In the last five years, trends have dramatically shifted. Makeup, style and outward image used to be centred around full glam. Instagram was filled with heavy eye makeup, contour and gradient eyebrows. Extravagant makeup was at the forefront, but in recent years these popular looks have been replaced with a more natural, subtle and youthful look, designed to accentuate natural beauty.
With gentle, kind-to-skin products growing in popularity, many are searching for the right products to create an authentic makeup look that works for them. According to their website, Annabelle Minerals offers products which are 100% organic, based around four main ingredients which cater to ‘the needs of every skin type’. When they reached out to us to test their range, we simply had to snap up the opportunity.
All of the brand's products are cruelty free and vegan. Packaging is sleek and minimal waste; in the package sent to us there was no plastic, which we love to see. We were sent four shades of eyeliner, three different types of face serum, makeup removal oil, and a pink mineral eye pigment. Below, we will review each of them one by one.
Eyeliner: £9.90
All of the eyeliner pencils have a creamy consistency and apply very smoothly. They smudge relatively easily to create a smoky effect, however these pencils aren’t necessarily best used to create a dramatic wing. In line with Annabelle Minerals and other products, it’s a great formula to accentuate natural, existing beauty.
The eyeliner does have a lasting wear especially when applied to the water line, however it isn’t a battle to remove. The colours we received were Forest Sky (grey) Pine (brown) Dark Wood (black) and Cherry (a metallic pink).
I would say these are fairly priced when compared to other drugstore brands.
Makeup removal oil: £15.90
I was most looking forward to trying this, as I am always keen to use a new makeup removal product. The oil, like everything else, consists of all natural ingredients, including castor and coconut oil, which promotes eyelash and brow growth. The bottle doesn’t come with a pipette, so I applied it by dabbing it onto a cotton pad and applying it to my face.
The oil has a really thick consistency, which doesn’t spread easily onto a cotton pad and it takes some vigour to wipe off makeup. That being said, it is an oil, meaning once it’s on the face it is easy to massage in and you can feel how nourishing it is. It takes off stubborn eye makeup such as mascara really well, and there's no doubt it’s more beneficial than using makeup remover wipes.
I prefer using a natural oil compared to a water based chemical product. A little goes a long way and you will begin to see enhancements to your bare face by using it for a while.
Makeup products can dry out skin and eyelashes, so it feels like repairing damage by taking it off with such a quality substance. I think it’s worth the money if you’re looking for a good combination of products to remove makeup.
There are ways to remove makeup with more affordable products such as coconut oil, but in my experience this has sometimes led to styes and eye irritation that takes some time to go away. This is a safe investment. And it smells like mint.
Mineral eye pigment: £13.90
We were sent a mineral eye pigment (eyeshadow) in the shade Electrum. It’s a metallic pinky colour, absolutely FULL of glitter, perfect for a festival or disco-esque party.
It's very fine and smooth, not at all clunky or difficult to distribute, which reflects the price of this product. It’s really good quality and a soft, rosy colour. There’s no trace of any kind of silver pigmentation in it (which some of the cheaper eye glitters from rival brands have).
First impressions: this product is messy! A little goes a long way, as it's absolutely full of glitter but not at all heavy. It doesn’t feel like you’re wearing anything. If you want it to stick, make sure you have a sticky base such as Vaseline or Sudocrem, because otherwise it will smudge and fall down your face. Again, perfect for festivals.
It’s not at all heavy, and it’s likely not something that you will be repurchasing often, so for that reason I would say it’s well worth the price.
Serums: £27.90 each
Repair Juice:
0.3% retinol rebuilds and smooths the skin's texture, reduces firm lines and firms.
Unlike the other two serums, this product has more of a creamy consistency, not the kind that you usually find in a pipette bottle. It’s a white cream that rubs into the face and unlike the other two products it’s somewhat sticky when applying to the face. Once massaged in it isn’t noticeable. After a couple of weeks of use I noticed that my skin was less dry and pale everyday. Using this cream seemed to give me more colour.
Typically, the skin stops producing collagen when someone hits 25 years old, so these products may be best for those who are approaching their mid 20’s if not older. I saw a TikTok of a 14-year-old sharing their elaborate skin routine to prevent ageing recently; there is simply no point in doing that. Just wear sunscreen.
For me though, I am approaching an age where my current skincare will have an affect on the way I age. This product made me feel pretty, and it felt like I was repairing any damage done to my skin that day.
The formula contains extracts of alfalfa, which is a plant rich in vitamin C. It can help to protect the skin from damage and ultimately protect the skin from premature ageing (in the form of wrinkles and age spots). There are also extracts of squalene in this serum, which prevents moisture loss and helps to neutralise damage caused by UV light.
Glow Juice:
Vitamin E and 20% vitamin C.
The purpose of this serum is to make your skin glow and look more radiant, enhancing your natural beauty by giving you a healthy, summery look. If you have clear skin it’s a good, lighter alternative to foundation and highlight. It nourishes your face while enhancing your features.
The formula contains ferulic acid, which works to reduce the appearance of new blood vessels under the skin. This means that after four to six weeks of consistent use, you should have fewer visible veins, redness and dark spots. It tends to protect skin from any discolouration from sun exposure too. Paired with quercetin, this serum should reduce inflammation of damaged skin.
The consistency is pretty concentrated. It’s more watery than some of the other serums but still thick enough to recognise that it's somewhat of an oil based product. It has a deep fragrance and a mature smell.
When applying I had some raw, dry skin around my nose from hay-fever and application made it burn slightly, but this is to be expected with any skincare product around sensitive areas. It wasn’t unbearable by any means, meaning the oil must be well suited for someone with sensitive skin.
Compared to other serums, this feels a bit more sticky and heavy on the face, but definitely creates a more youthful, glowing and dewy look throughout the day. After a few minutes of wearing it stops feeling heavy at all. The tint in the oil gave me a pop of colour like I had been in the sun, when in reality, it’s been raining in Yorkshire for the entire summer.
I definitely noticed more of a glow in myself for a few hours after applying and it gave me more confidence throughout the day. I got a lot of compliments on my skin.
Clarity Juice:
5% niacinamide reduces pore visibility, smooths skin texture and strengthens the skin's protective barrier.
This formula contains rice bioferment which typically gives the skin a more radiant tone by boosting the production of collagen. Paired with centella asiatica and acetylglucosamine, this serum would help with healing any wounds in the face like scars or spots, increase the resilience of skin, and hydrate the skin.
The consistency is watery and clear. This product just glides onto the skin and automatically feels as though the pores are shrinking. It doesn’t leave any sticky residue on the hands and is generally a lot less gloopy than moisturiser.
It makes me look healthy and glowy, naturally highlighting my cheekbones and tightening my skin. I noticed after a couple of weeks of consistent use that the colour of my skin was evening out around my chin, which is where I tend to get scars and red patches from picking my skin. This is a great alternative to makeup, as it is really dewy.
Each of the products reviewed can be found on the brand’s website.
Edited by Ciara Lane