The Best Luxury Lipsticks, From Pillow Talk to Rouge Hermès
A luxury lipstick is a small object you use in public, often several times a day, which is part of its appeal. Beyond the case, the best formulas deliver rich color with comfort, so they don't dry out or settle into lines.
The cult nude
Some shades become famous in their own right. Charlotte Tilbury's Pillow Talk is the best-known example: a soft matte nude-pink that flatters a wide range of skin tones.
Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk
The world-famous nude-pink: a soft matte that flatters almost everyone.
The satin classics
Satin finishes sit between matte and gloss: color-rich, comfortable and easy to wear every day. These are the signature lipsticks of the great couture houses.
Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour
Chanel's signature satin lipstick: luminous, intense color in the iconic click case.
Lip Power Longwear Satin Lipstick
Long-wearing satin color with a comfortable, cushiony feel.
Lipstick
A satin lipstick with skincare-grade comfort, in a jewel-like case.
The refillables
Refillable lipsticks let you keep a beautiful case and replace only the bullet. They're more sustainable and lower the cost of every refill after the first.
Rouge Dior Lipstick
The couture lipstick in a refillable case, in satin, matte and velvet finishes.
Rouge Hermès Satin Lipstick
Hermès' refillable satin lipstick, in a case designed like an objet d'art.
The velvet matte
Lip Color Matte
Velvety, full-pigment matte in the signature ivory-and-gold case.
Balms and oils, the luxury way
For a sheer wash of color or simply comfort, a luxury balm or lip oil earns its place in your bag.
Dior Addict Lip Glow Balm
The color-reviving balm that adapts to your lips' natural shade.
Lip Comfort Oil
The cult lip oil: sheer color, high shine, and genuinely nourishing. Never sticky.
Tips for choosing a luxury lipstick
- Match the finish to your lips. Dry lips are kinder to satins and balms than to full mattes.
- Prep first. A balm applied a few minutes beforehand makes any formula wear better.
- Swatch on your lips, not your hand. Your natural lip color changes how a shade reads.
Prices are US retail and update with our catalog. We add hands-on verdicts to product pages as we test.