The compact says 21. Your previous compact said 21 too. It is tempting to treat the number as a ready-made match, especially when both products are Korean cushions. But 21 and 23 are positions within a brand’s shade system, not enough information to guarantee an identical color across different formulas.
In the Korean product charts compared here, the number works alongside a letter and sometimes another digit. The product name matters as much as the code: HERA Black Cushion 21N1 is a more useful reference than “I wear Korean shade 21.” Keep the formula, market and version attached to the number.
The codes on two actual charts
The following labels come from the Korean official pages for LANEIGE Neo Cushion The Glow and HERA Black Cushion Foundation, consulted on September 30, 2026. These are examples from the 21 and 23 groups, not the complete ranges.
| Product | 21-group examples | 23-group examples |
|---|---|---|
| LANEIGE Neo Cushion The Glow | 21C Cool Beige 21W Warm Beige |
23N Neutral Sand |
| HERA Black Cushion Foundation | 21C1 Rose Vanilla 21N1 Vanilla |
23C1 Pink Beige 23N1 Beige |
Both brands use familiar numbers, but the letters, suffixes and names belong to their respective charts. A label comparison establishes that difference in naming. It does not measure how far apart two finished shades are on skin. Two products might turn out to be close matches; the shared number alone cannot establish that they are.
Notice what happens even before crossing brands. HERA offers a cool and a neutral option in its 21 group. LANEIGE’s examples include cool and warm choices around the same familiar number. Reducing all of those labels to “21” throws away information the companies have deliberately added.
Depth and undertone
Depth describes how light or deep a shade is. Undertone describes its color direction within that depth: the cool, neutral or warm family named by the brand. These are separate comparisons. Moving from a 21 group to a 23 group may address depth while leaving the undertone problem unresolved.
For example, imagine a foundation that is close to your desired depth but looks too pink. Choosing a deeper pink-toned option changes the depth as well as the amount of pink visible. It does not isolate the problem you started with. Comparing a different undertone in a similar depth group asks a more specific question. This is an illustration of the two variables, not a shade prescription for a reader.
C, N and W are useful signposts, but their exact implementation is brand-specific. An N is not a promise of a mathematically identical neutral color across every company. The additional “1” in a code should also be read through that product’s own chart, not assigned a universal meaning borrowed from another range.
A real example of a near match
In her 2021 MISSHA M Magic Cushion review, Molly of GirlGetGlamorous described shades 23 and 25 as her closest skin-tone matches but found their undertones too yellow for her. Her photographs and swatches belong to that formula, that time and her own complexion. They are useful because they show the problem with calling a shade “close” without saying which part of the match is close.
A reader can learn from the comparison without assuming that Molly’s shade number should become their own. A creator who shares one foundation match with you may still prefer a different finish, level of coverage or relationship between face and neck. Their reference narrows the search; it does not complete a color measurement on your skin.
GirlGetGlamorous — MISSHA shades 21, 23 and 25
English-language swatches linked from the creator’s 2021 MISSHA review. This is a historical product example, not a current cross-brand conversion chart. The creator’s own skin and lighting affect the comparison.
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The larger palette behind the familiar numbers
Amorepacific’s Base Picker design case study describes 100 shades spanning numbers 9 to 33, with five color families: C2, C1, N1, W1 and W2. It also shows intermediate depth steps, including 21.5 and 22.5. In that system, 21 and 23 are recognizable reference points inside a much more detailed arrangement.
A separate Base Picker WIDE case study describes 150 colors spanning numbers 3 to 40. These are two documented project ranges, not conflicting descriptions of one permanent palette. They should not be combined into a claim that every Amorepacific brand offers every one of those shades, or that either case study lists current stock at a particular store.
The examples explain how a familiar numbering language can accommodate more options. A company can keep recognizable depth references and add intermediate numbers or more undertones around them. That is different from creating a single industry-wide color chip that every manufacturer must reproduce. The usefulness of a shared vocabulary does not require every brand’s formula to be interchangeable.
Finish, coverage and the viewing conditions
A color comparison also needs a consistent way of looking. Nikon’s white-balance guidance explains how lighting and camera settings affect an image’s color cast. Comparing two swatches photographed in different rooms, with different cameras, is therefore less controlled than seeing them side by side in the same image. A screen adds another step between the product and the viewer.
Coverage creates a second practical variable. A sheer layer leaves more of the underlying skin visible than an opaque one. As a simple comparison, the same colored film over two different backgrounds need not produce the same combined appearance. That is why a heavy arm swatch and a thin application on the face are not interchangeable records of how someone will wear a product.
A glossy finish also produces highlights that change with the viewing angle. That is not a rule that glow cushions are always lighter, or that matte ones are always deeper. It is a reason to separate the color of the applied layer from the bright reflections sitting on it. There has been no controlled finish comparison of the two products in this article.
Keeping a useful shade reference
Save the full product name, its complete shade code and the version you actually used. A photograph of the bottom label is more reliable than remembering the case color. If the line is reformulated or renamed, compare the new official chart rather than assuming that an old swatch still describes the current product.
When judging a comparison, keep its conditions attached: which products, which generation, how much was applied and what lighting was used. A current official chart is strongest for identifying the available names; a clearly described swatch is more useful for seeing a particular comparison. Without those details, “21 equals 21” remains an assumption.
Dessert
K-pop
CORTIS — ACAI
The 2026 official music video released through HYBE LABELS.
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Seoul by bicycle
Cycling beside the Han River
A visual riverside ride through Seoul, including its paths and night scenery.
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