Paul & Joe Eye Color M

I bought these Paul & Joe Eye Color M from the 2015 summer collection Midnight Sangria, when they were discounted with an extra 20% off. There were three duos available, 001 Mambo Mambo, 002 Ole, and 003 Argentine Tango, and I bought all three.

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

I've only purchased eye shadows from P&J a few times before: Face & Eye Color CS, Eye Color Set CS, and Eye Color Trio CS. Of these three, I reach for the Eye Color Trio most often. The Eye Color Set doesn't work for me at all due to the cream base. Of the three Face & Eye Color duos, I can only use 073 42nd Street for my eyes. 074 Empire State turns muddy on me due to the dark, matte-based color, and 075 Brooklyn Bridge is more of a blush than an eye shadow.

Needless to say I was pretty wary in purchasing these Eye Color M. In the end, I went for them because of their packaging. The beautiful compacts are slim and in a dark but transparent maroon color, and they have that pretty signature chrysanthemum motif on the lids. The colors looked wearable enough. Unlike the Face & Eye Colors, these powder eye shadows aren't pressed in a checkered pattern that makes picking up the individual colors exceedingly difficult.  

These duos are totally inconsistent when it comes to texture though, with 002 Ole being softest and smoothest, then 003 Argentine Tango, then 001 Mambo Mambo being dry and grittiest. But I'm okay with this consistency. Why? The colors.

I'm please to say that the colors are even prettier in real life and natural light. They're also easy to wear and not at all bland or boring. Pigmentation is great. Although I always wish for more metallics, I'm glad there are no mattes. These duos are lacking a deep liner shade, but I'm okay with that too. I have plenty of eyeliners I could use instead. 

In short, think P&J hit it out of the park with these duos. They're my favorite things in the current rotation tray, possibly among my most favorite eye shadows actually! So happy to have them, and their packaging is a bonus.

- 001 Mambo Mambo: a warm brown-gold combo.
- Lid shade: shimmer, very sheer. A yellow gold that's the sparkliest out of all three lid shades. It's more like a sparkly top wash that can be layered to make a lid shade. Did I mention it's lovely?
- Medium/crease shade: shimmer, medium intensity. A semi-translucent, finely shimmery brown with a bronze sheen. It isn't dark enough to line with but it's a gorgeous crease shade, especially during the day when I'm going for a more casual look.

- 002 Ole: a warm-leaning duo despite the deep turquoise.

- Lid shade: shimmer, low intensity. A peach that makes an awesome all over lid wash. By the way, the Chikuhodo Takumi T6 makes the job of laying down these this allover lid wash a total breeze. Two or three dabs into the eye shadow pan, then two to three sweeps onto my lids and I'm done. Absolutely effortless.
- Medium/accent shade: shimmer, medium intensity. A semi-translucent deep turquoise that's finely shimmery. Again isn't dark enough to line with but is a pretty accent color I wear along my upper lash line.

- 003 Argentine Tango: yet a third warm combo of violet and golden beige.

- Lid shade: shimmer, low intensity. A golden beige with white sparkles that don't really show. Another gorgeous all over wash with brightening effect, lighting up my whole face and making my eyes look alert and me awake. Love!
- Medium/crease/accent shade: satin, medium intensity. translucent violet with shimmers so fine they lend to a satiny finish with a pink-violet sheen. It doesn't look it from the swatches, it's translucent, so absolutely not a liner color. But it's beautiful and I've worn it both in the crease as well as an accent color along the upper lash line.

Accidentally swatched these in reverse order, from left to right: 003 Argentine Tango, 002 Ole, and 001 Mambo Mambo.