Paul & Joe Beaute Lipstick CS ($17.00 for 0.10 oz.) is supposed to be incredibly hydrating with vibrant color and is sold as refills. You can choose your case design, which is colored cardboard with a pattern over it, and the cases cost $5 each (mine is encased with the 009 design). The formula was lightweight, moderately moisturizing, and has a rosy scent.

Once Upon a Time (081) is described as a “bright and bold pumpkin shade, reminiscent of Cinderella’s carriage.” It’s a slightly lightened medium orange with warm, yellow and orange undertones and a soft shine. It had mostly opaque color coverage, and it wore well for four and a half hours. This type of orange is actually harder to dupe, because it has strong yellow undertones and doesn’t lean red at all. MAC Tart & Trendy (LE, $15.00) is darker. MAC Sounds Like Noise (LE, $15.00) is brighter. MAC Saigon Summer (LE, $15.00) is darker. Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Banjee (P, $18.00) is yellower. See comparison swatches.

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Paul & Joe Beaute Once Upon a Time (081) Lipstick

Paul & Joe Beaute Once Upon a Time (081) Lipstick

Paul & Joe Beaute Once Upon a Time (081) Lipstick

Paul & Joe Beaute Once Upon a Time (081) Lipstick

Paul & Joe Beaute Once Upon a Time (081) Lipstick

Paul & Joe Beaute Once Upon a Time (081) Lipstick

Paul & Joe Beaute Once Upon a Time (081) Lipstick

Paul & Joe Beaute Glossy Lip Color ($29.00 for 0.17 fl. oz.) debuted recently, and it’s a formula that’s supposed to offer the glossiness of your traditional lipgloss with the “vivid color” of a lipstick while being moisturizing. It’s new and permanent, and it is available in ten shades. The consistency of the shade I had to try was light-medium in thickness/weight, mostly non-sticky (totally non-sticky initially, slightly tacky towards the end), and has a sweet melon-like scent and slight flavor. I found it nicely hydrating, and it wore well for three hours. It also has a curved applicator that felt like silicone/plastic to me.

Carnaval (06) is a brightened, medium pink with subtle warm undertones and a cream finish. On lips, it appears more muted than it did when swatched on the skin. It had semi-opaque color coverage with noticeable translucency all-over. I wish it had applied more evenly; because the color isn’t quite as bright or as opaque, some of the unevenness is less visible from a normal viewing distance. Maybelline Blush Essence (095) (P, $8.99) is shimmery. Maybelline Mauve Mystique (025) (P, $8.99) is cooler-toned. Maybelline Caramel Infused (065) is similar–a little less pink. (P, $8.99) Edward Bess First Kiss (P, $30.00) is lighter, cooler-toned. See comparison swatches.

Paul & Joe Beaute Carnaval (06) Glossy Lip Color

Paul & Joe Beaute Carnaval (06) Glossy Lip Color

Paul & Joe Beaute Carnaval (06) Glossy Lip Color

Paul & Joe Beaute Carnaval (06) Glossy Lip Color

Paul & Joe Beaute Carnaval (06) Glossy Lip Color

Paul & Joe Beaute Carnaval (06) Glossy Lip Color

Paul & Joe Beaute Carnaval (06) Glossy Lip Color

Paul & Joe Beaute Carnaval (06) Glossy Lip Color

Paul & Joe Beaute Carnaval (06) Glossy Lip Color

Paul & Joe Beaute for Summer 2012

Paul & Joe’s Summer 2012 is every girl’s Midsummer Night’s Dream…literally! Inspired by the whimsical Shakespeare play, this make up collection is full of fun and fairy-inspired colors that will help you feel dainty even in the summer’s hottest temperatures!

Face Color G ($24.00) (Limited Edition)

Fall in love this summer with Paul & Joe’s Limited Edition Face Color G. Inspired by the warm tones of a midsummer sky, the dreamy blushes contour cheeks and provide a natural, enchanting glow. Soft and romantic, these new shades compliment any skin tone with good-for-you ingredients like Rosemary Leaf Extract and Orange Flower Water for a healthy kiss of color and a beautiful complexion. Available in three fresh, heartwarming hues, Face Color G is sure to leave a striking impression on the most eligible suitor.

• Nymph Pop of pink to add a bold burst of color
• Nubile Soft, flirty peach to flatter every skin tone
• Faune Deep rose to create elegant contours

Nail Enamel ($14.00)

Perfectly poised for a summer of romance and pleasure, Paul & Joe’s newest Nail Enamel launches are a whimsical ode to Shakespeare’s timeless “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Three playful, sheer shades are beautiful on their own and instantly add a touch of enchantment and extravagance coated on top of any hue. With just the point of a finger, Paul & Joe nail enamels add a little sparkle to your summer!

• Fairie Queen Specs of glittering pale pinks, purples and blues perfectly pepper this shimmering translucent shade
• Sprite A watery, whimsical shade of pastel green dotted with pearls of precious pink adds a gradated finish to fingers
• Pixie Striking silver sparkles create a holographic effect that creates depth and dimension on any manicure

Lip Gloss G ($22.00)

Paul & Joe introduces a new collection that will send your taste buds dancing. The Lip Gloss G collection consists of three new enchanting shades that instantly melt onto your lips for a punch of sheer shimmering color that coolly completes your sexy, summer style. Even more delicious, each hue is infused with a hint of heavenly flavor inspired by the juicy fruits we crave during the warm months. Succulent strawberry, invigorating green apple and refreshing orange each blend deliciously with creamy vanilla for lips that are hydrated, healthy, and undeniably kissable.

• Love Potion The perfect pink to swipe on for day or night with a light Strawberry & Vanilla flavor
• Fairie Kisses A bright yellow gloss that appears translucent on lips with a light Green Apple & Vanilla flavor to refresh your pucker on a sweltering day
• Dream a Little Dream An enchanting orange sherbet tint with a creamy cool Orange & Vanilla flavor

Availability: Beauty Habit

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Paul & Joe Beaute for Spring 2012

Fashion-forward and elegantly designed, Paul & Joe introduces a chic collection of Face & Eye Colors in their famously feline-inspired packaging. In honor of Paul & Joe’s 10th Anniversary, all spring 2011 items are inspired by owner and designer, Sophie Albou’s love of cats.

In trend for the season, each shade is subtle yet playful to enhance natural beauty and add depth and character to the eye area. Each package includes a trio of contrasting textures – matte, pearlescent and shiny – for an effect that looks like it was applied by a makeup artist. What’s more, these dual purpose palettes can be blended onto cheeks with brush and used as a blush.  Available now at b-glowing.com.

Face & Eye Color CS ($36.00)

• Siamese, Please Neutral yet elegant bronzes and beiges blend together for a natural beautiful look
• Kittycat Matte nude and pearly pink are the perfect pairing for a feminine effect
• Purr-fect Smoky yet subtle ivory and moss add intrigue and depth for a daring look

Nail Enamel ($14.00)

• Tigress Pearlescent nude hue that enhances your feminine allure
• Kitten Claws High society, soft pink color for picture perfect fingers
• Manekineko Bright, hot pink that is as romantic as it is playful

Blusher Sticks ($28.00)

• Glamour Puss Pearlescent beige that instantly highlights and contours the cheeks
• Minou Romantic and subtle pink for a fresh yet glamorous look
• Catfight Bold and beautiful tangerine for a burst of bright, energetic color

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5 Brands Worth Tracking Down

These brands are impossible to find, and with so many brands online, it’s easier than ever to find niche beauty brands. These are five brands that you just won’t find in stores all over the place but are worth buying sight unseen.

Le Metier de Beaute is a beautifully done line with really nuanced colors, well-thought out formulas, and full range of products. I fell in love with the brand a couple of years ago after stopping by one of a handful of counters in New York City. Their distribution has increased tremendously in the past year, but they are still harder to find in stores. My favorite products are their blushes and Lip Cremes.

Burberry created a line with a surprising amount of success–it does not feel like they rested on their brand name to carry them forward. They created a color range that worked with the brand’s image–simple, elegant, timeless. The textures equally in line with their image; silky, smooth, never too shimmery or too much. My favorite products are their eyeshadows, blushes, and lipsticks. Burberry Trench is my go-to highlighter.

Rescue Beauty Lounge is a brand that is so relatable. The creator, Ji, interacts with fans and customers so well and thoroughly that you feel like you are following her on her journey of creating new shades. There is truly something special about the way Rescue Beauty Lounge listens to their customers and finds ways to give them yet one more reason to love the brand. Many of the polishes have subtlties that make a shade unique–on top of an excellent, long-wearing, beautifully-applying formula.

Paul & Joe Beaute has such darling packaging but the products inside are equally, if not more so, deserving of praise and attention. There is a certain softness to their range, with some playfulness, and always enough creativity to keep the brand elevated from same ol’, same ol’. My favorite product is their eyeshadows!

Nubar is a brand I know I would have never heard of had i not been a beauty blogger or thoroughly immersed in the online beauty community. It is a brand that does nail polish exceptionally well. I always feel like Nubar does their own thing; you never quite know what to expect from them–sometimes it seems fitting to the season, other times they create shades you may not think you’d wear.

A Dalliance with Cute & Functional

Paul & Joe Beaute #06 Sheer Bliss Lip Gloss G ($22.00 for 0.21 oz.) is a new lip gloss for summer that’s available in ten shades — from gold to nude to cherry to clear. I tested out Sheer Bliss, which is a brightened orange-melon with multicolored shimmer. It has a nice, semi-opaque color coverage, and it looks very soft and natural on lips. It looks more like a soft pinky-melon when applied to my lips, and the iridescent purple shimmer seems to catch the light the most.

There’s a modest level of glossiness, and the wear is about average for gloss for me — two to three hours (not eating/drinking). Texture wise, the gloss is medium in thickness (not ultra thin, but not heavy or thick), non-sticky, and moisturizing. It’s lightly scented with melon, but I don’t notice the scent when wearing the gloss.

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

• Product: 29/30
• Value: 8/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: Based on this shade, I love that the gloss looks and feels like a gloss, but you still get a healthy dose of color pay off, too, so you can easily wear it alone or layer on top of lipsticks.

AVAILABILITY: Beauty Habit, DermStore

Paul & Joe Beaute #06 G Gloss

Paul & Joe Beaute Tenderness (#4) Lip Lacquer ($20.00 for 0.13 ml) is a beige-peach with surprisingly opaque coverage.  It has no shimmer but lots of glossiness–it has the pigmentation of a lipstick but the cushy feel of a gloss.  I love that despite it’s creaminess it doesn’t emphasize lip lines like some creamier shades do.  I’m also really impressed by the coverage.The packaging is cute from the box it comes in to the tube itself, and it’s easy to apply on the go, so it may become a shade I keep in my bag to have a go-to color (can you believe that I have absolutely no lipstick or lipgloss in my purse?).  I couldn’t really detect any scent, maybe the faintest sweet fruit aroma, but I really couldn’t tell.

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

• Product: 28/30
• Value: 8/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

Recommendation:  If you love the feel and look of a gloss but want the pigmentation of a lipstick, you might like Tenderness Lip Lacquer.

Availability: Beauty Habit

See photos & swatches!

Paul & Joe #4 Lip Lacquer

An Intro to Paul & Joe Beaute with Purple Clover

Paul & Joe Purple Clover (066) Face & Eye Color ($20.00 for 0.10 oz.) is one of three limited edition shades from Paul & Joe’s Sparkle Collection. What always stands out about Paul & Joe, to me, is how cute the products are from top to bottom. The packaging is elegant, despite being made out of paper (and cardboard) — it’s cute, lightweight, and fun to look at.

Purple Clover is decorated in a purple with teal butterflies outlined in orange and an orange polka dot overlay. Inside, there are little clovers in a deeper, darker purple with the surrounding shade a plummy pink mauve. Together, they create a sultry, smoky plum-mauve with silver sparkle. It’s a really stunning color — it reminded me a bit of Cle de Peau #107 Eyeshadow initially, but #107 is a little lighter and has a golden sheen. The texture of Purple Clover is smooth, soft, and blendable with a nice level of pigmentation that’s not overpowering or sheer.

And oh, did you see that you get a whopping 0.10 oz.? Most eyeshadows are about 0.05 oz., and the largest single eyeshadow (that I know of) is made by Guerlain (at 0.12 oz.). Nice to see that you’re not just paying for pretty packaging!

This is/was my first Paul & Joe beauty product, and I’m so happy I liked it! Sometimes, I fear that I’ll try a new brand, be less-than-impressed with it, and then there’s always this hesitant to try it again in the future.

What are your favorite Paul & Joe products?

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

• Product: 29/30
• Value: 9/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 5/5

Recommendation:  If you’re a sucker for cute packaging, soft and smooth eyeshadow, Paul & Joe may have your number.  If you live in NYC, you can head on down to the counter at Bergdorf!

Availability: BeautyHabit.com, Bergdorf Goodman (in-store only)

Paul & Joe Purple Clover Eyeshadow