Studio Radiance Serum Powered Foundation NC5 dupes and alternatives MAC Cosmetics
4.3 (1,197)·Fair · 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%).
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.
$8Ulta Beauty(product price)$38 less (83%)4.5 (40,486)
Matches: Very close colour· Same warm undertone· Both claim not settling into lines
Differences: Natural rather than radiant finish· Medium rather than full coverage· No blurring effect claimed
Score details
Shade match
93
Finish & visual result
62
Wear & performance
75
Skin suitability
80
Very close colour · Natural · Medium coverage
Ingredients (not scored): 8% ingredient overlap
Differences: Natural rather than radiant finish · Medium rather than full coverage · No blurring effect claimed · Does not claim transfer resistance · Not marketed for sensitive skin
$38Ulta Beauty(product price)$8 less (17%)4.4 (657)
Matches: Very close colour· Same warm undertone· Both claim a blurring effect
Differences: Matte rather than radiant finish· Medium rather than full coverage· Does not claim transfer resistance
Score details
Shade match
93
Finish & visual result
54
Wear & performance
79
Skin suitability
80
Very close colour · Matte · Medium coverage
Ingredients (not scored): 1% ingredient overlap
Differences: Matte rather than radiant finish · Medium rather than full coverage · Does not claim transfer resistance · Not marketed for sensitive skin
Retailer shade note: fair with warm yellow undertones
$8Ulta Beauty(product price)$38 less (83%)4.5 (40,486)
Matches: Same warm undertone· Both claim not settling into lines· Both claim a lightweight feel
Differences: Natural rather than radiant finish· Medium rather than full coverage· No blurring effect claimed
Score details
Shade match
90
Finish & visual result
62
Wear & performance
75
Skin suitability
80
Close colour · Natural · Medium coverage
Ingredients (not scored): 8% ingredient overlap
Differences: Natural rather than radiant finish · Medium rather than full coverage · No blurring effect claimed · Does not claim transfer resistance · Not marketed for sensitive skin
Matches: Very close colour· Same warm undertone· Both claim a blurring effect
Differences: Natural rather than radiant finish· Medium rather than full coverage· Does not claim transfer resistance
Score details
Shade match
90
Finish & visual result
73
Wear & performance
61
Skin suitability
60
Very close colour · Natural · Medium coverage
Ingredients (not scored): 13% ingredient overlap
Differences: Natural rather than radiant finish · Medium rather than full coverage · Does not claim transfer resistance · Does not claim not settling into lines · Not marketed for combination/oily skin · Contains drying alcohol
Matches: Same warm undertone· Same full coverage· Both claim 16-hour wear
Differences: Slightly lighter· Natural rather than radiant finish· No blurring effect claimed
Score details
Shade match
87
Finish & visual result
70
Wear & performance
79
Skin suitability
60
Close colour · Natural · Full coverage
Ingredients (not scored): 21% ingredient overlap
Differences: Slightly lighter · Natural rather than radiant finish · No blurring effect claimed · Does not claim not settling into lines · Not marketed for oily/sensitive skin
Retailer shade note: L0 - Very light with warm undertones
Matches: Very close colour· Same full coverage· Both claim a blurring effect
Differences: Neutral rather than warm undertone· Natural matte rather than radiant finish· Does not claim transfer resistance
Score details
Shade match
86
Finish & visual result
71
Wear & performance
61
Skin suitability
100
Very close colour · Natural matte · Full coverage
Ingredients (not scored): 23% ingredient overlap
Differences: Neutral rather than warm undertone · Natural matte rather than radiant finish · Does not claim transfer resistance · Does not claim not settling into lines · Does not claim a lightweight feel
Matches: Very close colour· Same radiant finish· Both claim 16-hour wear
Differences: Olive rather than warm undertone· Medium rather than full coverage· No blurring effect claimed
Score details
Shade match
87
Finish & visual result
81
Wear & performance
65
Skin suitability
20
Very close colour · Radiant · Medium coverage
Ingredients (not scored): 11% ingredient overlap
Differences: Olive rather than warm undertone · Medium rather than full coverage · No blurring effect claimed · Does not claim transfer resistance · Does not claim not settling into lines · Not marketed for combination/dry/normal/oily skin
$45Ulta Beauty(product price)$1 less (2%)4.3 (1,324)
Matches: Very close colour· Same full coverage· Both claim 16-hour wear
Differences: Slightly lighter· Neutral rather than warm undertone· Natural rather than radiant finish
Score details
Shade match
81
Finish & visual result
70
Wear & performance
76
Skin suitability
100
Very close colour · Natural · Full coverage
Ingredients (not scored): 22% ingredient overlap
Differences: Slightly lighter · Neutral rather than warm undertone · Natural rather than radiant finish · No blurring effect claimed · Does not claim a lightweight feel
Retailer shade note: level-two fair with a neutral undertone
Matches: Very close colour· Both claim not settling into lines· Both claim a lightweight feel
Differences: Neutral rather than warm undertone· Natural rather than radiant finish· Medium rather than full coverage
Score details
Shade match
86
Finish & visual result
62
Wear & performance
75
Skin suitability
80
Very close colour · Natural · Medium coverage
Ingredients (not scored): 8% ingredient overlap
Differences: Neutral rather than warm undertone · Natural rather than radiant finish · Medium rather than full coverage · No blurring effect claimed · Does not claim transfer resistance · Not marketed for sensitive skin
Matches: Near-identical swatch colour· Both claim a blurring effect· Both claim 12-hour wear
Differences: Neutral rather than warm undertone· Matte rather than radiant finish· Medium rather than full coverage
Score details
Shade match
88
Finish & visual result
54
Wear & performance
79
Skin suitability
80
Looks identical · Matte · Medium coverage
Ingredients (not scored): 1% ingredient overlap
Differences: Neutral rather than warm undertone · Matte rather than radiant finish · Medium rather than full coverage · Does not claim transfer resistance · Not marketed for sensitive skin
Retailer shade note: very fair with neutral undertones
Matches: Very close colour· Both claim a blurring effect· Both claim 16-hour wear
Differences: Neutral rather than warm undertone· Natural rather than radiant finish· Medium rather than full coverage
Score details
Shade match
85
Finish & visual result
73
Wear & performance
65
Skin suitability
60
Very close colour · Natural · Medium coverage
Ingredients (not scored): 11% ingredient overlap
Differences: Neutral rather than warm undertone · Natural rather than radiant finish · Medium rather than full coverage · Does not claim transfer resistance · Does not claim not settling into lines · Not marketed for oily/sensitive skin
Retailer shade note: very fair with neutral undertones
Matches: Very close colour· Same warm undertone· Claims a skin-like finish
Differences: Natural rather than radiant finish· Medium rather than full coverage· No blurring effect claimed
Score details
Shade match
92
Finish & visual result
58
Wear & performance
51
Skin suitability
100
Very close colour · Natural · Medium coverage
Ingredients (not scored): 14% ingredient overlap
Differences: Natural rather than radiant finish · Medium rather than full coverage · No blurring effect claimed · No long-wear claim · Does not claim transfer resistance · Does not claim not settling into lines
Matches: Similar undertone (neutral vs warm)· Both claim a blurring effect· Claims colour stability
Differences: Natural rather than radiant finish· Medium rather than full coverage· Does not claim transfer resistance
Score details
Shade match
87
Finish & visual result
73
Wear & performance
49
Skin suitability
60
Close colour · Natural · Medium coverage
Ingredients (not scored): 14% ingredient overlap
Differences: Natural rather than radiant finish · Medium rather than full coverage · Does not claim transfer resistance · Does not claim not settling into lines · Does not claim a lightweight feel · Not marketed for oily/sensitive skin
Retailer shade note: very fair, warm-neutral undertones
$8Ulta Beauty(product price)$38 less (83%)4.5 (40,486)
Matches: Very close colour· Both claim not settling into lines· Both claim a lightweight feel
Differences: Neutral rather than warm undertone· Natural rather than radiant finish· Medium rather than full coverage
Score details
Shade match
83
Finish & visual result
62
Wear & performance
75
Skin suitability
80
Very close colour · Natural · Medium coverage
Ingredients (not scored): 8% ingredient overlap
Differences: Neutral rather than warm undertone · Natural rather than radiant finish · Medium rather than full coverage · No blurring effect claimed · Does not claim transfer resistance · Not marketed for sensitive skin
The closest shade to MAC Cosmetics Studio Radiance Serum Powered Foundation NC5 (Fair · Warm · golden undertone) in each concealer range, compared on measured colour, depth and undertone. Price never changes the order.
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 Adjustable Coverage Powder Foundation in Fair to Light Warm, against MAC Cosmetics Studio Radiance Serum Powered Foundation in NC5. Every attribute compared, with its share of the score.
ComparedYour shadeNC5Closest shade matchFair to Light WarmHow they compareScore
Shade match55% of overall96
Colour60%94#e7d0b3#e2ccb3Very close colourColour difference 1.6 (0 is identical)
Depth15%97FairFairSameDepth difference: 2.1
Retailer descriptionVery fairNot statedNo depth word in one descriptionNot compared
Overall match 79/100Shade 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.
Tarte Babassu Foundcealer Dewy Foundation SPF 20 in 14S Fair Sand, against MAC Cosmetics Studio Radiance Serum Powered Foundation in NC5. Every attribute compared, with its share of the score.
ComparedYour shadeNC5Closest overall alternative14S Fair SandHow they compareScore
Shade match55% of overall91
Colour60%86#e7d0b3#eaccafVery close colourColour difference 2.9 (0 is identical)
Depth15%98FairFairSameDepth difference: 1.2
Retailer descriptionVery fairFairSome differenceRetailer descriptions one depth band apart
Overall match 88/100Shade match 91/100Medium 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.
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.