Beauty Care: 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

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Urban Decay Solstice (P, $20.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
Touch in Sol Holo Mulberry (5) (P, $18.00) is darker (95% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Pretty Baby #3 (PiP, ) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
NARS Fuse (LE, $22.00) is cooler (90% similar).
MAC Humoresque (LE, $18.00) is cooler (90% similar).
ColourPop Kindness (LE, $6.00) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Natasha Denona Calypso Blue (05M) (PiP, $29.00) is warmer (90% similar).
ColourPop Mr. Sandman (P, $4.50) is lighter (90% similar).
Sydney Grace My Bond (DC, $8.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
ColourPop Gneiss Guy (PiP, $4.50) is less shimmery (90% similar).

View Swatches

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.