When shopping for shadows, some people gravitate towards the convenience of a pressed eye shadow pan while others prefer the larger selection of colors and finishes that loose pigments offer. Is there a distinction between the two, and is one better than the other? "The main differences are in the ingredients used to wet the powder, which allow for compaction and pressing into pans," explains cosmetic chemist Nick Morante. Wetting agents include vegetable oils, esters, or other emollients that help the pigment stick to itself. Chemists also add fillers such as talc or mica to pressed shadow to give the powder a smoother feel on the skin.
While both types of shadow may have a place in your stash, one may have have a higher color payoff than the other. "A pressed powder can handle a much higher pigment load because of the wetting agents in the formula," explains Nick. Loose powders are usually formulated to be more lightweight and translucent because of their multipurpose use on the cheeks and face.
Many love to turn their loose pigments into palette-ready shadows using rubbing alcohol, but there could be some reservations and dangers associated with this at-home pressing technique. "You can dilute the color level and pose the risk of contamination and microbial growth in your powder,” says Nick. "The mechanics of wetting the powder aren't efficient enough when done at home and the product won't be uniform or apply evenly onto the skin."
Do you find any differences between your pressed and loose pigments? Which type of eye enhancers do you prefer most? Vote below and let's hear your say in the shadow showdown!
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Which type of eye shadow do you prefer?
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A. Pressed pigment.
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B. Loose formulas.
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Comments
Sep 18, 2012
Rishel K.
Both have their place in a beauty drawer. Pressed works wonders for everyday use because it's cleaner to apply and doesn't require any extra steps to give you color payoff. Loose pigments are messy, but they work wonders for a sheer wash of color or a greater range of intense shades when used with a mixing medium. Overall, my favorite has always been loosely pressed shadow, which are usually dome pressed in individual containers instead of flat pressed in pans. Best of both worlds!
Feb 16, 2012
Chelsea P.
Loose like bare minerals I love an u can add water to do more things love em
Feb 16, 2012
Renji A.
pressed shadows would be gr8..for neater and efficient application...
Feb 15, 2012
Rakisha K.
I like both really, but pressed powder goe on neater & quicker.
Feb 11, 2012
April C.
Honestly it depends on what I am doing. Pressed pigments and Loose formulas are both great products! You can create so many fun and different looks using either of them.
Feb 09, 2012
Jen B.
Although I do love MAC loose pigments... Overall, I prefer pressed shadows. Just less messy.
Feb 09, 2012
Cheryl B.
i like pressed pigments for one reason... the lose ones are too messy and always opens up all over my makeup bag
Feb 08, 2012
Tara L.
I'm such a fan of pressed pigments! Loose pigments scare me—I'm afraid of spilling them everywhere!
Feb 08, 2012
Amy L.
I'm a fan of pressed pigments when it comes to neutral colors, but when I want a bright, shocking color I turn to NYX loose pigments to get the job done. They are great applied over NYX crayons and are long lasting. For pressed I turn to Too Faced and Urban Decay.
Feb 08, 2012
Huma N.
What if you're just trying to fix a broken pressed powder by using rubbing alcohol? Would that still dilute the color and pose the risk of contamination?