Last summer, the legendary Pat McGrath was named Cosmetics Creative Director of Louis Vuitton’s first-ever cosmetics line, La Beauté. The first collection LV Rouge birthed 55 shades of red lipstick, 10 shades of LV Baume, and eight eyeshadow palettes, LV Ombres. However, a precise lip liner didn’t exist—until now. 

For over 20 years, “every look I have ever created on the Louis Vuitton runway begins with the lip line,” McGrath stated in the press release. “It is where precision becomes art.” As the very first product in La Beauté’s new lip artistry category, LV Crayon is an homage to the precision technique McGrath established decades ago. 

“The LV Crayon is a tool that deserves to be in the hands of every woman,” she said. “It’s both seamless to use and beautiful to hold.” In true Louis Vuitton fashion, the crayon embodies McGrath, who developed the collection, and the House’s design codes. From shaving in the shape of their flower-shaped monogram to its gold monogram flower cap, the smooth formula is housed in a black matte wood stick. 

A natural complement to the other collections, 10 shades, from rouge to nude, transitions from a glossy tip to a semi-matte finish. “I have always believed that the most powerful tools in any make-up artist’s kit are the ones that enhance without overpowering,” she said. “The LV Crayon shades were built from that philosophy—the finest nudes and rosewoods, each one chosen with absolute precision, anchored by a fearless  edit of iconic LV reds that bring the unexpected and deliver the drama.”

Ahead, McGrath breaks down all the ways to wear La Beauté Louis Vuitton’s new lip crayon.

Blur Illusion

“The Blur Illusion is my love letter to the lip,” McGrath stated. It is imperfect, it is romantic, and it is entirely addictive.” To achieve the look, she recommends pairing your favorite neutral lipstick with the matching liner drawn just beyond the natural lip line. Then, softly blur the edges with your finger or brush for a diffused, romantic finish. “Once you try it, there is no going back,” she added.

‘90s Minimalism

Chic lips from the 1990s never died. And, for good reason. “The 90s gave us the greatest lip moment in history,” she said. An homage to the era, but in a sharper and smarter fashion, “brown liner with pink balm is a combination I keep coming back to.” Think: LV Crayon in 193 – Sépia Panorama and LV Baume in 030 – Tender Bliss.

Classic Overline

Overdrawing your lips takes time to perfect. For McGrath, “this is the look I have been perfecting for thirty years,” she said. Using matte nudes, like LV Crayon 192 – Nude Quest and LV Rouge 110 – Vuittonite,  drawing your liner just beyond the natural lip line in a skin-toned color is as classic as a lip look gets. “It is timeless, it is deeply personal, and it is endlessly, quietly powerful,” she said.

Premiere Plump

“Contouring the lip is the greatest beauty secret of our generation,” she said. Look like you’re going to a red carpet premiere (even if you’ve never been to one) with a look McGrath coined “premiere plump.” It’s simple: pair your nude lip, like LV Rouge 108 – Silk And Spice with a deeper liner, like 193 – Sépia Panorama, to enhance the natural shape of your kissers. “This look transforms. It sculpts,” she said. “With the LV Crayon, the precision is unmatched—it is the most luxurious way to wear a liner.”

Ombré Legacy

In a look McGrath called “heritage lip artistry at its finest,” doubling up on reds is a Louis Vuitton classic. Using the shades Rouge Louis and Monogram Rouge, which both come in a lipstick and lip liner, this legacy look gives a seamless, heritage-inspired gradient. “Rouge Louis and Monogram Rouge were always destined to be worn together,” McGrath said. “The Lip Ombré is their story—beauty as legacy, applied with absolute precision.” 

Bold Signature

Similar to ombré legacy, using both LV Rouge and LV Crayon in 896 – Monogram Rouge makes for a bold signature. “This is not simply a look—it is a declaration,” she said about the burnished red shades. This ultimate red look represents “the power of the monogram, worn in full, from liner to lip.”

Read the original article on Essence.