Christian Louboutin's Bathroom Secrets Revealed

Christian Louboutin
shares his bathroom secrets: it’s all about quality, quantity and
looking good in the process of looking good. Bonus: foot care tips from
the king of the red soles.

Skincare and beauty – is this standard practice at home for you?Christian
Louboutin: Yes, because I always go back to the same brands. When I’ve
chosen a product, I buy five bottles of it – a large one that stays in
the bathroom, and small ones that accompany me on my travels.

What’s your favourite perfume?CL: Cologne
Bigarade by Frédéric Malle in the afternoon, 4711 cologne throughout the
day and Géranium pour Monsieur and Eau de Magnolia – also by Frédéric
Malle – in the evenings. There’s also Pour un Homme de Caron, my very
first. I don’t wear it often but I can’t not have it.

Are you big on skin care?CL: Not really, apart
from my Clarins Eau Dynamisante body splash and Granado exfoliator that I
bring back every year from Brazil. For the face, I use Darphin and
Clarins sun protection products.

Christian Louboutin | Photography Romain Bernardie James
In 1992, you created your signature red sole for one of your
prototypes – the Pensée model. Today, you claim that with this line of
nail varnish, you are returning to the cosmetics world something you
borrowed…CL: Indeed, I coloured my first sole with red varnish… so it makes sense to render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s! There were two approaches with red – nail varnish or lipstick, both associated with a sensual style.

You are changing the way nail polish is applied – the large
brush encourages the user to take their time, which seems to be in
contradiction with our current way of thinking, doesn’t it?CL:
I’m all about slowing down and preserving rituals and there is one
thing about high heels that I have always stood up for, which is that
they slow down a person’s pace. The same goes for nail polish – a lady
painting her nails daintily is far more beautiful than one who has her
nails stuck in a toaster-like nail dryer!

The bottle (ink bottle style) and brush are inspired by the heels
of his legendary Ballerinas in 2007, created for the Fetish exhibition
by David Lynch.

Five tips for perfect feet from the shoe designer who knows best

1. Switch heels regularly. You should vary the high heels you wear, otherwise your tendons may stiffen and cause you a lot of pain.
2. Massage your feet and apply talcum powder like professional dancers do.
3. Stand on one foot whenever you can – it’s a little daily routine
   that improves your balance and is also convenient while pulling on your
   stockings. High heels can cause your back to play up but with good
   balance, the back realigns itself naturally.
4. No Botox injections on the feet! It’s horrendous! Moreover, it is
   harmful because by removing your ability to feel pain, you also lose the
   feeling of balance. You need to be able to feel your weight in order to
   balance.
5. For short toes, choose nude nail varnishes that lengthen the leg and
   draw attention to the shoes. For long toes, the colour will make them
   appear shorter.

 - L'Officiel