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Greta Cross, USA TODAYAugust 25, 2025 at 5:03 AM
Would you pay $160 for a lipstick? Louis Vuitton seems to think some will.
On Monday, Aug. 25, Louis Vuitton released its first cosmetics collection, La Beauté. The luxury line was crafted by Dame Pat McGrath, a world-renowned makeup artist, and features lipsticks, lip balms and eyeshadows.
The line was teased back in March, but product images and prices were released early last week. Professional makeup artists, makeup enthusiasts and folks who just enjoy a good Chapstick took to social media to share their awe for the line. Some were overjoyed with the lines' luxurious appearance and traditional color palette, while others couldn't get over the retail price, with one lipstick starting at $160.
The line is available at select Louis Vuitton stores and the Louis Vuitton website starting on Friday, Aug. 29.
Here's what we know about La Beauté, including what the collection includes, the full breakdown and how makeup enthusiasts feel about it all.
Dame Pat McGrath, right, applies a Louis Vuitton La Beauté beauty product to a model. The La Beauté collection releases Aug. 29, 2025.What does the La Beauté collection include?
The debut collection features more than 70 products. Here's a look:
Rouge Complete Lipsticks
The La Beauté collection features 55 Rouge Complete Lipsticks, including 27 "creamy satin hues" and 28 "velvety matte shades," according to a Louis Vuitton news release.
The lipsticks are made with natural waxes from rose, jasmine and mimosa flowers; shea butter; and hyaluronic acid, according to the news release.
The Louis Vuitton La Beauté Rouge Complete Lipstick in Matte 401 Cosmic Trip. The lipstick is $160.Baume Complete Lip Balm
In addition to the vibrant lipsticks, the collection features 10 Baume Complete Lip Balms, made with shea butter and hyaluronic acid, according to the news release. The balms are lightly tinted, including a burgundy brown, pink pearl and rosewood.
Each lipstick and lip balm features a fragrance, designed by Louis Vuitton Master Perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, the news release states. The lipsticks feature mimosa, jasmine and rose scents, and the balms feature mint and raspberry.
The Louis Vuitton La Beauté Baume Complete Lip Balm in 031 Fresh Paradise. The lip balm is $160.Ombres Complete Eyeshadows
The line is rounded out with eight eyeshadow palettes, each featuring four shades. The news release states that each palette contains three "wearable, everyday shades, with one unexpected twist." The palettes include both matte and glitter shadows.
The eyeshadows are made with plant-derived squalane, known for protecting the skin, and camelina flower oil extract, the news release states.
The Louis Vuitton La Beauté Ombres Complete Eyeshadow in 896 Monogram Rouge. The eyeshadow palette is $250.
Each product, lipstick, lip balm and eyeshadow, is refillable.
The makeup pigments, scents and ingredients were not the only details considered in the collection's making.
German designer Konstantin Grcic designed each of the product's packaging. An example detail – each lipstick's name and shade is engraved on the refill and a window at the top of the product. Grcic also crafted the floral motif lock system on each product.
Details of the Louis Vuitton La Beauté Rouge Complete Lipsticks, available on Aug. 29, 2025.La Beauté prices
Here's a breakdown of the prices for products in the new La Beauté line:
Rouge Complete Lipstick: $160
Baume Complete Lip Balm: $160
Ombres Complete Eyeshadows: $250
Rouge and Baume Refills: $69
Ombres Refills: $92
Samples of the Louis Vuitton La Beauté Rouge Complete Lipsticks, right, and Baume Complete Lip Balms.How do other luxury beauty brands compare?
In social media videos, blogs and beauty publication stories, makeup artists and enthusiasts alike are comparing La Beauté to other luxury cosmetic brands. Here's a look at where some other high-end prices stack up for lipsticks, specifically:
Hermès Silky Lipstick Shine: $81
Guerlain Ultra-Care Lipstick: $80
Gucci Rouge à Lèvres Lipstick: $50
Prada Monochrome Lipstick: $50
Chanel Rouge Lipstick: $48-52
Is the price point worth it? The internet is divided
The internet is divided on whether the high cost is worth it or not for Louis Vuitton's latest venture.
Lifestyle content creator Erin Nicole, who has been reviewing luxury beauty products on YouTube for a decade, said she is disappointed by the cost. She was hoping the lipsticks would start at under $100.
"I wish the price point was more widely accessible, especially for beauty junkies like me who are excited to support the iconic 'Mother' Pat McGrath," Nicole told USA TODAY. "There are too many established competitors in the luxury market, I'm not sure the (Louis Vuitton) lipstick will really stand the test of time at $160."
Dame Pat McGrath, right, applies a Louis Vuitton La Beauté beauty product to a model. The La Beauté collection releases Aug. 29, 2025.
Dominicia Baird, who goes by PhD in Pretty on social media, criticized the price of La Beauté in a recent TikTok video. She was surprised to see the prices rise above McGrath's own line. For reference, McGrath's Mothership eyeshadow palettes, which feature a minimum of nine shades, start at $128 on her website – in comparison to Louis' $250 for four shades.
But others aren't phased.
In a recent TikTok video, content creator Rakeedah Bell said the new makeup line isn't supposed to be accessible.
"It's a luxury brand. Everyone is not meant to have it, and I don't say that as, like, I'm rolling around in Beyoncé money," Bell said. "Don't get me wrong, I absolutely think $160 for a lipstick is ridiculous. I'm not here to say that it's not. My argument is, why do we do this? It's Louis Vuitton. What did we expect? It's a designer house. It's in the name."
Shades leave some makeup artists wanting more
La Beauté features more than 70 products, but some feel the pickings are too slim.
Makeup content creator Sarah Meister said she finds makeup lines from other luxury brands, like Gucci, Prada and Hermès, more "imaginative."
"La Beauté by Louis Vuitton color range doesn't interest me, the product finishes and textures look very standard, and the packaging, while perfectly fine looking, doesn't stand out amongst the crowd," Meister told USA TODAY.
Details of the Louis Vuitton La Beauté Rouge Complete Lipsticks, available on Aug. 29, 2025.
Celebrity makeup artist Alexis Oakley, who has worked with names like Demi Lovato and Tana Mongeau, told USA TODAY that she wishes the line had started with a more diverse variety of products.
"Maybe a complexion range to showcase inclusivity or some innovative textures that stand out in the crowded luxury beauty market," she said.
Are luxury makeup brands worth the cost?
Across the board, the makeup enthusiasts who spoke with USA TODAY said yes, luxury brands can be worth the cost, though there are plenty of great options on a more affordable budget.
Baird said luxury products can be worth the cost if they are meaningful to the buyer.
"Some people will fall in love with the Louis Vuitton connection or with a particular shade, while others find that same sense of value in a Maybelline lipstick because of the color or performance," she said. "What makes it worth it is if it brings the person joy."
Louis Vuitton La Beauté Rouge Complete Lipsticks, center, and small leather goods.
Nicole echoed Baird's sentiment.
"The key is investing in the right luxury products that you genuinely love and enjoy," Nicole said. "As long as you can afford it and it makes you feel confident, let's allow people, especially women, to enjoy the little things like applying our favorite lipsticks."
Would you pay $160 for a Louis Vuitton lipstick? Let us know
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: $160 lipstick? Louis Vuitton's first makeup line sparks debate online
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