A composition for coating keratinous fibers, such as eyelashes or hair, comprising a wax-in-water dispersion comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium, a nonvolatile fraction comprising: at least one polymer capable of adhering to the keratinous fibers, particles which are solid at 25 C. of a wax chosen from waxes having a melting point of less than 77 C. and a hardness greater than or equal to 6.5 MPa. The solid particles are present in the composition in an amount such that the volume fraction of the solid particles of wax is greater than or equal to 50% of the total volume of the nonvolatile fraction of the composition. The composition can make it possible to obtain good curling of keratinous fibers, such as eyelashes.