Loubirouge by Christian Louboutin

OOOOHHHH Posse! I know I’m late to the party but these Louboutin bottles have been on my to try list for ages and I never seem to get into Sydney’s store to have a hold and a sniff. They came out right at the start of the C19 pandemic. Finally I did and the SA was so lovely. She had clearly done her homework and may even have been a little bit perfumista herself. Not a full blown crazy like us, yet, but interested and enjoying the learning curve. Loubirouge is one of the scents that I thought I’d probably wear if I owned it. The SA gave me a sample to try at home without the stores colour & scent cacophony. The shop was pretty quiet too so we had her all to ourselves for about 30 minutes. Very cool.

I know you’re all wondering if the juice is as excellent as the shoes. They definitely aren’t as groundbreaking or confrontational. I feel like the Celine privé range is doing all the heavy lifting for that at the moment. What we did smell was a nicely done insta range that hits the usual marks. So for most perfumistas these might be a little tame. Patty found the original 2015 releases equally as uninspired. The bottles are drop dead gorgeous, though I would want shoes on if I dropped the lid.

Surrender To Chance has a few of the line 4ml manufacturers sample, not Loubirouge.

Loubirouge by Christian Louboutin 2020

Louboutin site gives these featured accords:
Cardamome, Orris, Vanilla

Loubirouge opens with a beautiful cardamom and some twiggy greenery. It’s smooth and (dare I say it) luxurious. Unexpectedly interesting. Much better in the world than it was in store. The iris is shorn of all earthy components and has a sheer, clear and soapy feel. It doesn’t get a real stand out amount of time though because the vanilla is already coming through. Not a bakery style vanilla, it’s much more resinous and my nose is telling me it’s a vanilla heavy amber.

As we head for dry down there is a lovely smokiness and something, I can’t quite make out what, is giving me floral tingles. It’s like a honeysuckle that only almost registers.

When I said sheer before for the iris, the whole fragrance is very wash-ish. A watercolour. Fragrant but not overpowering. I can easily imagine it creeping up on you if you’re sitting with someone. Slowly and languidly little tendrils of scent prick their olfactory system.

Surprisingly unisex. Projection is low but insistent. Longevity is good, especially considering how low key the whole fragrance is. This fragrance will fit al most anywhere, brunch to the opera, date night or the footy.

Verdict: If you are someone who loves Loubirouge and has the $$$$ to buy it then you should own it. It’s not terrible. In fact it’s very nicely done.
If you buy one bottle at a time and 90ml will last you six months or a year and the luxuriousness of the bottle on your dresser brings you joy, buy it. Buy a couple because I don’t feel like this range will be around in five years.

My problem here is that if I bought this, would I wear it over my other amber loves? Even some of my outstanding favorites only get a couple of wears a year. As lovely as it is I think it would sit in my wardrobe, in a box, unopened and never see the light of day.

How about you? Does Loubirouge call you?
Portia xx