Paul & Joe Beauté 2006

It’s very strange because I know that the wash bag was bought in 2004 (because it helpfully has 2004 on the label) and I ‘think’ it was bought in Bond Street Fenwick. But, the lipstick of the same pattern is from the Spring 2006 collection (because my friend Jo who works for the brand in the UK has been through the archives to properly date them).

As you know, because this brand pops up on here all the time, the beauty and fashion arms of this brand are very closely linked – prints from the fashion collections are used to on the cardboard tubes. The beauty arm of Paul & Joe started in 2002 after the fashion brand proved so successful. The key is that they’re not like any other brand – they’ve really managed to retain a sense of individuality amongst so much same-ness so that their offerings feel and look fresh every time.

What has changed, over the years, is the actual make up – inside these tubes are fairly standard lipsticks (coming up in the next picture) but up-to-date collections have a bigger variety of textures and coverage strength.

Similar to this

Paul & Joe Beauté Summer 2020

The Body Shop Eyecolour Fusion 2006

At the time of launch, I’d really never seen anything like them – lipstick in a cardboard tube? And with interchangeable colours – it really was unusual. Everyone else was going for chunky metal or MAC style black packaging, and along came these – a breath of fresh air. They’re all made in Japan and the brands made by the same producers (Albion) are Les Merveilleuses de Laduree (2012) and Anna Sui (since 1998).

I’ve kept something at least from more or less every single collection from this brand – but the print above is still my favourite. Their summer collection launches on May 1st so I’ve got a preview coming up in the next post.