MAC NC and NW Explained, and What They Mean Elsewhere
Published 27 October 2026 · Foundation Shades
In MAC foundations, the letters NC, NW, C and N give the undertone and the number gives the depth. NC shades lean golden, NW shades lean pink or rosy, and N is a balance of both. The catch is MAC’s own wording, which uses “warm” and “cool” the opposite way round from most brands.
What MAC says the letters mean
MAC’s US shade guide defines three letters. W is rosy, N is an equal balance, and “Cool (C) undertones are defined as golden.” The same page adds: “Other brands tend to define cool and warm tones as the opposite.”
MAC’s UK shade guide uses the more common words instead. It groups NC with warm (golden, olive or yellow) and NW with cool (pink, red or blue). The two pages agree on NC, NW and N, but not on plain C and W:
| Letters | MAC US guide | MAC UK guide | Safe reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| NC | Not defined on its own | Warm: golden, olive or yellow | Leans golden |
| NW | Not defined on its own | Cool: pink, red or blue | Leans pink or rosy |
| N | A balance of both | A balance of both | Neutral |
| C | Golden | Cool: pink, red or blue | Check the shade |
| W | Rosy | Warm: golden, olive or yellow | Check the shade |
Our data backs the US reading of plain C shades. In Studio Fix Fluid, checked on MAC’s website in October 2026, all of them are listed warm or olive.
What the numbers mean
The number is depth, and a lower number is a lighter shade. So NC15 is lighter than NC45, and NW20 is lighter than NW50.
The numbers don’t line up across the two letters, though. In our data, NW25 is deeper than NC25 in all five MAC formulas we hold:
| Formula | NC25: lighter than … of our shades | NW25: lighter than … of our shades |
|---|---|---|
| Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 | 47% | 32% |
| Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof | 68% | 46% |
| Studio Fix Powder Plus | 90% | 76% |
| Studio Fix Soft Matte Foundation Stick | 63% | 36% |
| Studio Waterweight SPF 30 | 74% | 69% |
Studio Fix Fluid uses MAC’s website colours from October 2026; the other four use retailer swatches from January 2021. The table also shows how far one code moves between formulas. NC25 spans a colour difference of 12.4 across the five, and NW25 spans 14.5. MAC’s own note is plain: “Your shade may vary across foundations due to formula variations.”
Is MAC NW warm or cool?
NW leans pink or rosy. By MAC’s US definitions that makes it neutral-warm, but most other brands would call a pink lean cool.
Our data follows the common usage. In Studio Fix Fluid, 16 of the 25 NW shades are listed cool and the rest neutral, with none listed warm. Of the 28 NC shades, 16 are listed warm or neutral-warm, 11 neutral and none cool.
What NC and NW match in other brands
The closest shades to NC25 and NW25 in other brands show the same split. NC25’s nearest matches are listed warm, while NW25’s are neutral or have no listed undertone.
| MAC Studio Fix Fluid shade | Closest in other brands | Listed undertone | Colour difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NC25 | Clinique Even Better Glow WN 76 Toasted Wheat | neutral-warm | 0.4 |
| NC25 | Smashbox Studio Skin 24 Hour 2.16 | warm | 0.4 |
| NC25 | Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Stick 440G | warm | 0.5 |
| NW25 | Milani Screen Queen Toasted Tawny | not listed | 0.5 |
| NW25 | Too Faced Born This Way Maple | neutral | 0.9 |
| NW25 | Tarte Amazonian Clay 42N Tan Neutral | neutral | 1.1 |
All six are under 4.5, the line below which we call a match likely close. The MAC brand page lists every MAC shade in our data, and each shade page gives its closest match in every other range.
Questions
What skin tone is MAC NW25 or NC25 suitable for?
In Studio Fix Fluid, NC25 is lighter than 47% of the shades in our data, which puts it near the middle. NW25 is deeper, lighter than 32%. Check the shade page for the formula you wear, because the depth changes between formulas.
Do other brands use the same letters?
Some use similar letters with their own meanings. Our guide to the numbers and letters in foundation shades compares ten brands.