Exclusive: Bond No. 9 Is Launching a Line of Red Lipsticks Inspired by New York City, and We Tried Them All

Since 2002, Bond No. 9 has successfully launched fragrance after fragrance inspired by New York City. Chinatown, Astor Place, Wall Street, Nuits de Noho — each eau de parfum is meant to evoke the spirit of the specific street or neighborhood. And now, 17 years later, the brand is finally expanding into color cosmetics and applying that New York state of mind to a carefully curated selection of lipsticks.

Introducing Bond No. 9 New York Lips, a line of nine red-based lipsticks, each one named after a different area of New York City. "New York is a city of colors," says founder and president of Bond No. 9, Laurice Rahmé. "We wanted to do an edit by family — like we have done for fragrances, with citrus, white florals, ouds, and fougères — that translate the spirit of New York, this time for the lips." This initial red "family" is comprised of Broadway, Astor, Noho, Nolita, Fashion Avenue, Madison, Soho, Chelsea, and Park Avenue, the swatches of which you can see above, as well as modeled below on nine of our editors below. With so many different iterations of the classic hue, I'm confident that there is a red lipstick for everyone in this collection.

Full disclosure, my first job out of college was working as an assistant at Bond No. 9, helping out with public relations and advertising, but also getting to watch Laurice create a few of her fragrances — some of them from start to finish — an experience that was equal parts exciting, intimidating, and humbling. I honestly think that year at Bond helped me in my career as a beauty editor, providing me with a deep appreciation of what it takes to develop beauty products and run a company on your own.

During my year at Bond No. 9, I learned that their fragrances are really high quality (hence the really high price tag). The formulas contain twice, sometimes triple the amount of perfume oil than the majority of scents on the market. Knowing this, I had a suspicion that when the brand decided to launch lipsticks, the results would be equally as luxurious, with the same scrupulous attention to every single detail. I was not wrong. The packaging, the formula, the shades of New York Lips are all wildly opulent, yet without skimping on quality and wearability. This also isn't Rahmé's first time at the cosmetics rodeo. Before owning her own perfume business, she was the international training director at Lancôme (heading up its Middle East expansion) and eventually overseeing the brand's Institut de Beauté in New York City.

When it comes to the lipstick itself, Rahmé didn't follow the pack (she rarely ever does) and debut with something matte. Instead, the formula is silky and creamy — formulated with multiple oils like grapeseed, olive, argan, and meadowfoam as well as mango and shea butters — and gives your lips a natural-looking sheen once it sets. It's designed to glide on fully opaque in just one stroke (spoiler alert: it does), while the bullet is ergonomically designed to hug the curves of your lips as you apply it.

A few non-negotiables: the formula had to be vegan, cruelty-free, and not contain gluten, parabens, mineral oil, DEA, and phthalates. It also had to last, which is something we noticed after trying out the nine red-based shades here at the office. "I ate breakfast with this on and it barely budged," says digital skin editor Sarah Kinonen, who can be seen below wearing the shade Nolita. That doesn't mean it's totally transfer-proof. Pigment will get left behind on straws (paper or metal, of course), wine glasses, or your significant other, but it won't fully come off until you've swept over your lips with a makeup wipe. Rahmé also didn't go the gimmicky route of infusing her lipsticks with one of her fragrances; the lipsticks have no discernible scent or flavor.

True to the brand's DNA, the packaging for the lipsticks is eye-catching and statement-making — but also refillable. Inspired by the shape of the brand's perfume bottles, the hourglass-shaped case feels heavy in your hand and fits nicely in your palm, while the tube itself (which is magnetized and clicks neatly into the cap) features a vintage New York City subway charm dangling from the bottom. It's bigger and weightier than the Guerlain Rouge G lipstick cases that come with a built-in mirror, but equally as elegant — something that you'll want to keep forever, and then hand down to someone special.

The price of a tube of New York Lips might make you balk at first. The gold keepsake lipstick, which includes the fancy case and one tube of lipstick, is $105. Buy the gold keepsake lipstick with an additional refill included and it will set you back $130. That's a lot of money, yes, but for the latter, you're actually getting two tubes of lipstick plus the gorgeous case, which will last you for decades. When you run out of lipstick, a refill is $45, which is right around what most prestige lipsticks cost these days; the only difference is that these refills come in biodegradable packaging.

Combine the wearability and universality of the shades, the comfortable-to-wear vegan formula, and the gorgeous, sustainable case, and you've got what I consider to be one of the most giftable lipsticks I've ever seen, whether that gift is a present for a loved one or for yourself. But I get it: If you're someone who doesn't believe in paying more than $15 for a lipstick, this product isn't for you and I'm not going to try or be able to convince you otherwise. If you're someone who doesn't mind a beauty splurge once and a while, then I'd highly recommend giving one of these gilded tubes a try.

The Bond No. 9 New York Lips collection launches on February 14, 2019, at Bond No. 9 New York boutiques, bondno9.com, Saks Fifth Avenue nationwide, and select Bloomingdale's stores. To celebrate the occasion, today, January 14th, Bond No. 9 has also launched an Instagram handle, @kissandtell that will feature pictures and videos aggregated by consumers, Influencers, and Bond fans; so log on, pucker up, and prepare yourself for some serious New York-style lip service.

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