Sydney Grace Pistol Loose Pigment Review & Swatches
Pistol
Sydney Grace Pistol Loose Pigment ($6.00 for 0.14 oz.) has a brighter, reddish-plum base that’s very strong in its warmer undertone with shifting blue-to-teal sparkle. It was incredibly sparkly, which gave it a chunkier consistency that was hard to smooth out and apply evenly to bare skin, even when I worked with an adhesive spray or my fingertip.
There was a lot of fallout, and it would work better layered over a similar-hued base because it ended up looking more broken up and uneven whenever the light wasn’t reflecting off of the sparkle. It was more medium to semi-opaque in coverage; the base just didn’t seem to come through as much as it seems like it should have. The color portion seemed to stay on for around eight hours of wear, but there was moderate fallout over time unless I used an adhesive spray.
The brand did advise that they are “best if used wet with a fixing spray, eye drops or water,” and if I used just a dampened brush with water, the application was similar to an adhesive spray but there was still some fallout. Other shades I’ve tried in this formula have been a lot easier to work with and needed less helpers to function decently, though.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Touch in Sol Holo Mulberry (5) (P, $18.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Solstice (DC, $20.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Pat McGrath Alien Moon (LE, $25.00) is less shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- Make Up For Ever 108 Burgundy (P, $26.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Goosebumps (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- MAC Starry Night (P, $17.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Terra Moons Terra Borealis (P, $8.50) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Down Time (PiP, $4.50) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Boom Boom Room (LE, $18.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Comforting Light (P, $6.00) is cooler (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$6.00/0.14 oz. - $42.86 Per Ounce
It's designed to be worn alone, though the brand recommends a "mixing medium or a glitter glue" to avoid fallout. The loose consistency was denser and more weighed down, which made it less messy to work with than some more finely-milled (but very powdery) loose eyeshadow formulas available. They were very pigmented without much product, and they had similar coverage applied dry as well as wet.
The wet application typically yielded smoother, more metallic finishes and less fallout compared to dry application. Dry application required a bit more finesse as the product applied best by patting and pressing it on and then gently smoothing it into place, otherwise it had some fallout during application. A few shades that were more sparkly looked a bit chunkier applied to my skin when I used it dry (but were smoother and more forgiving when used wet). They lasted between seven and eight hours on me before creasing.
Browse all of our Sydney Grace Loose Pigment swatches.
Ingredients
Silk Mica (Mica (77019), Boron Nitride, L-Lysine Mica (Mica 77019 and Lauroyl Lysine), Carnauba Mica (Mica 77019 and Carnauba Wax), Magnesium Stearate, Magnesium Myristate, Zinc Stearate ((+/- Mica (77019), Fractionated Coconut Oil (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Chromium Hydroxide Green (CI77289), Chromium Green (CI77288), Iron Oxide (CI 77499, 77491, 77492), Tin Oxide (CI 778161), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Ultramarines (77007), Silica, Synthetic Flurophylogopite, Zinc (CI 77947), Bronze and Copper Powder (CI 77400), Nylon 12, Carmine (75470), Aluminum (77000) Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, and Hexylene Glycol
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 have never seen you give Sydney Grace a low grade so this one must not be that great. Thank you for reviewing this!
I wouldn’t think this kind of product would be too successful when used as an eyeshadow. There are lots of great eyeshadow products in the market rather than risking getting some glitter in your eye. Applying this loose eyeshadow didn’t sound like fun Christine.
Newp! Not for me, and I’m pretty darn good about dealing with fallout prone products when it comes to getting them to adhere, but this pigment doesn’t seem to want to apply evenly = deal breaker.
OMBFG!
This product needs to be treated like a loose glitter. I apply it over glitter glue for incredibly sparkly mirror like finish on the eye. Yes there’s some fallout and a large learning curve. I didn’t have much success applying it wet because once it dries out becomes like a loose glitter again resulting in fallout. It’s better to apply dry with a finger over glitter glue.
Well, I’m glad this isn’t one of the pigments I purchased from them!
Happy to read this review, as I just put this in the destash pile yesterday! I was wondering if it was just me. So incredibly chunky, even over glitter glue it would clump in patches that made it hard to move my eyelids normally lol. Love Sydney Grace, this is my first and only miss from them!
Glad I’m not alone! Guess they had to miss eventually!