Loubouchrome Nail Polish II & III

Welcome back to Mani-Monday!!  I haven’t been doing regular nail polish posts these past couple of seasons, and I’m so happy to be finally back on track today!  There is nothing quite as powerful as some color therapy for lifting those Monday blues, especially when they come as luxe and as vibrant as these Loubouchrome Nail Polishes!

I’ve been backwards and forwards about trying out some Louboutin makeup in a very long time… but between the somewhat OTT (at least in my opinion!) design, and the excessive price point (yes, even I have a limit for reasonableness!)… I’ve always found it hard to pull the trigger.  However, all reason flew out of the window, when I saw Louboutin released a trio of “mini” nail polishes, in an assortment of colors that I can only describe as stunning.

If you have been following Louboutin’s nail polish line for a while, you’d know that they bear the unique long pointy tip handles that are designed to resemble the brand’s eponymous stiletto heels.  On the regular line, these handles are usually silver, but these Loubouchrome nail polishes are dipped in psychedelic hues in a holographic ombre-effect.

The glass bottles come encased in a cube-like carton box that is pulled apart from top to bottom.  They help the bottles stay upright and prevent them from toppling over, but have the annoying habit of coming apart in the handbag (not very convenient to carry around in your python-lined peekaboo!).  The carton boxes of these Loubouchromes are painted in varying combinations of metallic yellow, purple and red; to reflect the 3 shades offered in this capsule collection.  The glass bottles are diamond-cut, the entire effect is of striking geometry, and a true work of art.

Let the pictures do the talking from now on….

The long handle swivels up like any nail polish bottle, and the applicator brush is attached to it.  I don’t have a bottle of the regular sized Louboutin nail polish so I can’t compare if the applicator brush is the same size / length, but the one on these Loubouchrome nail polishes are perfectly sized in my opinion.  They are rounded, instead of the more current flattened shapes; but the bristles are of a good length, thickness and flex to allow for easy and smooth application.

There are 3 shades to choose from, and I picked the 2 that I felt I was most likely to wear (the 3rd being a neon yellow that is unlikely to be part of my daily wardrobe).

Loubouchrome Nail Polish II is a warm-toned rust-red with a speckled metallic finish.  There is no texture whatsoever, and the final product is incredibly smooth and glossy.  Seen here in the swatch is 2 coats without any top coat.  It is a somewhat unusual red, not quite copper nor bronze, and a very plush addition to my existing army of red nail polishes.

Loubouchrome Nail Polish III is a brightened  cool-toned purple with a speckled metallic finish.  Shown above is 2 coats with no top coat, although this one could have easily been a one-coat wonder if I had been a bit more generous in my application.  This color is perhaps the most dupe-able of the 3 from the collection, but the fine shimmer and chrome-like finish gives it an edge.

These Loubouchromes are inspired by Specchio, which is a laminated textured leather with a mirror-like finish.  They are all incredibly easy to apply, and stayed on well.  However, I did experience tip wear almost overnight, which is not something that my OCD can tolerate, even with capping the tips with polish and top coat.

Priced at USD30 for 6ml, I personally found these Loubouchromes much more tolerable than their usual offerings which retail at USD50ml for 12ml.  On a per unit basis, there is always going to be some economics of scale with larger sized bottles, but I never finish any of my nail polishes, so I welcome the smaller sized offering.  These are so gorgeous though, I can see myself reaching for them time and time again!