Tin of red gloss paint with a brush. Gloss paint is a mixture of a resinous, adhesive binder and a powder coloured pigment. The ratio of binder to pigment determines whether the paint is glossy or matt. A gloss paint has a high ratio of binder that coats and dries to a reflective finish. A paint with a much higher proportion of pigment dries to a matt finish because the particles of pigment protrude above the binder. Other finishes like semi-gloss, satin, sheen and eggshell are intermediate levels of gloss that can be measured in a laboratory for their percentage of reflectivity. Different surfaces, locations and fashions require different types of gloss.