La Beauté Louis Vuitton makes its debut: First Impressions

Beauty fans, rejoice. The long-awaited and ultra-luxurious make-up line by Louis Vuitton is finally here, launching online on 25 August and arriving in boutiques from 29 August. Ahead of the release, here’s everything you need to know about the maison’s new beauty venture.

“We’ve made something heirloom-worthy. Iconic. Bold. And unforgettable,” says Dame Pat McGrath DBE, Creative Director of Cosmetics for La Beauté Louis Vuitton. Universally hailed as the most influential make-up artist in the world, McGrath has been shaping beauty backstage at the most prestigious shows for three decades (including two decades at Vuitton, first under Marc Jacobs and now Nicolas Ghesquière). “I am thrilled to now play such a key role in the launch of La Beauté Louis Vuitton, which is the result of extraordinary craftsmanship, creativity and innovation. The beauty universe is about so much more than just product, and what we are creating here will unlock a new level in luxury beauty. Make-up is culture. It’s power. It’s presence. And it’s personal.”

The debut collection centres on three hero products: lipstick, a nourishing baume and eyeshadow palettes. Lipstick is the star, with 55 shades, their names as playful as they are chic (“Rouge Louis”, “Rose Odyssé”, “Monogram Rouge”). The finishes run matte and glossy satin, but hydration is assured across both thanks to shea butter and hyaluronic acid. Each bullet is refillable, housed in a sleek black LV-monogrammed case, and delicately scented by the house’s master perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud with a bouquet of rose, jasmine and mimosa, a nod to Vuitton’s heritage.

“With product development, I have always been obsessed with the smallest details: texture, application, pigment pay-off, and above all, how a product makes you feel,” McGrath continues. “I always like to push boundaries with make-up, and this métier is no different.”

Supporting acts include 10 lip balms, infused with shea butter, hyaluronic acid, five-flavour berry extract and upcycled mimosa wax from Grasse. Housed in ivory cases (also interchangeable with the lipsticks), they bring a fresh mint-and-raspberry scent. Then there are LV Ombres: eight palettes, each in a black vintage-inspired monogrammed case. Inside, four shadows arranged as Vuitton’s iconic flower motif: three wearable everyday shades, plus one disruptive accent, a shot of colour or shimmer designed to ignite glamour.

In true Vuitton style, the launch extends beyond beauty into accessories. A line of small leather goods – from lipstick holders to miniature vanities – has been designed to complement the collection. To mark the debut, limited-edition lipstick pouches and nice beauty cases will arrive in three signature shades (Monogram Rouge, Rouge Louis and Tender Bliss), transforming functional objects into collectable pieces of maison savoir-faire.

And the price? LV Rouge Complete Lipstick and LV Baume Complete Lip Balm will retail at €140 (refills €60), while LV Ombres Complete Eyeshadows come in at €220 (refills €80), positioning them as the most expensive beauty products in the luxury category. By comparison, Hermès lipsticks retail at €71 and Celine at €70.

The launch comes at a pivotal moment: LVMH’s Fashion and Leather Goods department reported a 12% sales drop in the first half of 2025. Could the so-called lipstick effect (the tendency to trade down from big-ticket items to smaller luxuries in times of financial uncertainty) apply here? With China receiving the first drop on 20 August, it seems Vuitton is testing the waters with its most devoted clientele before rolling out globally. The question now: will others in the luxury sphere follow suit, nudging lipstick prices upward as maisons so often do with handbags?

Courtesy: Louis Vuitton

Text: Lidia Ageeva