Honestly, I’ve always wondered if that insanely priced Christian Louboutin nail polish was worth it or just fancy packaging hype. So last month I went out and bought a bottle of their Rouge Louboutin shade – nearly choked when the cashier said $50. For comparison, grabbed Essie’s Ballet Slippers ($9), OPI’s Big Apple Red ($11), and a cheap Wet n Wild black ($3).
First Impressions Testing The Brushes
Right away I noticed Louboutin’s brush is stupid skinny and flimsy. Tried painting my left thumb – polish went everywhere like a toddler finger-painting. Meanwhile Essie and OPI have these nice wide brushes that cover the nail in one swipe. Wet n Wild’s brush was kinda scraggly but at $3 who cares? Points deducted from Loubs already.
Application & Dry Time
Louboutin’s formula felt weirdly thick. Did three coats trying to get even color and still had streaks. Took forever to dry – smudged it twice just reaching for my coffee. Essie went on smooth in two coats, OPI was practically opaque in one swipe. Wet n Wild needed three layers but dried crazy fast. Clocked it: OPI dried in 7 minutes, Loubs took 22 minutes. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
Shine & Longevity Test
Okay, Louboutin wins the shine game – looked like liquid glass when it finally dried. But durability? After one day washing dishes, chips appeared at the tips. Essie lasted 3 days, OPI made it 5 whole days before chipping. Wet n Wild peeled off next morning during my shower. Here’s how it looked after 3 days:
- Louboutin: 2 chips
- Essie: 1 microchip
- OPI: No chips, light tip wear
- Wet n Wild: Peeling disaster
The Price Sticker Shock
My bottle’s cap has the fancy spike? Broke within a week. Can’t prop that $50 statue on my desk anymore. Meanwhile that $9 Essie bottle’s been rolling in my makeup bag for months perfectly fine. For fun I calculated cost per ml – Loubs is $4.16/ml vs OPI’s $0.28/ml. Nearly 15 times more expensive!
Final verdict? Unless you’re literally bathing in champagne money, skip Louboutin. OPI’s still the GOAT for pigmentation and durability. Essie’s perfect for subtle colors, and Wet n Wild’s cool if you need polish for one night. That luxury bottle’s basically jewelry for your vanity – looks glam but performs mediocre. Wasted fifty bucks so y’all don’t have to.
