Thoughts on Paul & Joe Makeup (swatches, reviews)
You’ve probably seen adorable viral cat lipsticks and blushers on Instagram, right? Those are the most popular creations of Paul & Joe Beaute; a beauty line from a French clothing brand that promotes quirky, fun, and effortless chic aesthetic. I’ve been drooling over them for years, but never took the plunge because often products that focus on cute packaging tend to somewhat lack in quality. I can’t speak for the whole range because I only got to try a few items that I was most interested in, but every product in this roundup was an absolute delight to use.
Paul & Joe Powder Blush 005 Heat Wave from Summer Collection La Piscine D’été
Paul & Joe Powder Blush 005 Heat Wave – the texture is soft and buttery
Limited Edition Compact 002 from Summer Collection La Piscine D’été
PAUL & JOE BEAUTE SUMMER 2018:
Paul & Joe Powder Blush 005 Heat Wave ($18) from Summer Collection La Piscine D’été immediately grabbed my attention when I saw it on the website. The colors looked so beautiful and natural, and the LE Compact 002 ($10) was perfect to house the duo in. The product insert and the case are sold separately, so you can get different compacts to customize it according to your style.
005 Heat Wave contains two colors baked alongside each other: a peachy rose blush with rose gold and silver shimmers, and a neutral-toned medium brown bronzer that will work best for light and medium-light complexions. Both sides are surprisingly pigmented and have the softest velvety texture with coverage that can be easily built up from medium to full. You can probably see in the closeup how plush and buttery the powder looks – it feels exactly as lovely as that. There is also a faint fruity-floral fragrance added to the powder, which I normally wouldn’t like, but this one smells really pleasant.
There is one downside: the compact is actually quite small and looks more like an eye shadow than a cheek palette so you will need smaller brushes to use each side of the pan separately. I use a soft pointed Wayne Goss The Air-Brush for both of the sides, in case you are looking for specific suggestions.
Paul & Joe Treatment Lipstick 401
Paul & Joe Treatment Lipstick 401 inside Lipstick Case N
PAUL & JOE CAT LIPSTICKS:
Now let’s talk about cats, more specifically the famous cat-shaped lipsticks. Paul & Joe Beaute cat products are usually released as part of their limited edition collections, and at the time they only had cat-shaped lip balms available. I ended up asking to try the Treatment Lipstick 401 ($15), which is essentially a cat-shaped pink lip balm. I also received a beautiful Lipstick Case N ($9) to put it in, which was so intricately made I couldn’t believe Paul & Joe Beaute sells these for just $9, considering the quality. Despite the pink hue the balm goes on clear and makes a pretty decent primer for the lips. It has a non-sticky and non-slippery texture; it just kind of seals in the moisture and evens out the lip surface without looking greasy or overly shiny. The balm does taste like Vaseline though, and if that’s a deal breaker for you then you better skip this one.
Paul & Joe Moisturizing Foundation Primer S 01 Dragee from the permanent collection
PAUL & JOE PRIMERS:
Paul & Joe Beaute is also famous for their makeup primers. In fact, I saw bloggers and youtubers rave about those way before the cats, and I always wanted to try one. Paul & Joe Beaute have several primers in their permanent collection, and periodically release additional primers as part of seasonal limited edition collections. The spring one was so pretty!
Moisturizing Foundation Primer S 01 Dragee ($36) has a slight tint to it and comes in three shades that range from fair to medium-light. It can double up as a tinted moisturizer on a no-makeup day, or work as a base for other products as intended. The formula is lightweight yet intensely moisturizing. It contains neroli flower water as the first ingredient, three molecular weights of Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate, and a blend of botanical and man-made occlusives to seal in the moisture. The tint is not super obvious, but it slightly evens out the skin tone making my complexion look healthier overall.
Beauty Mirror from the permanent collection comes with faux suede drawstring baggie
Beauty Mirror – it’s all in the details
ACCESSORIES:
I’m very picky about my beauty accessories; I like having good quality makeup bags, mirrors, and brushes. I usually order mine online, but sometimes it’s hard to tell from the photo how well a product is made, and you can only really see it when it arrives. I was hesitant to order Beauty Mirror ($30) because I was afraid I won’t like it, and no one enjoys writing negative reviews. It was actually even more beautiful in person, the photos don’t do it justice. The mirror is quite large and I can easily see my whole face in it. I like that it can be handheld or set on the table when I need to use both hands for my makeup. It really is the perfect travel companion: large yet thin, lightweight, and comes in a cute drawstring faux suede baggie to protect the surface from scratches. And to my delight, it was clearly crafted with care – I did not spot any uneven edges or imperfections. Paul & Joe has fantastic quality control! If you are looking for a nice travel-friendly makeup mirror I can’t recommend this one enough.
BOTTOM LINE:
Paul & Joe Beaute products get a big thumbs up from me for their cat-shaped lipsticks, lush textures, and high quality packaging that feels like you got your money’s worth. The products are a bit smaller than what we’re used to in the West, but whether it’s a pro or a con will depend on your personal preference when it comes to makeup. I don’t remember the last time I fully finished a makeup product, so the smaller sizes don’t matter to me at all. If I’m being totally honest, I likely won’t be able to finish these either, except for primer which comes in a pretty big bottle actually. The prices are in line with popular mid-range brands, so if you normally shop at stores like Ulta or Sephora, the stickers won’t shock you.
There’s a new Fall Collection out already, and I am totally lusting over the cat-shaped lipstick case. You need to check it out, it’s the cutest thing ever!
