Beauty Care: Sydney Grace Awkward Silence Cream Shadow Review & Swatches

Awkward Silence

Sydney Grace Awkward Silence Cream Shadow (2020) ($8.00 for 0.34 oz.) has a bluish-gray base with a mix of larger flecks of gold sparkle, finer gold and pinkish pearl. Sometimes the base looked almost purplish, but then when the light caught the sparkles, it looked warmer, more like a bronzy-taupe. It’s a very unique shade!

Mostly opaque, buildable coverage
Lightly creamy, spreadable, smooth without being too emollient
Has a learning curve, best applied in thinner layers and built up
Long-wearing (9 hours)

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

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Pat McGrath Platinum Dusk (PiP, $25.00) is less shimmery, warmer (85% similar).
Sydney Grace Traveling Elegance (LE, $6.25) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
Natasha Denona Glam (329M) (PiP, $29.00) is lighter, warmer (80% similar).
Urban Decay Mushroom (P, $19.00) is less shimmery, lighter (80% similar).
Sydney Grace Albert (PiP, $6.25) is darker, cooler (80% similar).
Sydney Grace Fallen Empire (LE, $6.25) is darker, cooler (80% similar).
Sydney Grace Charming Chaos (LE, $6.25) is darker, cooler (80% similar).

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Formula Overview

$8.00/0.34 oz. - $23.53 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to "dry down to a smudge proof finish" that isn't waterproof but "will last all day on the lids." The brand recommends working "one eye at a time" as the formula "dr[ies] fairly quickly." It's an incredibly pigmented formula in most instances, where a little dab is more than enough to cover the mobile lid. I always find squeezing out product onto the back of my hand or onto a metal palette is the best way to get going with these.

It was recently formulated to extend the shelf life, which went from six months to 12 months, but there were changes to the base formula, which I found shortened the wear time for me overall--by an hour or two. Previously, they wore between eight and 10 hours on me with most shades on the longer end of that range.

With the updated formula, the wear was more eight to nine hours with a tendency to crease over fade, so if I applied it to the inner tearduct or the brow bone, the wear was more like nine hours or even ten hours, but if I wore the same shade in my crease, it would have creasing by eight hours. Otherwise, the formula tended to apply, blend, and work like the original formula--I just noticed that the wear time was a little reduced.

The texture was smooth, like a liquid-cream hybrid as it wasn't runny but it was more spreadable than a cream eyeshadow you'd find in a jar. The majority of shades applied evenly to bare skin with little effort, and the edges remained blendable enough (even as it was mostly dried down) to soften and fuse with other shades. They're very lightweight and the majority of them sat well on my lids without emphasizing lines or texture (sometimes an issue with liquid/cream, more metallic products).

It didn't have that dry down that felt so set and locked in that if you kept trying to blend it out (after it was dry) you'd get flaking; these never flaked or lifted. Based on past experiences--in general with cream eyeshadows--I recommend working with your powder eyeshadows first (unless you're using it as a base), and then going in with the cream eyeshadows and going back over any areas to further blend if necessary. That being said, I was able to layer powder eyeshadow over them without them lifting or becoming patchy. They're some of the easiest cream eyeshadows I've worked with to incorporate into multi-shade looks. The wear varied from eight to ten hours on me before there was slight fading or a bit of creasing.

If you're someone who tends to use their cream eyeshadows as sheer washes of color, I think this formula is "too" pigmented and dries too quickly to make sheer application as effortless as you'd want. If you love the effect of and finish of creamier, metallic eyeshadows and want true, full coverage application, these are worth looking into. I recommend squeezing out the smallest amount of product on the back of your hand or onto a mixing palette, and then using fingertips or a flat, synthetic brush to apply to the lid. I prefer a brush as it gives more working time than when I used my fingertips.

Browse all of our Sydney Grace Cream Shadow (2020) swatches.

Ingredients

Aqua (Distilled Water), Glycerin, Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetyl Alcohol (and) Butylene Glycol (Emulsifier), Fractionated Coconut Oil (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride), Phenoxyethanol (and) Benzoic Acid (and) Dehydroacetic Acid (Preservative) +/- Mica (Mica 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891) Vitamin E (Tocopherol), Chromium Hydroxide Green (CI77289), Chromium Green (CI77288), Carmine, Iron Oxide (CI 77499, 77491, 77492), Tin Oxide (CI 778161), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Ultramarines (77007), Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Zinc (CI 77947), Bronze and Copper Powder (CI 77400), Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Hexylene Glycol, and Aluminum Powder))

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.