| Review | Louboutin Loubilaque Sequins Lip Gloss

For spring/summer 2018, Louboutin has released a new set of lip glosses with multi-dimensional and holographic shimmer, along with a promise of ultra-glossy shine! When the promo pics hit my eyeballs I was mesmerized and stunned by the beauty of this collection. 

Now, if you have read my old Loubilaque Review (read here) back when they were first released, I was not happy with them. Mostly because they claimed to be lip lacquers, when in actuality they are fairly pigmented glosses. Now that I know what I am getting, I'm actually quite pleased with them as glosses. Since my first post, I bought the Metallinude Limited Edition lacquers in Preciosa and Bronzissima, which I use regularly. I have even rediscovered the original ones I purchased in Altareva and Colibretta, and started using them again. These new additions appear to be labeled differently, not as Lacquers but as Glosses. I believe because these will be sheerer but they are still in the Loubilaque family.

The Louboutin Loubilaque Lip Gloss retail for $85.00 USD and are available at Sephora, Nordstrom and other retailers. These appear to new permanent additions to the line, along with a completely clear gloss. Which if you're paying that much for a completely clear gloss, let's be friends because you clearly need something or somebody you can spend your money on, so let that person be me! Haha.. all joking aside, there are 4 holographic shades available. I purchased two of them but they all look incredibly stunning!

SHADES

Iriza - A clear base with primarily rose and copper sparkles with some very few specks of purple flecks.

Crystal Queen - A clear base with a holographic fine rainbow sparkle and shift. Primarily pink and blue with a bit of green.


While these glosses look stunning and reflective in the tube, on the lips are practically clear lip glosses! The shimmers are so fine that they don't really even pick up on the lips! In the tube because they are so concentrated and condensed, they look so multi-dimensional and unique but on the lips, you get a very faint and subtle tint of a colored reflect. So unless you are very close to your lips, you can't really tell there is anything other than a clear gloss on. I did notice an obvious reflect but only after applying the gloss quite heavily but if you were to apply the gloss like a normal person would, about one dip into the tube, you won't notice the reflect. You will see in the swatches on my bare lips, I had to do about 4 dips into the tube and really apply a thick layer to capture the sparkles on the camera. Also keep in mind, the camera is very zoomed into my lips. So on bare lips, it just adds a subtle bit of different tint but hardly noticeable. This is incredibly disappointing because these are extremely expensive! I feel like I spent a lot for two pretty much clear lip glosses! I guess the one bight side is that they gloss is extremely glossy and shiny but I can find that pretty much anywhere.

These glosses do however, look stunning on top of other lip colors. The shimmers are much more noticeable and create a very impressive 3D effect to the lips! I paired both of these with some Tom Ford Extreme Lacquers (review here), which I was not a fan of at all because of the patchy application. While I tried to salvage them with glosses before, the glosses seemed to cause the lip color to almost "melt" off my lips but when I used these glosses, it didn't cause that effect! Because these Tom Ford Lacquers stick like glue to the lips once they dried, I didn't have a problem with the color rubbing off on the lip gloss wand. However, if you aren't wearing a long wearing lip color underneath, I recommend applying the gloss with your fingers or a lip brush, so you don't contaminate the gloss with your lip color. This application actually really redeemed both products for me! The multi-dimensional shimmer was really brought out by the lip color and the lip color was significantly enhanced and looked much better with this gloss on!

PACKAGING & APPLICATOR

The packaging is almost identical to the Lip Lacquers except for the silver ring around the top instead of being completely gold. I believe this is to differentiate the products, one being a gloss and another a lacquer. The clear spike-shaped tube with scale embossing and the shiny embellished crown top is just stunning eye-candy! I could stare at these lip products all day, they just exude luxury. When you're buying a product like this, you are definitely paying a hefty price into the packaging.

The applicator is your classic pointed-doe foot applicator. I can't complain because it works. I really don't see the need to reinvent the wheel when an applicator that just works so well for glosses and lacquers.

FORMULA 

How does this differ from the Lip Lacquers?

It doesn't, it's essentially the same formula but sheer. The formula is thick and balmy, which is nice because it feels very comfortable on the lips and quite hydrating throughout the day. It doesn't feel sticky or goopy, it just coats your lips in a thick but balmy gloss. I think the consistency is thick so that it has longevity and it also gives that high-shine look. It feels very smooth and seems to smooth out lip lines. I actually like this formula but it isn't extremely unique or spectacular that warrants the high price. Because the formula is so thick, it lasts for about 5-6 hours, depending on how much you're eating and drinking. It has a great staying power because it adheres so well to the lips.

Something important to keep in mind is that it is heavily fragranced! This is my least favorite part of the formula. It has a very strong floral perfume fragrance, which is so strong you can smell and taste it. Honestly, this is the most off-putting part about this formula but it does feel nice on the lips, if you can get over the scent. 

FINAL THOUGHTS 

In my original review, I said that the Loubilaques were not worth the money, have I changed my mind? Do I think the formula is worth the hefty cost?

I'm very torn because I really do like the gloss on top of a lip color but alone, unless you apply a heavy layer, it is pretty much a clear gloss.

I guess my answer is no, while the formula is comfortable, thick, and balmy. There is nothing particularly special or exceptional about the formula that warrants the high price tag. The most unique feature of these glosses is their packaging, which is what suckered me in the first place and if I'm being totally honest, still has a strong hold over me. Other than that, these new glosses have nothing that makes it worth the cost! The shimmers are so fine and sparse that they don't really do anything, when worn alone (again, unless you're apply a thick layer), it still looks like my lip color. I am extremely disappointed in these glosses because they really aren't as unique and beautiful as they look in the tube. I really thought these were going to be something that was so spectacular but they really only look incredible over a lip color, which is ok but you can definitely find many glosses that look beautiful over a lip color.  If I am going to spending this much on a gloss, I want to be happy with the way it looks on bare lips, as it does when I have a lip color on. I really don't want to apply a thick layer of gloss, even though the formula is comfortable. It just feels like a lot and feels heavy on the lips. 

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