every attribute compared, with its share of the score.

ComparedYour shadeNC45.5Closest shade matchTan WarmScore
Shade match55% of overall97
Colour95#bf835a#bc8054Looks identicalColour difference 1.4 (0 is identical)
Depth97Medium tanMedium tanSameDepth difference: 1.6
Retailer descriptionDeepNot statedNo depth word in one descriptionNot compared
Undertone100Warm · goldenWarmClosefrom retailer shade descriptions
Finish & visual result25% of overall · 3 of 4 compared62
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
Blurring40Not listedClaimedSome differenceThe match claims a blurring or smoothing effect; your product does not list it
Wear & performance15% of overall40
Longevity4024-hour wearNot listedSome differenceOnly your product claims long wear; the match does not list it
Transfer resistance40ClaimedNot listedSome differenceOnly your product claims transfer resistance; the match does not list it
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 overall76
Skin type76Normal, oilyCombination, dry, normal, oily, sensitiveBoth marketed for normal/​oily skin
Overall match 79/100Shade match 97/100Medium 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 Ulta Beauty Collection Moisturizing Complexion Stick in Tan Warm.

Same or better

  • $23 less
  • Near-identical swatch colour
  • Same warm undertone
  • Medium rather than full coverage
  • Claims a blurring effect

Different

  • Natural finish instead of matte
  • No long-wear claim
  • Does not claim transfer resistance
  • Does not claim not settling into lines
  • Does not claim colour stability
  • Does not claim a lightweight feel
  • No SPF

Ingredients (information only, not scored)

7 shared ingredients; weighted similarity 11%. Ingredients only affect results through the filters.

AttributeYour shadeClosest shade match
BaseWater-based, high siliconeSilicone-based, high silicone
FragranceNot listedNot listed
Drying alcoholNot listedNot listed
SPFSPF 15Not listed
OverlapWater-based vs silicone-based; silicone high vs high
View full match

Why the closest overall alternative works

MERIT The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation and Concealer Stick in Amber, against MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 Foundation in NC45.5. Every attribute compared, with its share of the score.

ComparedYour shadeNC45.5Closest overall alternativeAmberScore
Shade match55% of overall96
Colour94#bf835a#be8153Very close colourColour difference 1.5 (0 is identical)
Depth98Medium tanMedium tanSameDepth difference: 1.0
Retailer descriptionDeepDeepBoth described as deepThe retailers describe the same depth
Undertone100Warm · goldenWarmClosefrom 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
Longevity7024-hour wearLong-wearingSome differenceYour product claims 24-hour wear; the match says long-wearing without hours
Transfer resistance40ClaimedNot listedSome differenceOnly your product claims transfer resistance; the match does not list it
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
Comfort100ClaimedClaimedSameBoth products claim a comfortable, lightweight feel
Skin suitability5% of overall87
Skin type87Normal, oilyNormal, combination, oilyBoth marketed for normal/​oily skin
Overall match 85/100Shade match 96/100Medium 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 MERIT The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation and Concealer Stick in Amber.

Same or better

  • $1 less
  • Very close colour
  • Same warm undertone
  • Medium rather than full coverage
  • Both claim not settling into lines
  • Both claim a lightweight feel

Different

  • Natural finish instead of matte
  • Does not claim transfer resistance
  • Does not claim colour stability
  • No SPF

Ingredients (information only, not scored)

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

AttributeYour shadeClosest overall alternative
BaseWater-based, high siliconemoderate silicone
FragranceNot listedNot listed
Drying alcoholNot listedNot listed
SPFSPF 15Not listed
OverlapWater-based vs unknown-based; silicone high vs moderate
View full match

Where to buy

Closest shade match

Ulta Beauty Collection Moisturizing Complexion Stick Tan Warm

Match price
$16Ulta BeautyUlta Beauty
$23 less (59%)

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

Ulta BeautyView at Ulta Beauty

Closest overall alternative

MERIT The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation and Concealer Stick Amber

Best price
$38SephoraSephora
$1 less (3%)

Your shade $39 at Sephora

SephoraView at Sephora

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.