ColourPop The Ram, The Maiden, The Scorpion, The Goat Zodiac Loose Pigments Reviews & Swatches
The Ram
ColourPop The Ram Zodiac Loose Pigment ($6.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a vivid coral-red base with flecks of gold and pink glitter. It had more semi-sheer to medium coverage base with a healthy dose of glitter to it, and while I was able to build it up, I found that it looked lighter/more gold than coral when I had it on my lid unless it was really piled on (then it took longer to dry and had a tendency to get into my fine lines). The consistency had an airier base with chunkier glitter, which meant that an adhesive spray/tacky base was necessary to get maximum payoff, minimal fallout, and best longevity as using it.
Applied using a dampened brush (with water), the product applied with a little fallout, but after it dried down, any blending moved the glitter and resulted in some fallout along with repeated fallout through the day (the first time I tested it, I couldn’t make it through the day, my eyes were watery nonstop). While the brand makes says to use it with a primer (only if it’s a tacky one, frankly; anything that is already set doesn’t help with fallout) or one of their cream eyeshadows for maximum longevity, this particular shade was not very functional without a glitter adhesive.
It could be used as a cheek color (as it is one of the shades listed as “not intended for use in the immediate eye area”), and it applied and buffed out without too much fuss, but there were stray sparkles just from blending out the product and then a noticeable amount of particles that had journeyed across my face.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Melt Cosmetics Two Faced (LE, ) is more shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- ColourPop Seize the Day (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop Shy Guy (LE, $6.00) is less shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- ColourPop Sandy (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- ColourPop Not So Basic (PiP, $4.50) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Dwindle (LE, $5.00) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Retro Dream (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Georgia (PiP, $4.50) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- ColourPop Vertigo (P, $5.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Garden Date (PiP, $4.50) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$6.00/0.078 oz. - $76.92 Per Ounce
The reformulated Loose Pigments are supposed to be "high impact, concentrated" pigments that are "best used wet for a supercharged, intense metallic or duochrome finish." The brand specifically warns against using them dry on a "bare eye" (as in "should never be applied"), which is where the original and reformulation differ, as the originals could be used wet or dry. The brand also stated to "layer over an eyeshadow primer or Super Shock Shadow" for "the best staying power and pigmentation," so presumably they are not particularly long-wearing "as is." That's accurate; they last around seven hours applied wet with water but get to 10 hours when used with an adhesive spray (I tested with MAC Fix+, which I have a lot of prior testing experience with).
They are better than the originals, though they still suffer from a lot of the expected downsides to working with loose pigment, and whether the color and finish outweigh the application pitfalls is a matter of preference, skill, and patience. The formula needed to have a fairly wet brush; not quite sopping-wet but more than slightly damp (which is more in line with the amount of wetness I find necessary to apply 90%+ of products). If my brush was too wet, though, it tended to spread the product out too readily and was more likely to go on unevenly. The more glittery shades worked better with an adhesive spray or tacky base, rather than just wet with water, as they needed more to help the larger sparkles adhere to skin and minimized fallout/excessive spread of the sparkles (beyond where I wanted them) when blended.
Because the formula really does work best with a wet/dampened brush, they aren't as blendable once they're dry, so working with two or three shades in the same area is more challenging than working with more traditional, pressed powder eyeshadows. They're more in the vein of liquid and cream eyeshadows, which are blendable as they're drying, but once they set, most formulas are locked in place; these are not quite that locked in place but just didn't want to diffuse readily. They wore between six and eight hours before creasing, fading, and/or having a fair amount of fallout (applied wet with water). I would only recommend purchasing the formula if you intend to use them with an adhesive spray or tacky base. Drier primers, like MAC 24HR or Urban Decay Primer Potion work decently with most shades (fade-resistant but light to moderate fallout otherwise), but I would still opt for a tackier base. The following shades stained, and they stained through eyeshadow primer: The Ram, The Bull, The Water Bearer, The Archer.
The pigmentation was semi-opaque to opaque for most shades, and as it was a loose product, it was often more about how much product was applied, though I tried to apply a consistent amount for swatches (which were all done wet with water). The consistency varied from airy and finely-milled to heavier and more glittery. I noticed more of a "puff" of pigment as I worked with most shades, which seemed to confirm how finely-milled they were. They can also be used on cheeks and lips, and the more sparkly shades worked better as cheek products than the ones with deeper intensity or base colors, as they tended to be a bit harder to apply and diffuse (even using them dry as using them wet on cheeks often translated into stripes of color).
The packaging changed significantly, as the jars are now taller, slimmer, and have no sifter, though there's a plastic "lid" that sits inside the top of the jar. I'm not a fan of this style of packaging, especially as these are meant to be used wet, then it becomes very challenging to sift out just enough product for a use and mix a wet brush with dry powder elsewhere (instead of sticking one's brush right in the jar). It is also going to be progressively more difficult to pick up just the right amount of product as product gets used up (and you're going lower and lower into the jar). The taller jars also are a bit easier to knock over for those prone to clumsiness (like myself).
Browse all of our ColourPop Zodiac Loose Pigment swatches.
Ingredients
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Silica, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Tin Oxide, Dimethiconol, Mica (CI 77019), Red 6 Lake (CI 15850), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891). *Not intended for use in the immediate eye area.
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Look Using this Product
The Ram
LELimited Edition. $6.00.
The Maiden
ColourPop The Maiden Zodiac Loose Pigment ($6.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a pale, warm white base with flecks of silver and gold glitter. The flecks of glitter were large and flat enough, and my skin tone light enough, that it seemed more pigmented applied than swatched as it reflected light spectacularly, but it was more in the medium-coverage range. I could only get it to look more semi-opaque when patted over glitter glue more heavily, but it looked thicker and wasn’t as sparkly as a result (almost like too much of a good thing!). The texture was chunkier and less fine, which was as expected based on the glitter in it.
Applied with a wet brush, there wasn’t much fallout during application, but there was nonstop fallout within two hours of wear; this was another shade that caused me to take my makeup off and have to try again due to irritating my eyes. It was less prone to fallout for a longer period of time with a setting spray (MAC Fix+) and was more manageable, but it is a shade that really should be used with nothing less than a true glitter fixative. It was not workable over a typical eyeshadow primer (like Urban Decay Primer Potion).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Moira Quartz (P, $7.50) is lighter (95% similar).
- MAC Frostwinked (LE, $20.00) is darker, cooler (95% similar).
- Too Faced Frostbite Me (LE, $16.00) is darker, cooler (95% similar).
- MAC Plumluxe #1 (PiP, ) is brighter (90% similar).
- KKW Beauty 2008 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Sparks (PiP, ) is warmer (90% similar).
- Lancome Blanc Scintillant (LE, $26.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Kevyn Aucoin Light (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Cosmic (DC, $20.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Make Up For Ever 101 White (P, $26.00) is cooler (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$6.00/0.078 oz. - $76.92 Per Ounce
The reformulated Loose Pigments are supposed to be "high impact, concentrated" pigments that are "best used wet for a supercharged, intense metallic or duochrome finish." The brand specifically warns against using them dry on a "bare eye" (as in "should never be applied"), which is where the original and reformulation differ, as the originals could be used wet or dry. The brand also stated to "layer over an eyeshadow primer or Super Shock Shadow" for "the best staying power and pigmentation," so presumably they are not particularly long-wearing "as is." That's accurate; they last around seven hours applied wet with water but get to 10 hours when used with an adhesive spray (I tested with MAC Fix+, which I have a lot of prior testing experience with).
They are better than the originals, though they still suffer from a lot of the expected downsides to working with loose pigment, and whether the color and finish outweigh the application pitfalls is a matter of preference, skill, and patience. The formula needed to have a fairly wet brush; not quite sopping-wet but more than slightly damp (which is more in line with the amount of wetness I find necessary to apply 90%+ of products). If my brush was too wet, though, it tended to spread the product out too readily and was more likely to go on unevenly. The more glittery shades worked better with an adhesive spray or tacky base, rather than just wet with water, as they needed more to help the larger sparkles adhere to skin and minimized fallout/excessive spread of the sparkles (beyond where I wanted them) when blended.
Because the formula really does work best with a wet/dampened brush, they aren't as blendable once they're dry, so working with two or three shades in the same area is more challenging than working with more traditional, pressed powder eyeshadows. They're more in the vein of liquid and cream eyeshadows, which are blendable as they're drying, but once they set, most formulas are locked in place; these are not quite that locked in place but just didn't want to diffuse readily. They wore between six and eight hours before creasing, fading, and/or having a fair amount of fallout (applied wet with water). I would only recommend purchasing the formula if you intend to use them with an adhesive spray or tacky base. Drier primers, like MAC 24HR or Urban Decay Primer Potion work decently with most shades (fade-resistant but light to moderate fallout otherwise), but I would still opt for a tackier base. The following shades stained, and they stained through eyeshadow primer: The Ram, The Bull, The Water Bearer, The Archer.
The pigmentation was semi-opaque to opaque for most shades, and as it was a loose product, it was often more about how much product was applied, though I tried to apply a consistent amount for swatches (which were all done wet with water). The consistency varied from airy and finely-milled to heavier and more glittery. I noticed more of a "puff" of pigment as I worked with most shades, which seemed to confirm how finely-milled they were. They can also be used on cheeks and lips, and the more sparkly shades worked better as cheek products than the ones with deeper intensity or base colors, as they tended to be a bit harder to apply and diffuse (even using them dry as using them wet on cheeks often translated into stripes of color).
The packaging changed significantly, as the jars are now taller, slimmer, and have no sifter, though there's a plastic "lid" that sits inside the top of the jar. I'm not a fan of this style of packaging, especially as these are meant to be used wet, then it becomes very challenging to sift out just enough product for a use and mix a wet brush with dry powder elsewhere (instead of sticking one's brush right in the jar). It is also going to be progressively more difficult to pick up just the right amount of product as product gets used up (and you're going lower and lower into the jar). The taller jars also are a bit easier to knock over for those prone to clumsiness (like myself).
Browse all of our ColourPop Zodiac Loose Pigment swatches.
Ingredients
Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Tin Oxide, Dimethiconol, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Look Using this Product
The Maiden
LELimited Edition. $6.00.
The Scorpion
ColourPop The Scorpion Zodiac Loose Pigment ($6.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a medium-dark, reddened plum with warm undertones and a metallic sheen. It had opaque color coverage that applied smoothly and evenly across my skin with a dampened brush (wet with water). This shade had a stronger base to it with less noticeable sparkle, so it played better with just water or with a typical eyeshadow primer. I found it much easier to diffuse and blend out along the edges, even after it had dried back down. It wore well for seven and a half hours applied with water and over 10 hours when applied with setting spray (MAC Fix+).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Pat McGrath Hedonistic (PiP, $25.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop C U Tonite (LE, $4.50) is warmer (95% similar).
- ColourPop Jackpot (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Sydney Grace Raspberry Sorbet (DC, $6.25) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Give Me Glow Bouquet (PiP, $7.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Mesmerising Maroon #2 (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Addict (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop Burner (DC, $4.50) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Anastasia Sangria (P, $12.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Pat McGrath Plum Eclipse (LE, $25.00) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
Formula Overview
$6.00/0.078 oz. - $76.92 Per Ounce
The reformulated Loose Pigments are supposed to be "high impact, concentrated" pigments that are "best used wet for a supercharged, intense metallic or duochrome finish." The brand specifically warns against using them dry on a "bare eye" (as in "should never be applied"), which is where the original and reformulation differ, as the originals could be used wet or dry. The brand also stated to "layer over an eyeshadow primer or Super Shock Shadow" for "the best staying power and pigmentation," so presumably they are not particularly long-wearing "as is." That's accurate; they last around seven hours applied wet with water but get to 10 hours when used with an adhesive spray (I tested with MAC Fix+, which I have a lot of prior testing experience with).
They are better than the originals, though they still suffer from a lot of the expected downsides to working with loose pigment, and whether the color and finish outweigh the application pitfalls is a matter of preference, skill, and patience. The formula needed to have a fairly wet brush; not quite sopping-wet but more than slightly damp (which is more in line with the amount of wetness I find necessary to apply 90%+ of products). If my brush was too wet, though, it tended to spread the product out too readily and was more likely to go on unevenly. The more glittery shades worked better with an adhesive spray or tacky base, rather than just wet with water, as they needed more to help the larger sparkles adhere to skin and minimized fallout/excessive spread of the sparkles (beyond where I wanted them) when blended.
Because the formula really does work best with a wet/dampened brush, they aren't as blendable once they're dry, so working with two or three shades in the same area is more challenging than working with more traditional, pressed powder eyeshadows. They're more in the vein of liquid and cream eyeshadows, which are blendable as they're drying, but once they set, most formulas are locked in place; these are not quite that locked in place but just didn't want to diffuse readily. They wore between six and eight hours before creasing, fading, and/or having a fair amount of fallout (applied wet with water). I would only recommend purchasing the formula if you intend to use them with an adhesive spray or tacky base. Drier primers, like MAC 24HR or Urban Decay Primer Potion work decently with most shades (fade-resistant but light to moderate fallout otherwise), but I would still opt for a tackier base. The following shades stained, and they stained through eyeshadow primer: The Ram, The Bull, The Water Bearer, The Archer.
The pigmentation was semi-opaque to opaque for most shades, and as it was a loose product, it was often more about how much product was applied, though I tried to apply a consistent amount for swatches (which were all done wet with water). The consistency varied from airy and finely-milled to heavier and more glittery. I noticed more of a "puff" of pigment as I worked with most shades, which seemed to confirm how finely-milled they were. They can also be used on cheeks and lips, and the more sparkly shades worked better as cheek products than the ones with deeper intensity or base colors, as they tended to be a bit harder to apply and diffuse (even using them dry as using them wet on cheeks often translated into stripes of color).
The packaging changed significantly, as the jars are now taller, slimmer, and have no sifter, though there's a plastic "lid" that sits inside the top of the jar. I'm not a fan of this style of packaging, especially as these are meant to be used wet, then it becomes very challenging to sift out just enough product for a use and mix a wet brush with dry powder elsewhere (instead of sticking one's brush right in the jar). It is also going to be progressively more difficult to pick up just the right amount of product as product gets used up (and you're going lower and lower into the jar). The taller jars also are a bit easier to knock over for those prone to clumsiness (like myself).
Browse all of our ColourPop Zodiac Loose Pigment swatches.
Ingredients
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Silica, Dimethiconol, Tin Oxide, Copper Powder (CI 77400), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
The Scorpion
LELimited Edition. $6.00.
The Goat
ColourPop The Goat Zodiac Loose Pigment ($6.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a rich, golden bronze with warm undertones and a sparkling, metallic finish. It applies significantly lighter than it looks in the jar; it’s brightening and had a very strong sheen when applied wet that didn’t totally disappear when it dried back down. It had rich pigmentation with a finely-milled, smooth consistency that applied well with a brush dampened with water, though it was workable dry to top up coverage or diffuse the color out. It lasted for seven hours applied with water before fading noticeably and over 10 hours when applied with setting spray (MAC Fix+).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Natasha Denona Rustic (214M) (PiP, $29.00) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- ColourPop Twinkle Toes (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Super Blue #2 (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Deeper (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- MAC Chains of Love (LE, $17.00) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Pat McGrath Bronze Struck (LE, $25.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Sydney Grace Amber (P, $6.25) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Stila Cinnamon (LE, $18.00) is more shimmery, brighter, warmer (90% similar).
- NABLA Cosmetics Priceless (PiP, ) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- bareMinerals Hot Commodity (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$6.00/0.078 oz. - $76.92 Per Ounce
The reformulated Loose Pigments are supposed to be "high impact, concentrated" pigments that are "best used wet for a supercharged, intense metallic or duochrome finish." The brand specifically warns against using them dry on a "bare eye" (as in "should never be applied"), which is where the original and reformulation differ, as the originals could be used wet or dry. The brand also stated to "layer over an eyeshadow primer or Super Shock Shadow" for "the best staying power and pigmentation," so presumably they are not particularly long-wearing "as is." That's accurate; they last around seven hours applied wet with water but get to 10 hours when used with an adhesive spray (I tested with MAC Fix+, which I have a lot of prior testing experience with).
They are better than the originals, though they still suffer from a lot of the expected downsides to working with loose pigment, and whether the color and finish outweigh the application pitfalls is a matter of preference, skill, and patience. The formula needed to have a fairly wet brush; not quite sopping-wet but more than slightly damp (which is more in line with the amount of wetness I find necessary to apply 90%+ of products). If my brush was too wet, though, it tended to spread the product out too readily and was more likely to go on unevenly. The more glittery shades worked better with an adhesive spray or tacky base, rather than just wet with water, as they needed more to help the larger sparkles adhere to skin and minimized fallout/excessive spread of the sparkles (beyond where I wanted them) when blended.
Because the formula really does work best with a wet/dampened brush, they aren't as blendable once they're dry, so working with two or three shades in the same area is more challenging than working with more traditional, pressed powder eyeshadows. They're more in the vein of liquid and cream eyeshadows, which are blendable as they're drying, but once they set, most formulas are locked in place; these are not quite that locked in place but just didn't want to diffuse readily. They wore between six and eight hours before creasing, fading, and/or having a fair amount of fallout (applied wet with water). I would only recommend purchasing the formula if you intend to use them with an adhesive spray or tacky base. Drier primers, like MAC 24HR or Urban Decay Primer Potion work decently with most shades (fade-resistant but light to moderate fallout otherwise), but I would still opt for a tackier base. The following shades stained, and they stained through eyeshadow primer: The Ram, The Bull, The Water Bearer, The Archer.
The pigmentation was semi-opaque to opaque for most shades, and as it was a loose product, it was often more about how much product was applied, though I tried to apply a consistent amount for swatches (which were all done wet with water). The consistency varied from airy and finely-milled to heavier and more glittery. I noticed more of a "puff" of pigment as I worked with most shades, which seemed to confirm how finely-milled they were. They can also be used on cheeks and lips, and the more sparkly shades worked better as cheek products than the ones with deeper intensity or base colors, as they tended to be a bit harder to apply and diffuse (even using them dry as using them wet on cheeks often translated into stripes of color).
The packaging changed significantly, as the jars are now taller, slimmer, and have no sifter, though there's a plastic "lid" that sits inside the top of the jar. I'm not a fan of this style of packaging, especially as these are meant to be used wet, then it becomes very challenging to sift out just enough product for a use and mix a wet brush with dry powder elsewhere (instead of sticking one's brush right in the jar). It is also going to be progressively more difficult to pick up just the right amount of product as product gets used up (and you're going lower and lower into the jar). The taller jars also are a bit easier to knock over for those prone to clumsiness (like myself).
Browse all of our ColourPop Zodiac Loose Pigment swatches.
Ingredients
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Silica, Dimethiconol, Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77499), Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
I really like The Goat but I think I have 6 of the listed dupes! And they’d be less messy/fiddly to use.
I really like The Goat too – but like Mariella, I have quite a few dupes of that shade that would be much easier to use as well.
And many A+s in the dupes. We’ve learned that some shades are definitely easier than others to do.
This new iteration of the loose pigments reminds me a bit of Makeup Geek’s Sparklers (some are more like traditional pigments, others are closer to true glitters), but with much better, clearer, more realistic marketing. And I guess…better packaging.
I think if they said “use with our setting spray” or came out with an actual glitter glue, it would have been better, but they are more realistic than most!
Oh no. The 2 prettiest shades reviewed above, The Ram and The Maiden, would drive me bonkers with that irritating fallout! But they sure do look pretty in the swatches.
I am not really in to fiddly e/s. I will work with a shade to get it to apply nicely and stay put but that is more related to finding that a shade I expected to have no issues with, turns out to be a fiddly e/s. I don’t want to go into a look with a product that I already know is going to be work, if that makes sense? In any event, my no buy is going strong.