If it’s about luxury, class, and reputation in the fashion and beauty world, give it to Dior and Chanel. Yes, both brands have had their highs and lows, but through the years, they’ve maintained their top spots among the leading luxury brands globally.
For someone not fashion-forward, lipstick is lipstick, whether from Chanel, Dior, or a no-name brand. Many people even wonder why their friends would spend as much as $60 or more for something to keep their lips supple and attractive. It’s all about what each person prioritizes and how we want others to view or see us.
Chanel and Dior have different lipsticks, which they sometimes release simultaneously or separately. From patterns and history, it seems these top brands copy one another by trying to catch or match up the products released by the other. So, if you buy a fashion accessory from Chanel, for instance, you are most likely to find its equivalence with Dior or other luxury brands.
That is why, in this article, I will use representative products from both brands to help you see which is worth your hard-earned money. But for the sake of first-timers or those who may not know much about these two brands, let’s start by looking at the history of the two of them.
Dior vs. Chanel Lipstick: How the Journey Began
Dior and Chanel are big French Fashion Houses with a worldwide customer base. Historically, both brands have come a long way and have strong ideologies behind their fashion creations. You can find specific details about their journey from inception to date in the comparison table below.
| Historical Details | Dior | Chanel |
| Country of Origin | Paris, France | Paris, France |
| Year of Establishment | 1946 (77 years ago) | 1910 (113 years ago) |
| Lipstick Commencement Yr. | 1950 (started selling officially to the public in 1953) | 1924 |
| Brief History | From being an artist with a special love for art galleries, Christian Dior ventured into fashion designing after the Great Depression of the 20th century affected his art’s fortunes. The French artist-turned-designer spent some time learning fashion design under Robert Piguet and Lucien Lelong before starting his brand in 1947. Dior’s vision was to dress women from head to toe with classic and timeless couture, dresses, and cosmetics.
Dior’s journey into lipstick production began in the late 1940s, but it didn’t materialize until 1950. Even then, the first edition was limited to only loyal fans and would not sell out until three years later. Early lipsticks by Dior were more like artwork, embellishing women’s beauty desks with their obelisk shape and practical lids for easy carriage. The initial lipsticks were also refillable, unlike those that are not today. |
Before World War I in the 1900s, women’s dresses were restrictive. It almost looked like the only acceptable style was corseted-like clothing that didn’t give room for much flexibility. When the war ended, Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel championed innovative dresses for women that would free them from the normative look of her days. Being a fashion designer, this French non-conformist emphasized attires that are sporty, casual, and flexible for women through her designs.
Coco Chanel’s venture into lipstick production began in 1924, coinciding with the brand’s production of cosmetics and perfumes. The decision to start producing lipsticks was because she was dissatisfied with what the market had to offer. Her formula, though creamy and ultra-pigmented, was nonetheless wearable. From this initial stride, Coco Chanel took a step further to even engineer her bespoke shade to achieve the climpson lip she’s always admired. The latest lipstick from this fashion house is housed in a rectangular glass pack with a red top. |
Bottom Line
Chanel entered the lipstick ecosystem earlier than Dior, but both had similar beginnings, motivations, and styles. It’s not an easy thing to separate the two based on how they started, except if one wants to use their establishment year as a yardstick. Nevertheless, Chanel, from its origin, had always rooted for liberalism, while Dior is comparatively conservative.
Dior vs. Chanel Lipstick: Latest Products Compared
Since there are dozens of Dior and Chanel lipsticks, I will compare both brands by picking a representative product under these three categories:
- Long-lasting
- Most expensive
- Iconic lipstick
Let’s begin with Dior’s products that best qualify for these three considerations
Dior Lipsticks
Long-Lasting:Â Rouge Dior Couture Lipstick – 999 Satin Lipstick
Besides satin, Rouge Dior is also available in velvet, metallic, and matte finishes. However, of all the shades, the satin finish is the most expensive. Its weightless texture makes it super comfortable to apply, and it stays for 16 hours, keeping your lips supple and radiant. The hue is perfect, with a mix of orange and red to infuse life into your look. Because it can be a bit dry, one way to moisturize is to use it with gloss. And, yes! The lipstick is refillable.
Most Expensive – Dior Rouge Premiere
Dior’s most expensive lipstick costs $516 or £500, and it’s made of 24-carat gold with twelve unique shades. For five years, the fashion house giant committed resources to making this lipstick, and it’s no wonder it costs this much. Rouge Premiere smells like bergamot and rooibos tea, and like most of Dior’s lipsticks, it is refillable. The cylindrical case housing the lipstick is ceramic-made but is only 0.8mm deep, pointing back to Christian Dior and Maria Grazia’s initial boutique designs.
Most Iconic – Dior Addict Shine Lipstick
With about five unique shades of this product, there’s hardly any other contender with it on the list of iconic Dior lipstick. On TikTok and other social media platforms, this lipstick has over 500 million views – a testimony to its wide acceptance. According to its makers, its ingredients are 90% natural, with plenty of nourishments for users. It is refillable and offers 24 hours of hydration, although it lasts only 6 hours for single use.
Chanel Lipsticks
As with Dior, we will briefly check out representative products from the lipstick collection of this fashion house under the three subheadings:
Long-Lasting:- Chanel Rouge Allure Ink
Fourteen shades of this lipstick are available, and each is long-lasting and smoothly textured with an intense and velvety finish. The primary ingredients are jojoba oil, waxes, polymers, plant oil, and various antioxidants. Based on customers’ feedback, there is no consensus on how long it lasts, but officially, the intense-colored lipstick can last for over seven hours.
Most Expensive – Chanel 31 Le Rouge
‘Gorgeous,’ ‘iconic,’ and ‘pricey’ are just a few words to describe this new entrant into the lipstick space. It was launched in September 2023, but it commands such attention and admiration as though it’s been around for ages. Its twelve shades are undoubtedly influenced by the brand’s founder’s silhouette, Chanel Coco. And for those wondering whether the hefty price tag is worth it, the answer probably lies in the unusual craftsmanship put into it and the brand’s name.
Most Iconic:- Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Sheer Lipshine No. 452 Emilienne
Perfect for all skin types and super-hydrating all day, this red-colored Chanel lipstick is ideal for anyone who wants to make a fashion statement. Available in four colors – Emilienne, Mademoiselle, Antoinette, and Etienne – all compatible with all skin types. The ease with which it glides on the lips and its admirable smell is top of its customer selling points. Yes, it’s slightly pricey ($60+), but buyers applaud it for the great worth it gives for its price.
Bottom Line
Dior and Chanel have plenty of options in whatever category of lipsticks you may want. So long as you are rooting for luxury and class, both provide almost anything you may desire. In other words, neither beats the other in their product lines.
Dior vs. Chanel Lipstick: Which is More Expensive
Immediately you start checking products from famous luxury fashion houses, saving cost is probably not one of your considerations. That’s because luxury and class come with money. As such, none of Dior or Chanel’s lipsticks is cheap, especially when you want to compare their prices with those of other less popular brands.
However, it seems Channel is generally costlier than Chanel. Don’t take my word for it; let’s consider the three representative products of these brands and their prices to see how close or far they are from each other.
| Lipstick Parameters | Dior (prices are in USD) | Chanel (prices are in USD) |
| Long-lasting | $45 | $45 |
| Most Expensive | $516 | $195 |
| Most Iconic | $38 | $66.45 |
From this table, you can see that Chanel lipsticks are slightly costlier than Dior. If we leave aside both brands’ most expensive products, lipsticks from Chanel cost around $15 more than those from Dior.
So, Which is Worth Your Money?
Any lipstick from either Chanel or Dior is worth its price. At least from users’ feedback and reviews on different platforms, most people never complained of not getting value for their money. Considering the ideologies and history behind both fashion houses, none is set for churning out products that will dent or taint its name.
But if you want to save a bit and still enjoy luxury, Dior will provide that. There are many options with pocket-friendly prices. Also, you must select products that match your goals. That is, if your primary focus is on long-lasting, sweet-smelling lipsticks, search along that line and compare prices from both brands before making payments.
