Louis Vuitton Just Launched $58 Lip Pencils—My Honest Thoughts After Testing Them for 5 Weeks
Our take
The launch of Louis Vuitton’s La Beauté line, and particularly the introduction of $58 lip pencils, represents a fascinating, and potentially fraught, moment for the luxury beauty market. While the initial fanfare surrounding Pat McGrath’s involvement and the brand’s prestige was naturally significant, the subsequent review questioning the value proposition—a “sellout risk,” as the author posits—resonates with a growing unease amongst discerning consumers. We've seen similar shifts in other areas, like the unexpected resurgence of ballet flats [Ballet Flats? Suddenly, Every It Girl Is Wearing This Jazz-Inspired Shoe Trend Instead] and the evolving beachwear trends favoring pants over shorts [Apparently, We're Only Wearing Pants With Bikinis to the Beach Now (Sorry, Shorts, You're Out)], demonstrating a consumer base increasingly prioritizing thoughtful choices and enduring style over fleeting trends and exorbitant price tags. The question now becomes whether luxury beauty can successfully command such premium pricing without demonstrable superiority in performance or ingredients, or if it’s merely leaning on brand recognition.
The inherent conflict lies in the very nature of luxury versus beauty. For decades, luxury has been associated with craftsmanship, rare materials, and exclusivity. Beauty, traditionally, has been about accessibility and delivering results. Louis Vuitton is attempting to bridge this gap, but at a price point that feels considerably steeper than comparable offerings from established beauty brands with decades of expertise in formulation and pigment technology. Even Chanel, known for its elevated pricing, offers a spectrum of nail colors [I Love Eye-Catching Summer Manicures—These 8 Chanel Nail Colors Scream "Chic!"] with varying price points, demonstrating an understanding of consumer tiers and expectations. The success of La Beauté will hinge on whether it can genuinely redefine the luxury beauty experience, offering something truly unique beyond the status symbol of a Louis Vuitton logo. Simply layering a premium price tag onto existing formulas isn’t a sustainable strategy, as this review suggests.
This situation speaks to a larger evolution in consumer values. The “quiet luxury” aesthetic, currently dominating fashion and design, champions understated elegance and enduring quality over ostentatious displays of wealth. Consumers are increasingly savvy and skeptical, demanding transparency and authenticity from brands. They're less likely to be swayed by marketing hype and more likely to rely on independent reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations. A $58 lip pencil, regardless of its packaging or brand name, needs to deliver exceptional color payoff, longevity, and comfort to justify its price. The risk for Louis Vuitton isn’t just about a single product failing; it’s about potentially damaging the brand’s carefully cultivated image of timeless elegance and understated sophistication by appearing to chase revenue through inflated pricing. The luxury market has always appreciated a sense of mystery, of things not quite being explained, but this feels like an attempt to mask a lack of substantive differentiation with a price tag.
Ultimately, the fate of La Beauté’s lip pencils, and perhaps the entire beauty line, will depend on whether Louis Vuitton can evolve beyond simply being a luxury fashion house. Can they establish themselves as a genuine authority in the beauty space, capable of innovating and delivering products that are not only beautiful but also perform exceptionally well? Or will this venture be remembered as a fleeting attempt to capitalize on the luxury market's current fervor, a cautionary tale illustrating that even the most prestigious brands aren’t immune to the scrutiny of discerning consumers? The coming months will be crucial in determining whether Louis Vuitton can successfully navigate this delicate balance and solidify its position in the competitive world of luxury beauty.
La Beauté Louis Vuitton made quite the splash when it launched in the fall of 2025. It had all the makings for a buzzy beauty launch: It's the house's first-ever makeup collection, features legendary makeup artist Pat McGrath at the helm, and showcases jaw-dropping formulas tagged at equally jaw-dropping prices ($160 for a lipstick was sure to make headlines!). The current lineup includes 55 lipsticks, 10 lip balms, and eight eye shadow palettes—and, starting today, 10 creamy lip pencils.
Introducing the LV Crayon, a buttery, richly pigmented liner inspired by McGrath's own tried-and-true techniques for the Louis Vuitton runways (and secretly worn by Emma Stone and Hoyeon Jung at the Louis Vuitton 2027 cruise show!). At $58, it's probably the most expensive lip liner I've ever worn, but it's also—hands down—the dreamiest. Scroll ahead for everything you need to know about the newest LV launch, including my honest thoughts after testing it for over a month.
About the LV Crayon Lip Pencils
At first glance, I could already tell that the LV Lip Crayon would be the chicest lip product I own. The wooden pencil is shaped exactly like the iconic LV monogram flower, which not only aesthetically looks divine but also lends a better grip for a precise, controlled application. You might be surprised that Louis Vuitton opted for a wooden pencil over a gel formula or one with a retractable, mechanical base, but wooden options tend to be way more soft and blendable, which is top notch for that coveted lip-blur effect (aka, exactly what I crave with my liner looks).
As for the pigment itself, the peptide-infused formula is super creamy and hydrating upon application, and it diffuses effortlessly with the press of a fingertip (or a swipe of the ultra-chic blending brush). This isn't a formula you need to work with at breakneck speed before it dries down and doesn't budge; it remains blendable no matter when you apply. As McGrath shares in a release, "The texture of the LV Crayon is something everyone needs to feel for themselves. It melts into the lips like a second skin—creamy, silky smooth, so unbelievably comfortable." Yet it somehow doesn't move—unless you want it to.
The Lip Crayon launches with 10 layerable shades, which I've outlined below, from soft nudes to electric pinks to a deep, timeless red.
- 190 Beige Atlas: A beige-brown
- 191 Nude Rêverie: A soft rose
- 192 Nude Quest: A warm nude with terracotta undertones
- 193 Sépia Panorama: A deep, warm brown with mahogany undertones
- 290 Rose Whisper: A cool-toned rose
- 390 Pink Aurora: A vibrant magenta-pink
- 490 Plum Comet: A rich plum
- 690 Burnt Sienna: A deep red-leaning orange
- 854 Rouge Louis: A vivid crimson
- 896 Monogram Rouge: A deep bordeaux
My Testing Experience and Honest Thoughts
After attending a masterclass led by McGrath herself and learning the best application techniques (start with a dry base free of any balms, outline with your color du jour, then add a slightly darker shade in the outer corners and a stripe on the belly of the lower lip!), I took home three shades: Nude Rêverie, Nude Quest, and Sépia Panorama. I've been using Nude Rêverie the most for my everyday lip looks (I'm a sucker for a soft rosewood hue), but when I really want to punch up the impact, all three pencils come in clutch for a blurred, soft-focus look.
I start by outlining my entire lip shape with Nude Rêverie, slightly overlining my Cupid's bow to create more of a rounded effect. I'll usually fill in my entire lip with that same rosy shade, as it matches my natural lip color quite well. Next, I outline the border again with Nude Quest to slightly deepen the shadow, then follow up with Sépia Panorama just above the Cupid's bow and on the outer corners of my lips for some extra contour. Even without any blending, the pencils create a nice, fluffy lip edge. Read: You can't tell where the liner ends and my natural lip border begins, which is the key to a pouty, blurred look. Still, I use the Blending Brush to further buff, then top it off with a swipe of my favorite LV Baume, Monogram Touch.
I personally adore these LV Crayons and have used them every single day since adding them to my collection. No exaggeration. That said, I am someone who loves a soft, hazy lip moment over crisp, bold color. You could totally use the liners for more structured, high-definition looks (just make sure to sharpen your pencil to a precise point), but if you're on the hunt for something completely waterproof, a gel or stain formula might be better suited for that purpose. Just something to note, since dropping $58 per pencil is nothing to scoff at!
However, if you're frequently gunning for a blotted, French-girl lip like me, I'd say they're 100% worth the investment. I usually require no less than six lip products to achieve that "effortless" just-kissed finish, but this pencil somehow hits the mark with a single swipe, no extra blending necessary. Someone even recently popped into my Instagram DMs to say that my "lips look so good," which is how you know you've succeeded at lip-contouring sorcery. When you think about it, $58 doesn't seem so steep compared to, say, a syringe of filler.
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