Once upon a time, I thought I’d found my Perfect Mascara. And then I found a contender to the crown. I am reminded again why I shouldn’t go round bestowing “Perfect” titles, because when I think I find a “perfect” item, along comes another that makes me rethink that. In the case of mascara, I am found this in my drawer recently, buried deep at the back of my stash – lonely and forgotten.
Its the Paul & Joe Curly Mascara (Waterproof) that I’d purchased a long long time ago during some sale or another and had totally forgotten about! So I thought it must have dried out after all this time but when I opened the tube, it was still very fresh, with no smell, wasn’t clumpy and wasn’t dry. So I started using it and goshdarnit! I have found yet ANOTHER perfect mascara – which is also unhappily pricey but dammit! Its GOOD STUFF!
I fervently hope this one isn’t discontinued or something stupid like that because I would like to repurchase some day. The tube is rather small and slim but look at it! Oh so pretty! It makes me happy just to pull this mascara out from my mascara holder, and it stands out because of the pretty pale peach cap and the bright blue body. Mascara tubes are usually a boring black or some somber shade so this pretty design is refreshing and eye catching.
I especially like the wand which is slim and compact. It fits right into my short lashes and the twists of the wand bristles are close enough to grab most lashes in the first go. You can see that the body of the mascara wand is white – the stopper is a good one, so it cleans off most excess mascara as you pull it out of the tube so you don’t really have an issue with wiping off excess or in having clumpy mascara.
The name “Curly Mascara” implies that it helps your lashes curl. In my case, what it does is help my lashes hold a curl. I curl my lashes beforehand, and this formula holds it up all day long. No exception!
Paul & Joe Curly Mascara Left: Bare lashes Right: Mascara
You can see that there isn’t much volume per se. In real life however, what it does do is define my lashes, hold them up in a nice curl and it all looks terribly natural – my lashes but better!
Left: Bare curled lashes Right : with Paul & Joe Curly Mascara
Angle’s a little off but this should give you an idea. My lashes look like the one on the right all day long! No droop, no smudging. Just perfectly curled lashes.
And for all that, there has to be a trade off right? Yes, there is. The waterproof formula is a little hard to remove even with cleansing oils. Like the Shiseido Perfect Mascara, I find that this removes best with regular eye makeup remover. Hold a cotton pad soaked with eye makeup remover over my lashes for a minute or two and then it removes easily. With cleansing oil, it takes a little more work.
In a nutshell
A mascara that holds my lashes in a curl all day long, keeping them looking perfect. They do not add much volume or length but just enough so lashes look defined and separated. The slim compact wand makes it very easy to apply the mascara and to get to the smaller lashes. The cheery and elegant packaging stands out among the regular mascara wands and is compact and travel friendly. I love this one!
Pros: Formula holds a curl very well, Not clumpy, Slim wand is perfect for getting to even the smallest lashes, Nice packaging
Cons: Pricey, Unsure if it has been discontinued (I hope not)
The difference between this one and the Shiseido Perfect Mascara is that when I use the Shiseido Perfect Mascara, I have lashes that have more volume, length and curl. With this one, I get less volume and length but I get a good curl. So if I wanted lashes with drama, I’d do the Shiseido. If I want something more everyday, Paul & Joe it is!
Have you tried this? Does anyone know if its permanent or if its been *gasp* discontinued? I hope it hasn’t!
Paris B
Paul & Joe Curly Mascara Waterproof in Noir retailed at RM86 but current price and availability is unknown. Best to check at the Paul & Joe counters at Isetan KLCC and Lot 10.
makeup.addict says
October 19, 2011 at 9:04 amI have never tried a single Paul & Joe product in my entire 23 years of life but that might just have to change as the packaging of their items are super cute! Judging by the second picture, this mascara defines your lashes quite well. Makes ’em really stand out.
My perfect mascara would be the MUFE Aqua Smoky Lash as I am a sucker for volume and I love dark smoky eye looks, whether day or night, and the MUFE Aqua Smoky Lash ticks all the boxes for me. I buy the MUFE Aqua Smoky Lash 4 tubes at a time as I need a new tube every 6 weeks or so, and that pretty much shows how much I love it even though my bank account hates me every time I go to the MUFE counter to purchase it. 🙂
So Paris, I was just wondering, since you do use waterproof mascaras, what eye makeup remover do you use and recommend? I’ve been using the Lancome Bi-Facil for the longest time (since I was 18), I do adore it as it works amazingly well, but I’m just hoping to get a more affordable option as I go through eye makeup remover like nobody’s business. Any good suggestions?
LeGeeque says
October 19, 2011 at 9:27 amMight just chip in: L’Oreal does one that’s rather similar to Bi-Facil as well. 2 different liquids where you shake the container to mix it in. I use that as a more pocket-friendly alternative.
ParisB says
October 20, 2011 at 9:59 amI use this one too! 😀
ParisB says
October 20, 2011 at 9:59 amI haven’t tried many things from Paul & Joe either. A friend swears by their loose powder and their liquid foundations get a lot of raves. I wasn’t terribly keen on their colour products as they tend to be very very sheer and shimmery. Adorable packaging and designs but the texture didn’t quite do it for me. The mascara and powder compact foundation on the other hand are amazing stuff! Do try those if you want to try something 🙂
I haven’t used the MUFE mascara but I have heard a lot of good things too. Maybe I should give it a go next time. Used to be hard to find MUFE stuff but now that they are in The Gardens and Sephora, the odds are higher that I’d pick something up 😉 (although not at Sephora Starhill – the MUFE SA there was AWFUL and rude) For eye makeup removers, I use the L’Oreal Eye and Lip makeup remover. Its like the Lancome Bi-Facil but heck of a lot cheaper! 😀
Kel says
October 20, 2011 at 10:33 amI’m using the Sephora eye-lip makeup remover, and find that works slightly better at removing waterproof mascara, eyeliner than the loreal Bi-Facil.
And it’s quite kind to the pocket at RM30 a bottle.
Issa says
October 19, 2011 at 9:29 amI haven’t tried Paul and Joe either because it is too steep for me! I’ve been lemming for products from this brand since I have read great reviews about them and they really have nice packaging! The mascara looks very natural on you 🙂
ParisB says
October 20, 2011 at 10:01 amI have to admit that P&J are very pricey 🙁 The counters here are also quite quiet most of the time and they aren’t very accessible so I tend to forget about them! 😛
xin says
October 19, 2011 at 10:10 amit doesn’t look too bad but still more than anything that i’d pay for a mascara 😛
ParisB says
October 20, 2011 at 10:03 amLOL The only reason I bought this was because it was on sale 😛 But I haven’t found an inexpensive mascara that doesn’t irritate my eyes, that makes my lashes look as good as all the expensive ones I’ve used 🙁 I have lashes with expensive tastes 😛
Honey says
October 19, 2011 at 10:29 amI love Paul & Joe products period!
ParisB says
October 20, 2011 at 10:04 amYay! Do you have a fave product? 😀 I’m not too familiar with the brand but I’ve tried this mascara and their compact powder foundation and I love both!
Honey says
October 20, 2011 at 10:33 amPowder foundation, cream eye shadow (no crease, no budge, great shimmer), loose powder, primer with SPF, cleansing milk…..to name a few! Go to the counter in Parkson, Subang Parade. The ‘aunty’ there is very nice and helpful, too helpful indeed! Danger zone for me 🙂
ParisB says
October 20, 2011 at 2:27 pmOh no! Not another brand to love! 😉 Although the idea of the no crease, no budge, great shimmer cream shadow does get me 🙂 Subang is too far for me to get to but will stop by the KL counters one of these days. Thanks for the recs!
Lily says
October 19, 2011 at 11:08 amHaven’t tried Paul & Joe before. It’s not available where I am. So far I’m liking Benefit They’re Real. Lengthens, volumises and curls while separating my lashes beautifully.
ParisB says
October 20, 2011 at 10:04 amGood to know the Benefit works for you. I’ve read quite a few complaints about the brush being too big but I haven’t checked it out in person yet.
LeGeeque says
October 19, 2011 at 11:31 amEh, I love your lashes, by the way (got distracted by the thought of coffee in the sun and didn’t comment properly) after the mascara. I LOVE Paul and Joe stuff cos they’re so pretty. Hope you can still find this. Then again, no worries, there’ll always be other fantastic mascaras 🙂
(in a small voice) I have not worn mascara for forever. la la la la la la la
ParisB says
October 20, 2011 at 10:09 amHAHA! Ever since that Japanese MUA taught me to start off my makeup by using mascara I haven’t forgotten since. Been into very light eye looks lately, with bold lips (almost feels like winter here with this awful dull weather) so having mascara helps open up the eyes 🙂
Jamilla says
October 19, 2011 at 12:08 pmThis stuff is DA BOMB! It’s not called Curly in the UK, but the WP version in Europe is incredible!
ParisB says
October 20, 2011 at 10:10 amSo glad you agree Jamilla! 😀 We don’t hear much about P&J lately but this mascara is awesome!
peach_ says
October 19, 2011 at 12:24 pmYou naturally have pretty lashes that fan out evenly! I prefer something more dramatic, but it gets points for holding curl. That’s my biggest problem and also why I tend to like dry, waterproof formula. I don’t mind the extra removal step if it holds a curl and doesn’t smudge in humidity.
ParisB says
October 20, 2011 at 10:14 amThat’s sweet of you Peach, thank you 😀 All the dramatic mascaras I’ve tried tend to make my lashes look clumpy so now I go for something a little more subtle, with definition to the lashes and effect. Heck, so long as my lashes can be seen its a plus! The curse of short straight lashes 😛
Hanny says
October 19, 2011 at 3:12 pmI like mascaras that deliver on volume and length, because my lashes are curly and but short. ^.^
I’ve never tried high end mascaras in my life before, as I often use 1 tube for 3 months. It would be a waste of $$. Perhaps it is the time to change the habit and use it until it dries up?
ParisB says
October 20, 2011 at 10:16 amAww lucky you to have curly lashes! I like mascaras with length too but length usually means fibers which then irritate my eyes. Gah! 😛 Most higher end mascaras have a 6 month use by date – a little unknown fact! So when taken into consideration, its about the same using a high end mascara as a cheap one 😉 That said as I don’t share mascara, I tend to use mine until they dry out before I toss. Could be MONTHS! 😀
Ria says
October 19, 2011 at 9:12 pmThe wand looks very similar to Eyeko’s mascara!
ParisB says
October 20, 2011 at 10:17 amI never had the chance to try Eyeko’s mascara before they went and made themselves into a department store brand! 🙁
lyn says
October 20, 2011 at 6:12 amUh oh, you used the word “perfect” again 😉 I have given declaring perfect on anything since I tend to change my mind nearly every week. I’ll try to find out more info on this P&J mascara and will report back. I think it’s still available but am not sure how much. It does look pretty good and enhances your lashes very nicely! And man, P&J always gets me with their girly packaging.
ParisB says
October 20, 2011 at 10:21 am*smacks hand for typing perfect* I find something new to like so often too. Bah! But I’m getting pickier about foundation and mascara so bestowing the title of “perfect” in either category means its pretty close to perfection for me! 😀 Do let me know about this mascara – I keep forgetting to check when I go past the few counters i see here.
iheartkoreanbeauty says
October 24, 2011 at 9:46 pmI love Paul & Joe packaging!! Used to buy a few of their products, but agree with the earlier commentators- pricing is waaay too steep! especially since i tend to just leave them around to admire the packaging 😛