Paul & Joe Beauté Limited-Edition Collection for Summer 2011

Diposkan oleh Pengetahuan dan Pengalaman on Monday, June 13, 2011

Very recently, I dipped my toes into the Paul & Joe Beauté line. Paul & Joe Beauté is a collection of makeup, skin care, and accessories designed by Paul & Joe fashion designer Sophie Albou. I don't know why I had dismissed the line as being a little "young." Maybe it is, but I was smitten with the gorgeous sea blue colors of the Summer 2011 Collection and decided to try a couple of items. Doesn't the scene above want to make you dip your toes in the ocean?

According to b~glowing, Paul & Joe cosmetics are for women who are totally self-aware and fueled by an inner confidence. Paul & Joe makeup and skin-care products are said to create women who are brimming with so much determination to enjoy life that they may seem a little hedonistic - savvy, stylish, and not afraid to address their needs and desires. Women who have these qualities, and at the same time project charm, passion, and compassion. These are the women for whom Paul & Joe Beauté is made. Who could argue with that?

I ordered three items. Naturally, I wanted the Bronzer B - Siren 001 bronzer/blush compact ($40). It looked like the signature piece in the collection, with the breathtakingly cute sea life design nestled into a baby blue compact that includes a mirror and a fairly useful brush for travelers, shown in my photo below left.

The oil in Bronzer B allows the powder to glide on smoothly and evenly leaving a luxurious veil of sun-kissed color, while the water-repellant properties ensure perfect coverage of skin imperfections and blemishes. This perfectly paired duo is just the burst of color your skin needs to look suntanned and stunning without standing in the sun all day.

Yes, I know I have quite a few new bronzers - enough to last a lifetime. I saw Bronzer B as a hybrid, a mix of a blush and bronzer, and I was right. Fair-skinned gals can use it as a bronzer, but anyone with light- or medium-toned skin will consider it a pretty, summer blush. For those with dark skin, I think it will get lost. When I received it, I had no idea why the directions say we should sweep the color over the entire face. I thought that would be a little too colorful.

My swatch photo is muddied by my bruised arm (sorry). I applied the powder with a sponge-tipped applicator at the top of my arm so that I could get enough pigment to show you that it's a very light peach shade with just a hint of brown (no pink). The green arrow points at that swatch. I also applied the powder with its brush in a large swatch below the arrow. I hope you can see the subtle peachy color in the center of my arm. It's very light. The color near the edge of my arm (at the right in photo) is bruising from my "Chanel fall." It's darker than the blush. Bronzer B has a glow, but no shimmer.

Is this piece a must-have? No, I wouldn't go that far. It's a very nice summer blush for me. I will use it as a blusher and to add color to the high points of my face. Maybe I could sweep it over my entire face; it's so light, it wouldn't look like a bronzer mishap. It will be hard to overdo the color.

After one sweep of my brush, the Paul & Joe logo was gone. The sea creatures are stamped into the powder, so they will stick around a little longer. The pretty blue compact will be around as long as the powder, but it is plastic. If you purchase Bronzer B, don't drop it on a ceramic tile floor - or leave it where a rambunctious Bengal can get to it.

You can find Paul & Joe Beauté at b~glowing, Beautyhabit, and DermStore. I'll show you the eye shadows I purchased either later today or tomorrow. What say you? Have you used Paul & Joe?

Photos at top courtesy of b~glowing; other photos by Best Things in Beauty