The shade file
The Ordinary, beyond the shade name.
Compare the brand’s descriptions with readings from published swatch images.
What do the numbers mean?
L* describes lightness; a* and b* describe color axes. ITA° is calculated from lightness and the yellow–blue axis to group the swatch into a depth band. None of these readings measures coverage, wear or how a formula will look on your skin.
The Ordinary names an undertone for 24 of these shades. Read off the brand’s own swatch under D65, 22 of them — 92% — land in a different undertone than the name claims. That is not an accusation of bad faith: undertone is a word, and a word is not a measurement. It is why the house publishes the number beside it.
Coverage Foundation21 shades
| Shade | Brand says | L* | a* | b* | ITA° | Depth band | Swatch reads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | neutral · fair | 92.51 | 1.26 | 9.71 | 77.13 | very_light | warm |
| 1.0 | cool · fair | 92.49 | 1.11 | 10.2 | 76.5 | very_light | warm |
| 1.0 | neutral · fair | 92.14 | 1.11 | 10.21 | 76.38 | very_light | warm |
| 1.1 | cool · fair | 91.92 | 3.23 | 10.98 | 75.32 | very_light | warm |
| 1.1 | neutral · fair | 86.76 | 3.21 | 18.22 | 63.63 | very_light | warm |
| 1.2 | — · light | 86.55 | 1.56 | 25.79 | 54.79 | light | warm |
| 1.2 | — · light | 86.49 | 1.31 | 25.16 | 55.41 | very_light | warm |
| 1.2 | neutral · light | 86.43 | 3.17 | 19.86 | 61.4 | very_light | warm |
| 2.0 | cool · light | 86 | 4.27 | 21.92 | 58.66 | very_light | warm |
| 2.0 | — · light | 85.65 | 2.49 | 24 | 56.05 | very_light | warm |
| 1.2 | cool · light | 84.82 | 4.13 | 18.09 | 62.55 | very_light | warm |
| 2.0 | neutral · light | 84.76 | 1.75 | 23.78 | 55.62 | very_light | warm |
| 2.1 | cool · medium | 81.63 | 6.65 | 28.48 | 48 | light | warm |
| 2.1 | — · medium | 74.27 | 7.8 | 31.57 | 37.55 | intermediate | warm |
| 3.0 | — · medium | 69.18 | 11.49 | 31.15 | 31.62 | intermediate | warm |
| 3.0 | — · medium | 69.02 | 9.02 | 34.6 | 28.8 | intermediate | warm |
| 3.1 | — | 64.44 | 13.7 | 31.81 | 24.42 | tan | warm |
| 3.1 | — | 57.13 | 16.98 | 29.19 | 13.73 | tan | neutral |
| 3.2 | neutral · deep | 49.93 | 14.07 | 24.38 | -0.16 | brown | neutral |
| 3.2 | — · deep | 48.1 | 16.26 | 24.26 | -4.48 | brown | cool |
| 3.3 | neutral · deep | 36.57 | 10.96 | 15.94 | -40.12 | dark | cool |
Serum Foundation21 shades
| Shade | Brand says | L* | a* | b* | ITA° | Depth band | Swatch reads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | cool · fair | 92.59 | 1.61 | 9.83 | 77 | very_light | warm |
| 1.0 | neutral · fair | 92.51 | 1.26 | 9.71 | 77.13 | very_light | warm |
| 1.0 | neutral · fair | 92.14 | 1.11 | 10.21 | 76.38 | very_light | warm |
| 1.1 | cool · fair | 91.89 | 3.08 | 11.46 | 74.7 | very_light | warm |
| 1.1 | neutral · fair | 87.09 | 3.06 | 18.7 | 63.24 | very_light | warm |
| 1.2 | — · light | 86.57 | 1.69 | 25.29 | 55.33 | very_light | warm |
| 1.2 | — · light | 86.49 | 1.31 | 25.16 | 55.41 | very_light | warm |
| 1.2 | neutral · light | 86.43 | 3.17 | 19.86 | 61.4 | very_light | warm |
| 2.0 | cool · light | 86.25 | 3.76 | 22.26 | 58.45 | very_light | warm |
| 2.0 | — · light | 85.65 | 2.49 | 24 | 56.05 | very_light | warm |
| 1.2 | cool · light | 84.82 | 4.13 | 18.09 | 62.55 | very_light | warm |
| 2.0 | neutral · light | 84.76 | 1.75 | 23.78 | 55.62 | very_light | warm |
| 2.1 | cool · medium | 81.63 | 6.65 | 28.48 | 48 | light | warm |
| 2.1 | — · medium | 74.27 | 7.8 | 31.57 | 37.55 | intermediate | warm |
| 3.0 | — · medium | 69.18 | 11.49 | 31.15 | 31.62 | intermediate | warm |
| 3.0 | — · medium | 68.92 | 8.6 | 34.45 | 28.78 | intermediate | warm |
| 3.1 | — | 64.55 | 14.12 | 31.97 | 24.47 | tan | warm |
| 3.1 | — | 57.13 | 16.98 | 29.19 | 13.73 | tan | neutral |
| 3.2 | neutral · deep | 49.94 | 14.17 | 23.83 | -0.14 | brown | neutral |
| 3.2 | — · deep | 48.08 | 16.16 | 24.82 | -4.42 | brown | cool |
| 3.3 | neutral · deep | 36.99 | 10.92 | 15.9 | -39.29 | dark | cool |
Match a shade you already wear
Colours are read from each shade’s own swatch image published by the retailer, not from a drawdown measured by the house — a screen swatch and a colorimeter are not the same instrument, and the house does not pretend otherwise. ITA° is the open dermatological standard, computed from the reading; no licensed colour library is used. A shade listed without a reading is one the house holds but has not yet seen.
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