Anastasia Desert Loose Pigment Review & Swatches

- May 28, 2019

Desert

Anastasia Desert Loose Pigment ($22.00 for 0.21 oz.) is a medium copper with a balance of warm, red and orange undertones paired with a high-shine, metallic finish. It had buildable pigmentation from sheer to opaque, which depended on how much was initially picked up and applied (the loose format makes it harder to determine what “one” layer is with consistency). It could also be applied with a wet brush for more intense coverage and shine with less product.

The texture was soft, lightweight, and finely-milled, which ensured it was blendable and easy to work with as an eyeshadow or as a cheek color. There was a smidgen of fallout if I loaded the brush up for application on my eyes. It wore well for seven and a half hours as an eyeshadow and eight and a half hours as a cheek color.

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Ciate Bullion (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar).
Huda Beauty Tahiti (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (95% similar).
Natasha Denona Magnolia (143K) (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar).
Morphe Mirage (P, $14.00) is lighter, warmer (95% similar).
OFRA Blind the Haters (P, $29.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
Juvia's Place Hadiya (P, ) is warmer (95% similar).
bareMinerals Fierce (P, $29.00) is lighter, warmer (95% similar).
Fenty Beauty Mo' Hunny (PiP, $36.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (95% similar).
Touch in Sol Golden Tangerine (3) (P, $18.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
MAC Paradise (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

$22.00/0.17 oz. - $129.41 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to have a "finely milled" consistency that gives a "pearlescent metallic finish" that can be used on "eyes, face and body." It is intended to have buildable coverage from a "soft wash of color" to "intense color payoff." They are buildable, and as they're a loose product, pigmentation varies noticeably based on how much product is applied and with what brush; but it is as versatile as marketed--I was able to apply a sheer dusting as a highlighter on my cheekbones or pack it on as an opaque eyeshadow. I was able to get to opaque coverage with a dry brush, though a wet brush will stretch the product out a bit more and minimize the light fallout (when working with it as an eye product).

The powder was finely-milled, blendable, and easy to work with overall. The greater challenge was actually getting product out of the compact jar; there's a cool flip-top interior lid that prevents product from coming out of the six-hole sifter but there's no place to dump it except inside the lid (which then drops excess on top of the flip-top lid!), which is deep and narrow, or on a separate palette/plate. I dropped at least one while photographing/swatching/testing, so not having half a jar of pigment all over my house was a nice plus. I tried to remove the sifter/lid but wasn't able to feel it loosen and wasn't successful (I usually do this so I can photograph the actual powder)

The formula lasted seven to eight hours as an eyeshadow (no primer or base) and eight to nine hours as a cheek color (over bare skin).

Browse all of our Anastasia Loose Pigment swatches.

Ingredients

MICA, SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE, ALUMINA, LAUROYL LYSINE, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, PHENOXYETHANOL, BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE (CI 77163), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77499), TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891)