Christian Louboutin Eton Moi Velvet Matte Lip Colour ($90.00 for 0.13 oz.) is a purpled berry with subtle, cool pink undertones and a satin finish. MAC Prince Noir (LE, $19.00) is darker, warmer (95% similar). MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande (LE, $19.00) is glossier (95% similar). ColourPop Ursula (LE, $7.00) is warmer (90% similar). ColourPop Sashay (P, $7.00) is less glossy (90% similar). MAC Phenomenal Woman (LE, $19.00) is darker (90% similar). Lisa Eldridge Velvet Midnight (LE, $36.00) is brighter, less glossy (90% similar). MAC Power My Spirit (LE, $19.00) is cooler, glossier (90% similar). MAC Smoked Purple (P, $19.00) is darker, cooler, less glossy (90% similar). Too Faced Maneater (P, $22.00) is brighter, warmer (90% similar). Bite Beauty #048 (P, $18.00) is darker, brighter (85% similar). Tarte Bonfire (P, $22.00) is lighter (90% similar). MAC Living Legend (LE, $19.00) is warmer (85% similar). Urban Decay Blackmail (DC, $18.00) is darker (85% similar). Sephora Wanderlust (33) (P, $8.00) is darker, brighter (85% similar). MAC Velvet Teen (P, $20.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar). KVD Beauty Damned (P, $20.00) is warmer, less glossy (85% similar). MAC Soulfully Rich (P, $18.00)(90% similar). NARS Train Bleu (P, $27.00) is cooler, less glossy (90% similar). Urban Decay Blackmail (DC, $22.00) is darker (85% similar). MAC In My Fashion (LE, $19.00) is darker (85% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

The Velvet Matte finish is supposed to have “intensely rich color” (in “one stroke” even!) for “full coverage” and has a “soft touch matte finish.” It is also supposed to have “non-drying comfort” for lips and have an “excellent appearance without feathering” for four hours (that’s a nice, reasonable claim). I purchased four shades–one of this finish, one of the Sheer Voile, and two of the Satins, reviews to come–and this was the first one I tried. I decided to buy one of the deeper shades in the range, because these types of colors are often problematic, so it would be a good test whether the formula was really superior to others on the market or not. The consistency was lightly creamy and didn’t tug on the lips, and it was easy to apply straight from the tube without streaking, as there was some slip. Coverage was good but not fully opaque and there was a veil of translucency. It was comfortable to wear, neither drying nor hydrating, but it pulled into lip lines within an hour and a half of wear. The color lasted for six hours in all, left a stain behind, and I didn’t experience any feathering/bleeding. The formula has a rosy scent to it, and I tasted the perfume periodically for the first two to three hours of wear. Ultimately, it performed a lot like other similar-hued shades.

Each lipstick is housed in a glossy, black cardboard box with a red velvet shell that holds the lipstick, sheer, silk case, and the lipsticks have a shimmering, gold ribbon that loops around the top. The ribbon has two crimped ends, and you’re supposed to simply tie them into a knot, but I wish it had some sort of clasp for better hold. It has moderate heft; not as heavy as Guerlain’s Rouge Gs but certainly not so light that it feels “cheap.” They don’t stand up, and they don’t have the shade name printed on them at all; there is a number printed on the interior tube, but the numbers aren’t readily available online. The packaging itself has a lot of details, and it’s a unique shape and style relative to what we see on the market, but I imagine you have to appreciate the packaging to justify the rest of it. I wish they stood up, because then you could really display them (like the polishes), or perhaps if the top was a removable cover, rather than a lid on a “hinge,” then you could remove the cover and display in the boxes.

Christian Louboutin Eton Moi Velvet Matte Lip Colour

Christian Louboutin Eton Moi Velvet Matte Lip Colour

Christian Louboutin Eton Moi Velvet Matte Lip Colour

Christian Louboutin Eton Moi Velvet Matte Lip Colour

Christian Louboutin Eton Moi Velvet Matte Lip Colour

Christian Louboutin Eton Moi Velvet Matte Lip Colour

Christian Louboutin Eton Moi Velvet Matte Lip Colour

Christian Louboutin Eton Moi Velvet Matte Lip Colour

Christian Louboutin Eton Moi Velvet Matte Lip Colour

Christian Louboutin Eton Moi Velvet Matte Lip Colour

Christian Louboutin Eton Moi Velvet Matte Lip Colour

Christian Louboutin Eton Moi Velvet Matte Lip Colour

Christian Louboutin Eton Moi Velvet Matte Lip Colour

Christian Louboutin Eton Moi Velvet Matte Lip Colour

Christian Louboutin Eton Moi Velvet Matte Lip Colour