How shade matching works
Every foundation shade has two key attributes:
- Depth — how light or dark, on a 1-to-10 scale.
- Undertone — Cool (pink/red), Neutral, Warm (yellow/golden), or Olive (green-grey).
Once you know both for a shade you already wear, you can find equivalents in other brands by matching both. This tool maps shades from popular foundation lines to a shared depth + undertone system, then finds the closest match in every other line.
Find your undertone
Three quick tests in natural light:
- Wrist veins: Green = warm. Blue/purple = cool. Both = neutral. Greyish = olive.
- Cheek flush: Pink = cool. Peach = warm.
- Jewelry: Gold flatters you = warm. Silver = cool. Both = neutral.
If results are mixed, you're probably neutral or olive — both flexible across most brand classifications.
FAQ
How do I know my undertone?
Look at the veins on your inner wrist in natural light. Green = warm. Blue/purple = cool. Both = neutral. Greyish = olive. The jewelry test is also reliable — if gold flatters you, you're warm; silver = cool. If both look fine, you're neutral.
Are matches across brands really accurate?
Close, not identical. Two shades can match depth and undertone perfectly but feel different because of formula (matte vs dewy), oxidation (how foundation darkens over hours), and how each brand classifies undertones. Use the match as a starting point — always swatch in natural daylight before buying full size.
Why isn't my shade in the list?
This tool currently covers 9 popular foundation brands. If yours isn't listed, pick the closest neighboring shade from the same brand and undertone family — your match in other brands will be nearly identical. New brands and shades are added monthly.
Does formula type matter?
For matching color, no. For how it looks on skin, absolutely. Matte foundations oxidize 1-2 levels darker after a few hours, while dewy formulas stay close to swatch. Switching from matte to dewy in the same depth? Go half a shade lighter than the math suggests.
Do shades vary within the same brand?
Yes. Maybelline Fit Me 220 in Matte + Poreless reads slightly different from 220 in Dewy + Smooth — the matte version is more yellow because of the powder finish. Most brands keep depth consistent across formulas but undertones can shift 1-2 steps.