Review: e.l.f. Studio Single Eyeshadow in "Pebble"

Lately I've been wanting to review e.l.f. products that most of you can easily find at your local Target stores so, for this review, I purchased an e.l.f. Studio Single Eyeshadow in Pebble at my local Target (click here if you missed my Luscious Liquid Lipstick review, which is also available at Target).

You can purchase this eyeshadow at most Target locations for $3 (yes, I know that some of you still don't have the e.l.f. display up at your Target but you should be getting it eventually!).

As you can see from the following pics, this eyeshadow bears a striking resemblance to the NARS eyeshadow singles. The size, shape and style of the compact is quite similar. The only exceptions I see are the see-through window on the front of the e.l.f. compact, and also the finish of the compact of the e.l.f. shadow is smooth plastic, whereas NARS shadows have a rubbery texture (which I dislike, btw. Once those compacts get dirty, you'll never get them 100% clean again). So I actually prefer the design of the e.l.f. compact because you can see the product without having to open it or turn it over and read the label, and they're also a snap to keep clean.

The first time I used this eyeshadow, I came across some problems. I always test new eyeshadows without any primer beforehand because I want to let you know how the eyeshadow itself performs without any additional help. But when I applied this shadow without primer, I found it to be inconsistent (the color sort of skipped across my lids) and it didn't blend as well as some other e.l.f. shadows I own. Also, I was hoping that Pebble might be a nice dupe of NARS Ashes to Ashes, but Ashes to Ashes (which I tore my entire house apart to find so that I could compare the two in this post and still didn't find) is smoother to apply and is a true shimmer. Pebble is not a shimmer. I'd say it's on the border between a satin finish and a matte.

I didn't want to give up on Pebble, so the next time I used it I applied my e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadow Primer beforehand, and this made a WORLD of difference. The shadow applied more evenly, it was easier to blend, and it made the pigmentation more vibrant as well. I should note right here that, for me, Pebble is not super-pigmented to begin with. So when I say that the primer made it more vibrant, it's still not as vibrant as some other e.l.f. shadows. It's definitely a softer, more subtle color, and I think it's actually an ideal shade for the office. It's not an attention-grabber, but I think it makes for a very classy, polished and modern look.

The first three pics in the above collage were taken just moments after I applied this shadow (with my primer underneath). The last picture was taken 12 hours after application, after a long day in the heat. As you can see, my eyebrow pencil, foundation and powder are DUST, but this shadow is still hanging in there! The area above my crease (the part that was blended out the most) has pretty much disappeared, but my lid is still going strong. No too bad after 12 hours, right?

All in all, I would say that if you're looking for a sophisticated, safe-for-work look, Pebble can be your best friend. Worn as an all-over wash (like I did in these pics) I think it's lovely. It's one of those dependable taupes that you don't really even have to think about. You can apply this shade, pair it with a brown or gray liner, slap on a nice nude, pink or berry shade of lip color and be out the door in a few minutes.


Have you purchased any e.l.f. Studio products from your local Target? Got any favorites you'd like to share with us? I'd love to hear from you!