September 8, 2015

Are You Paying Too Much for Your Lipstick?

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Christian Louboutin Lipstick

Honestly, I thought Tom Ford Lipstick was above my budget but now that Christian Louboutin has launched a highly prestigious and gorgeous line of luxury lipsticks that cost $90 each, well, I guess Tom Ford Lipstick is starting to look like a beauty budget brand at $50 each!

Are you paying too much for your lipstick?

I’m of the mentality that lipstick is a splurge item. Don’t get me wrong, you can go and purchase yourself a $30 lipstick and be crushingly disappointed with it. However, I think that drugstore lipsticks haven’t quite evolved enough in formula for me to comfortably say they are a worthy beauty budget pick. It’s funny because drugstore makeup has come a very, very long way and many formulas have shown great improvement like concealer for example and although there are budget friendly lipsticks around I still feel they have a ways to go to be perfect.

Now, I should say, Japanese drugstore lipstick is the exception to the rule here. Drugstore lipstick in Japan is far superior in formula to US brands with a smooth melty consistency that glides on lips and leaves behind not only color but gorgeous shine as well. I’ve run into lipsticks from L’Oreal, Maybelline, etc here in the US that I really like but none feel as incredible as ones I’ve purchased in Japan!

I’m always happiest when I splurge $25 to $30 on a lipstick versus $5 to $10 at the drugstore. Like I said, I can be just as disappointed splurging $25 but in most cases that’s pretty rare. Versus the fact that I can buy 4 or 5 different drugstore lipsticks for around $7 a pop and be disappointed with either all of them or just happy with one our of the five I splurged on so really after spending $30 at the drugstore I could have just used it towards ONE good mid-range lipstick brand and been happier!

Now there is a limittwhen it comes to lipstick.

I must admit I don’t mind spending $53 on Guerlain Rouge G because they have never disappointed. From an excellent formula to stunning packaging these lipsticks for me are the height of luxury!

When the Christian Louboutin Lipsticks hit the airwaves this month I must admit I had to draw a line. As elegant and beautiful as these lipsticks are I can’t see myself spending $90 on a single shade.

So sure, yes, I think lipsticks are a splurge item but $90 is a little too high for me. I don’t knock anyone who has the means to indulge in these gorgeous lipsticks but for me, personally, I don’t see myself dishing out near $100 for a single shade. Ouch!

How about you?

Do you think $90 is too much for lipstick?

Or does it fit in your budget?

If you won the lotto tomorrow would you be inclined to buy every single shade for yourself?

Honestly, even if I had a million dollars, I likely wouldn’t be spending it on lipstick that’s $90 bucks!

I receive a small commission if you shop through my link.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Lindsey

    As beautiful as they are……I just could not imagine even if I coule afford it!

  • katrosado

    Yes I’m going to splurge on at least one of these. I want to see them in person though first. I want to feel the packaging to see if it has heft and how it functions. That packaging is to die for and I would only use it for special date nights with my Big Daddy (my husband). 🙂

    • Isabella Muse

      Good for you katrosado! Treat yourself 🙂 nothing wrong with that. I’m kinda sorta wanting one myself but I feel like it might be above my budget 😀 maybe during Sephora FF!!!!!! 😀 haha awww!

  • Moda31

    There is no formulation or pretty packaging that could get me to spend $90 on lipstick. Absolutely absurd. The only thing owning this would tell me about a person, is that they could probably stand to reexamine the value they place on material possessions.

  • Garrett

    I honestly have like maybe 3 high end lipsticks ( a Lancôme and sephora brand one and a hefty sample of a Nars Audacious xD) but I feel like I can get just as good ones at the drugstore. You just have to read reviews, which thank god for people like you Muse, and make your own judgements I guess.

  • Rachel R.

    I can’t afford to spend this much on a lipstick. I think the packaging is exquisite, and I think it’s great you can wear them as jewelry as well. Ninety dollars isn’t as unreasonable for a necklace.

    If I won the lottery, I would buy one or two just for the packaging. But since I’m not rich right now…big pass. I just can’t justify luxury designer items for myself.

  • Mary B

    I am of mentality that 30 or so dollars is as high as I will go for lipstick……generally I am a MAC girl and will treat myself to a more luxury brand from time to time. That being said over my dead body will I spend 90 on lipstick………ok 90 on 1 lipstick!!! I have not heard positive reviews on these in the blogs I read and for that kind of money I would expect them to be life changing perfection. I will not be throwing my hard earned money at these.

  • Shannon

    When I saw these in a magazine I thought they were gorgeous and maybe the only Louboutin item I could “maybe” have one day…I told my hubby I wanted one for Christmas. The most expensive lipstick I currently own is Mac, lol. Well…lo and behold on Sunday my amazing hubby surprised me with one!!! He knew it was something that would shock me and that I would never buy myself. He chose the Rouge Louboutin Matte Velvet…and it is STUNNING!!! The packaging is unbelievable and very heavy (don’t think I would wear it as a necklace) …and I will definitely wear on special occasions. So in all I think these are special and perfect as a special splurge, we all value and enjoy different things. YOLO!!

    • Isabella Muse

      Shannon, that is so sweet! What a great hubby! And I agree YOLO 😀 enjoy your new lipstick! wear in health! I’m so jealous 🙂

  • Moria

    I could maybe see getting one if it had refills, like Guerlain does (I think they offer refills? Somebody does, I know!) $90 once, and $30 or so thereafter wouldn’t be so bad if it was a true HG shade.

  • Kimkats

    Hells to the bells no I won’t spend that much on a lipstick! I have crazy things like…….. Food to get instead! (And a new toilet flapper to stop the damn thing from running every 20 minutes….)

  • Courtney

    I agree with what you said 100%, Muse. I can not even fathom spending $90 on a lipstick. And the reason why is that once it’s on the lips, no one will ever know its CL. Sure maybe it’s special to the one wearing it and maybe evokes a special feeling while wearing it. Also I feel like the colors offered in this line are probably dupable so it even makes it less enticing to me. But to each their own ! I can honestly say that I will totally skip out on this and not feel one bit that I was missing out. My boyfriend was like ” do you want me to get that lipstick for you?” I was like “he** no!!!” Haha. It’s just the principal of it all and seems absurd! But I spend 5 bucks a day on coffee happily and that’s absurd too !!!!! 😀

  • Jay

    I’ll be waiting until the F&F sale too lol! I need to start saving now. I’ve built up a good makeup collection in terms of size and color variety, so now I’m slowly purchasing at least one item from each luxury brand. Ya know…for testing purposes…and that beauty blog I’ve technically started but haven’t put anything on . It’s definately out of my price range though. Now, if Mr. Louboutin comes out with some $90 shoes I might have to fight somebody up in Barneys for a few pairs!

  • Codename Duchess

    Color is much more important to me than formula, particularly for lip colors, so I tend to buy all over the map in terms of price. I look best in neutral-cool colors, and it can be tough to find lipsticks that meet those color requirements so I’ve learned to be less picky when it comes to formula. I mean what good is a lipstick that applies like a dream and feels heavenly on if I’m disappointed by the way it makes me look in the mirror? It’s not unusual for me to not be able to find a single shade of lipstick that I love enough to wear more than once or twice in an entire line. And for whatever reason I’ve had better luck finding colors that suit me in budget lines. My current favorite lipsticks are from NYX, Cover Girl and ColorPop. I’ve bought a lot of expensive lipsticks over the years, but I can’t think of a single one I’ve come close to using up. Most of them end up abandoned in my dresser after a few weeks.

  • Ardis

    I love lipstick but I definitely am not! The only way I’d pay for an expensive lipstick in the near $100 mark is if it were a Betty Boop red lipstick (big Betty fan! & too bad such a lipstick doesn’t exist!) pretty much. The most expensive lipstick I’ve wanted was the MAC Betty & Veronica – and they were a little under $20 which I thought was too “expensive” for lipstick. The most expensive lipstick I’ve bought so far is a L’Oreal Paris one called Red Fatale which was about $10 if I recall and I wasn’t happy about that “high” price (I did love the color & name). I lost the lipstick I had in my purse and needed a new one fast. There were no small beauty stores (where I usually buy lipstick from) around and in that larger beauty store I bought it from – that Red Fatale was the cheapest lipstick I could find. I usually buy lipsticks from small beauty stores. My favorite lipsticks are from $1-$5! Love the brands: BSN, NICKA K, ELF, JORDANNA, LA COLORS and now RK BY KISS. And I mainly buy lipsticks based on the shade of lipstick and the name of the lipstick (a la a “Dorothy’s Red Shoes Red”). The above Louboutin lipsticks are packaged elegantly, but I don’t like the packaging look of them. They just don’t look “lipstick-y”. I honestly wouldn’t want them if someone even gave them to me. Well, that’s my mini novel for today and 2 cents 🙂

  • Renu

    I thought Tom Ford was the ultimate spendy lippie and treated myself to three in all (regret one, love two) after working overtime continuously. $90? IDK… definitely not right now. OTOH the packaging is nice. Maybe just the one as a treat for my birthday, if I work slog for a few months. So it can sit in my stash and I can claim I’ve tried it too.

  • DivaDebbi

    Hi Is,
    As someone who doesn’t have A cheapskate bone in her body, the idea of a $50 Tom Ford lipstick has always galled me and I have yet to pull the trigger. And now the $90 Louboutin! I actually met one of the packaging designers at a party in NYC last week. The good news is that these are meant to be worn as necklaces! It will be interesting to see if women are wearing them at FW. I wouldn’t order online without having a chance to see the shade offerings in person, but I will admit that gave me a different viewpoint so I have not ruled it out yet LOL

    • Isabella Muse

      We must have talked to the same person as I heard this long explanation about how the lipstick was designed to be a trendy piece of jewelry but to me, as gorgeous as it is, I’d feel foolish wearing it as a necklace, Debbi! 🙂

  • Michelle

    As much as I love a good lipstick, I cannot imagine spending $90 on one even if I could afford to. I love to play with colors and fortunately, drug store brands have come a long way. For special occasions I will splurge for a high end but rarely will spend more than $30. Thanks Doll!!!!

  • Diana

    These are way too luxurious for me. I would be afraid to even use them at that price.

  • Michelle Flamingo

    I’m 48 years old and have always bought drugstore lipsticks. For the vast majority of those purchases, I’ve been very happy and have no plans to change my buying pattern.

    This $90 lipstick can’t just be thought of as just a lipstick. It is lipstick plus a necklace pendant or a Christmas tree ornament. So the way I see it, those who want to buy it should put a value on the lipstick itself, and the difference between your perceived value and the $90 is the cost of the pendant or Christmas tree ornament. Let it go on record that it could also be used to decorate int he house – you could hang it from the lock feature of a double hung window….or use it to dress up something else in your house from which it would look nice hanging.

    Point is, it is makeup and decor (either personal accessory or home decor) rolled into one. having said that, I am not buying one.

  • The Silver Nail

    No way, no how. For that price I could get a bag full of other products that are just as good in color and quality. You’re basically paying for their name. I feel the same way about, say, Chanel nail polish, which was shown in an independent study to be no better (and actually worse) than $1.99 SinfulColors. However, if you have the money and a luxury item floats your boat, go for it.

  • Dora

    Honestly, to me, that packaging is just a bit fussy. Not tempted at all and I am a lipstick person, for sure. But I buy all over the map — high(er) end and drugstore. I love the Maybelline lipsticks and have some NYX ones I like. For higher end, I love MAC (of course) and Urban Decay and Bite and just discovered how nice Nars are! For me, $30 is the upper limit. (I think, we’ll see.)

  • Jacqueline

    I agree – $90 is a pretty crazy price tag to put on a lipstick! I have been wanting to indulge in some Tom Ford lipsticks but have stopped myself everytime because of the price! I certainly don’t mind paying for a nice high-end lipstick but unless the Louboutin ones are completely OUT OF THE WORLD amazing and different from any other lipstick in the market, I will be sticking to YSL and Japanese drugstore lipsticks/ balms (I loveeee Japanese makeup!) 😀 xx

  • Nina R.

    For all the commenters who feel the Tom Ford lipsticks are too expensive at $50: the Lips and Boys collection will be reissued with new colors for the holidays, and they are smaller versions of the full size TF and are $32, which is Chanel range. Pulling one of those little bad boys out of your handbag at dinner to touch up is really a treat! And my 2 cents on the Louboutin is that if you can afford the shoes, then you can afford the lippies, so very clever marketing for CL. The case design is stunning and the necklace idea is clever and I hope that this elevates the packaging of cosmetics in general.

  • genevieve

    No – I wouldn’t spend $90 on a lipstick. I have spent money in the past on an EL one that ended up being too sheer, a Chanel one that broke after two weeks (and not living in my handbag)so I agree with you Isabella that some HE lipsticks are not worth it. I love the Maybelline Colour Sensational range and have not been disappointed in any of them. I just wish the whole range would be shipped to Australia instead of half of them.
    What are your favourite Japanese brands Isabella?

  • Iris

    I would get this for the packaging. I’d think about it as getting a necklace with a lipstick included.

  • Cindy

    I love the smell of Guerlain stuff and I love the formula of the Rouge G’s but I bought them for the mirror. The Louboutins are just a lipstick and the colour, formula and packaging aren’t worth the money.

    I think it was just a simple moneymaker. Make the price high enough to keep it exclusive so that people with real money who already bought the shoes and bags won’t be offended and turn away from the brand. Keep it exclusive. But don’t make it too exclusive so that the brandminded sixteen year old girl can save up for it so that she can say she has a real Louboutin.

    Sell something affordable to the mass so that the mass feels like they are part of the brand too. A brand that they could never afford, but all of that is whisked away with a swipe of lipstick.

    How many girls don’t put on a Chanel lipstick or mascara and dream about a bag? That’s a dream you can’t buy if you put on a drugstore lipstick. For some people it might look like a waste of money but others rather dream then live life.

  • Zovesta

    Laaawd, no. I can’t even see the point! $20 for a lipstick is too pricey for me. I’ve always been extremely happy with a number of my drugstore lipsticks, it’s rare for me to be disappointed. Milani (pretty expensive), ColourPop, and Wet n Wild have never disappointed me with their quality and formula of lipsticks. I just don’t even really understand buying anything too expensive after awhile. There are only so many shades and you can fake a different finish with a clear gloss or a tissue and some powder. In the end, that’s really all that matters to me: what it looks like after it’s on.

    I can understand the dream factor Cindy is talking about, but spending more than $20 on a lip product would give me so much guilt and anxiety any time I put it on, what would even be the point? When I put on my makeup, I’m putting myself in a bit of a fantasy and make myself who I want to be anyway, and I only need a dollar lipstick for it. =/

  • Missy

    It is crazy and I don’t know why they are in the Xmas tree bullet instead of all black and/or red. The formula is wonderful. I did the splurge and it’s crazy. The formula, however, is no better than TF. TF Still the best for the money, and a great taste and smell. This is so perfumey.

  • Bonnie

    I totally would. I have spent zillions on every kind of skincare imaginable, every anti-blemish & anti-aging trend there is, I have purchased, so why not a once-in-a-lifetime lippie? I think it makes a gorgeous pendant too.

    I have about 40 MAC lipsticks, 3 Diors, 2 NARS Audacious, 2 Marc Jacobs, 2 Chanels…you see, I have limited resistance power to a high-faluting name, hahaha. But truth be told, I love most of my high-end purchases. There are 6 MACs that I am no longer fond of, and they are going back as part of MAC’s recycling program. Also I have tried every brand of drugstore lippie and loved none of them. Loved the colour maybe but not the formulation, lasting power or finish.

  • Ayman

    No Way…..I would rather spend $100 on an eye cream or a good serum or skin treatment for dark spots etc……I don’t want to spend this much amount on just a single lipstick that would be a total waste of my money…..There are so many good drugstore options when buying lipsticks. I would definitely prefer drugstore lipsticks over high end brands one, would save my money and spend on a good skincare product.