When Christian Louboutin first released his now-iconic nail polish line back in July 2014, the fashion world balked at the price. At $50 a bottle, the shoe designer-turned-beauty magnate was not giving his Pops, Nudes and Noirs away. Eventually, we came around to the luxury range. (How can you say no to faceted glass bottles that double as objets d’art, towering, calligraphy-inspired caps and long-lasting, impossibly vibrant polish? You can’t.) Still, less than a year later, we all cried foul again when Louboutin announced his limited-edition holiday offering, a crystal-encrusted bottle of Rouge Louboutin polish dubbed Starlight. The price? $675. There are actual Louboutin shoes that cost less.
With his latest limited-edition release, however, the high-end designer is finally speaking our language. The three-shade Loubichrome range retails for only $30 a bottle. (Granted, they are mini bottles, but hear us out.) The chromed-out hues (and toppers) stand out among the brand’s safe, classic offerings. Lubichrome I is an energetic yellow infused with lime green, because Pantone. Lubichrome II is a fiery rose red, because Louboutin. The third and final Lubichrome hue is a glistening violet. But these adjectives fail to convey the hues’ megawatt glow. You’re basically getting Gigi Hadid’s ridiculous (but radiant) Met Ball mani for a fraction of the price.
In concocting the range, Louboutin drew inspiration from “the ultra-luxurious qualities of specchio, a laminated leather with a mirror-like quality, loved…for its ability to capture light and take on new dimension.” Each varnish is infused with light-reflecting pigment pearls. (Rainbow-inspired beauty buys, welcome to 2017.) Plus, the super glossy formula promises to achieve in two coats the level of pigmentation that traditional lacquers do in twenty. And once you’ve depleted your polish, the multi-colored chrome carton makes for a pretty paperweight.
Here they are in their chrome cartons; Image: Christian Louboutin
Needless to say, the Lubichrome gang is selling out quick. Head over the brand’s website and snag your own before they’re all gone.
