Only in America - The real deal on mineral eye shadow.

In order to understand how much product a company puts in their mineral make-up containers, we have to make a distinction.  

A gram refers to weight (mass), a teaspoon measures volume (or the amount of space taken up.)  These are two totally different measurements and a direct conversion is very difficult.  You'll commonly see mineral makeup companies say that darker minerals weigh more than lighter - therefore they generally pack their pots based on volume (packed to the lid, packed in as much as they can etc).  If a company packs them based on weight, a light shade may fill the pot completely - a dark shade only halfway.  You can see how this discrepancy can seem like you're getting "cheated".

How much each company packs into their containers, varies.  Generally "full size" shadows are 5gr containers.  Some use 3gr or 10gr.  Samples are varied greatly, some pack in baggies, some in clam shells, others in 3g or even 5g pots. The amount offered in samples generally runs from 1/16 tsp - 1/4 tsp with a few that have even more.  This may not sound like a lot, but in terms of mineral makeup eye shadow - a little goes a long way.

Continuing with the assumption that all jars are filled by volume and don't consider weight we find the following to be true:

   2 gram = 1 teaspoon

1.5 gram = 3/4 teaspoon

  1 gram = 1/2 teaspoon

.50 gram = 1/4 teaspoon

.25 gram = 1/8 teaspoon

.125 gram = 1/16 teaspoon

*Remember that a direct conversion is difficult, these are approximate.

Now to consider the actual containers:

The amount that a jar CAN hold, is not what they generally hold when filled by a company.  So we have the jar size 5 grams, it could hold 1.3-1.7grams and usually holds 1 gram of product or 1/2 teaspoon.  Still here?

The key numbers that we need to be concerned with are, the size of the container and the amount added by the company.

These are the "common" advertised amounts:

Baggies, clam shells both the smallest and next up sizes may advertise 1/16 tsp - 1/4 tsp.

3 gram containers may advertise as .3 - .6 grams of product = roughly 1/4 teaspoon.

5 gram containers almost always advertise as 1 gram of product = 1/2 teaspoon.

10 gram containers may advertise as 1.5 - 3 grams = 3/4 teaspoon - 2 1/2 teaspoons.

Many times the amount you actually receive exceeds the advertised amount.  

Now to grasp the amount of product that you really receive.  1/16 or 1/2 teaspoon sound quite small - when you measure them out - you find that there's more product there than you think.  Couple that with the fact that mineral shadows in particular take a small amount, you have more shadow than you may ever actually use.  Below are several pictures that hopefully demonstrate the true value of the minerals that you receive.

Clamshells are the middle ground
 between jars and baggies.

Many 5 gram jars hold 1/2 teaspoon of product.