Quick answer. The closest widely recommended Benjamin Moore match for Sherwin-Williams Black Magic (SW 6991, LRV about 3) is Benjamin Moore Black HC-190 (approx LRV 3). It lands at almost the same depth, reading just slightly more neutral than Black Magic's warm brown.
Want a softer alternative, or shopping the Behr aisle? The nearest Behr option is Behr Limousine Leather (MQ5-05), a deep near-black at approx LRV 4 that leans a touch cooler.
Every delta here is small, but none of these is an official or exact equivalent. Confirm the match on your own wall before you commit a gallon.
Sherwin-Williams Black Magic is one of the deepest near-blacks in the fan deck: a soft, warm black with brown undertones that can flash faintly red in direct light. At an LRV of about 3, it reads deeper than most colors marketed as "soft black," which usually sit closer to LRV 5 or 6. If your painter stocks Benjamin Moore, or you are pricing the same look at the Behr desk in Home Depot, you want the closest cross-brand match without losing that warmth. No brand publishes official equivalents, so the honest approach is to compare depth (measured as LRV) and undertone side by side rather than trust any single "dupe" name you read online. Here is how that works, and why understanding how cross-brand paint matching works matters more than the label on the can.
The closest matches, side by side
| Color | Brand and code | Approx LRV | Undertone vs Black Magic | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Magic (reference) | Sherwin-Williams SW 6991 (hex ~#323132) | 3 | Warm brown near-black (the reference) | The color we are matching |
| Black (primary match) | Benjamin Moore HC-190 (hex ~#323233) | ~3 | Same depth, a touch more neutral (slightly less brown) | Closest widely recommended match |
| Onyx (alternative) | Benjamin Moore 2133-10 (hex ~#353434) | ~5 | A hair lighter, near-neutral with a subtle warm bias | Close alternative, reads slightly softer |
| Limousine Leather | Behr MQ5-05 (hex ~#3B3C3B) | ~4 | Very close depth, leans slightly cooler and more neutral | Closest Behr option |
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LRV and hex values are approximate and compiled from public brand and color-reference data. Screens and colorant systems vary, so treat these as a starting point, not a guarantee. The only authoritative reference is a physical paint chip or a brushed-out sample.
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Why there is no exact Black Magic equivalent
Every paint company mixes its blacks from a different set of colorants, so two near-blacks that look identical on a chip can drift apart under warm bulbs or north-facing light. Black Magic gets its character from a warm brown base sitting under a very low LRV of about 3. Benjamin Moore and Behr can get close on depth, and close on warmth, but rarely both at once with an off-the-shelf color. That is exactly why you will see three or four different names recommended as the Black Magic dupe depending on which reviewer you read: each one is protecting a slightly different trait.
The practical takeaway is to pick the match that protects the trait you care about most. If depth is everything, Black HC-190 is almost a twin, sitting at essentially the same LRV with a nearly identical hex, which is why it edges out the slightly lighter Onyx as the primary recommendation. If you love the brown warmth specifically, keep in mind that even the closest named color reads a shade more neutral, and a store spectrophotometer match of SW 6991 mixed straight into a Benjamin Moore base may actually get you closer than any pre-named color on the rack. Black is cheap next to a wall you have to repaint, so the smart move is always to prove the match before you scale it up.
It also helps to remember that a near-black at this depth behaves differently from a mid-tone. Tiny shifts in colorant, sheen, or the light in the room show up far more on Black Magic than they would on a gray or a beige, because there is almost no reflected light to soften the difference. That is the real reason reviewers disagree on the "best" Black Magic dupe: the answer genuinely changes with the wall, the bulb, and the finish.
When the Benjamin Moore match works (and when to stay Sherwin-Williams)
- Choose the Benjamin Moore match when your painter or spec already runs Benjamin Moore, when you want the depth of Black Magic without switching brands, or when you are coordinating it with other Benjamin Moore colors on the same project.
- Stay with Sherwin-Williams Black Magic when the warm brown undertone is the whole point, for example on a moody exterior door or warm-toned trim where a flatter, more neutral black would fall flat. Read the full Black Magic undertones and best rooms breakdown before you lock it in.
- Sample both. On very deep colors, an LRV gap of a point or two is nearly impossible to judge from a fan deck, so a brushed-out A/B on the actual wall is the only reliable test. Our walk-through on how to compare two paint colors like these shows how to do it without getting fooled by the room lighting.
- Check the finish. A satin or semi-gloss will read deeper and glossier than a flat, and that choice often matters more to the final look than the tiny LRV gap between these three colors.
Related matches
If you are matching across brands more broadly, two related walk-throughs use the same method on different colors: the Benjamin Moore equivalent of Behr Midnight Blue for a deep blue crossover, and the Benjamin Moore equivalent of Big Chill for the light-gray end of the spectrum. The recipe is always the same: match on LRV first, undertone second, then confirm on the wall.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closest Benjamin Moore equivalent of Black Magic?
There is no official equivalent, but the closest widely recommended Benjamin Moore match is Black HC-190. It sits at almost the same depth as Black Magic (both around LRV 3) and holds a similar near-black character, reading just slightly more neutral. Benjamin Moore Onyx 2133-10 is a good alternative if you want a hair more softness.
Is there a Behr version of Black Magic?
Behr does not make an exact copy, but the nearest widely cited option is Behr Limousine Leather (MQ5-05), a deep near-black at approximately LRV 4. It matches the depth closely while leaning a touch cooler and more neutral than Black Magic's warm brown. Any Home Depot paint desk can also spectro-match SW 6991 straight into a Behr base.
Does Black Magic have warm or cool undertones?
Black Magic reads warm. Its undertone is brown, and in direct light it can flash a faint red. That warmth is the main thing to preserve when you match it, which is why a neutral or cool near-black can look subtly off next to it even at the same LRV.
Can I just have Black Magic color-matched at a Benjamin Moore store?
Yes. Most Benjamin Moore retailers can scan a Black Magic chip and mix it into a Benjamin Moore base. Expect a small variance on very deep colors (LRV under about 10) because each brand uses its own colorants, so brush out a sample and check it in your own light before buying a full gallon.
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