Annabelle Smoothie Eyeshadow Pencil - Down 2 Earth

Can I tell you how much I love Annabelle cosmetics? THISMUCH. An affordable, Canadian-made (and Montreal-based!), fashion-forward makeup brand is impossible to resist.

Where my American friends probably remember their first makeup purchases being Wet'n'Wild (also one of those drugstore brands that is kicking ass and taking names these days), mine was Annabelle. I still remember my Gleam eyeshadow!

I recently picked up one of their Smoothie Eyeshadow Pencils from a limited edition display, intrigued both by their similarity to the Urban Decay 24/7 pencils and their decidedly more attractive price tag.

This is the Smoothie Eyeshadow Pencil in shade Down 2 earth:

Isn't it the prettiest olive green shimmer ever? 

In indirect light.

In direct artificial lighting.

The color is gorgeous. I am a HUGE fan of this color. It's just the most perfect olive green with golden shimmer. 

It's also a really versatile little pencil. The texture is extremely soft, so it can be applied directly to the whole lid without fear of tugging or discomfort, and the creamy consistency allows for easy smudging and sheering out. It can be worn by itself, or as a base for powder eyeshadow. It's not water-proof, but you will need an oil-based remover to get this off cleanly. 

Worn over a primer (which is how I normally wear any eye product, due to my oily lids), this held up well for a regular workday, with no noticeable shift in texture. Without a primer, it smudged  and had some creasing after about 4 hours. For a somewhat different experience, check out how Rae from The Notice felt about it. 

It's similar to the Tarte SmolderEYES in feel, and is the same size - 1.6 grams. 

To give you an idea of how it compares to some other olive green/bronze eyeshadow pencils and eyeliners.

From left to right:
Annabelle Smoothie in Down 2 Earth, Tarte SmolderEYES in Moss and Olive, Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliner in Intense Olive, Stila Smudge Stick in Moray, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Stash, Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner in Bronze.

After trying out Down 2 Earth, I am going to have to add more shades to my stash!

Availability: Any drugstore that carries Annabelle, listed here. It was a limited edition, so may be difficult to find, but I still spotted some this week on display. Price is 8.95$ CAD, but that can vary slightly with individual store and promotions.

Pros: Inexpensive, gorgeous color, easy to use, multiple functions, creamy-feeling and gentle in application.

Cons: With the super-soft formula, this can crease or migrate on some people due to either eyelid shape or oiliness. I would recommend a primer as a base, and setting with eyeshadow for optimum longevity.

(I purchased this from Jean Coutu.)