Christian Louboutin Loubilaque Lip Lacquer

Yes, I ordered one. Christian Louboutin's Loubilaque Lip Lacquer costs $85. That's a lot of money to pay for a liquid lip color, particularly sight unseen. I agonized over my choice of one color from a selection of eight. I realized I had one chance to get it right. I wasn't going to spend $85 if my choice wasn't right for me.

I'm glad I selected Bikini. Shown above in the Sephora photo and below in my photos, Bikini is a beautiful shade for me. Because it is opaque, I would not have been comfortable in a shade much darker.

Christian Louboutin’s latest beauty creation draws inspiration from his longstanding love affair with lacquer. Not only did red nail lacquer inspire the red sole of his iconic shoes, but he has long admired the mirror-like surface of Chinese and Japanese lacquers. For his designs, he has often turned to patent, the most brilliant of leathers, to create iconic accessories with the shiniest of finishes. Now, for the first time, this inspiration enters the world of lip color with Loubilaque. With high coverage, high shine, and high drama, it bottles the spirit of lacquer. There is a shade to flatter all skin tones, moods, and styles.

This bold lip color with a high-shine finish  is Christian Louboutin's most dramatic lip formula to date. The brilliant and intense, glassy shine of Loubilaque appears to magnify the color on the lips. Bold and arresting, the eight shades, ranging from nude to bright hues, include the brand’s iconic Rouge Louboutin shade.

Specially formulated to reflect light, this lip color takes on brilliant dimension. In keeping with Christian Louboutin’s vision of beauty as "objet d’art," the bottle is designed with thick clear walls, and is carved with an intricate mermaid tail pattern to encapsulate the opulent color like an elixir. Encased in a jewelry-like box with a hand-stitched silk carrying pouch and a silk ribbon. The presentation is over the top.

The ribbon, which is easily detachable, is, I assume, for those who wish to wear their lip color as a necklace. I can't imagine. The gold pouch is more traditional, much like velvet pouches are with other brands.

All of that is tucked into a black presentation box with Christian Louboutin printed on the front. You could never accuse Christian Louboutin of skimping on packaging.

Bikini is a wonderful pink shade with a satin finish. It is creamy on the lips, and it is long lasting. I took all of my photos in full, mid-day sunshine. You will see in my swatch photo below how saturated its color is.

Although the ingredients list fragrance, this lip color does not have an obvious fragrance or taste. I suspect the fragrance was added to mask another ingredient with a fragrance that isn't pleasant. ("Reviewers" on Sephora disagree and have complained about the fragrance.)

The formula includes several good-for-our-lips ingredients.

• Oligopeptides: Help stimulate collagen production
• Shea Butter: Moisturizes and helps keep lips feeling soft
• Tocopheryl Acetate: Provides antioxidant properties
• Ethylhexyl Palmitate: Acts as lubricant on lips surface and gives them a soft and smooth appearance

I'm happy that I purchased one - from Sephora - but one is enough. I can't afford a wardrobe of $85 lip colors, no matter how pretty the packaging is.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora; other photos by Best Things in Beauty