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If you’ve spent much time wearing high heels, you know the drill: You start the night strutting like a runway model, you end it limping in agony. So it’s no wonder that fans of this pretty-but-painful footwear are desperate for a way to make their shoes comfier—and if the Instagram ads and fawning TikTok reviews are to be believed, the Vivian Lou Weight-Shifting Insoles could help.
These insoles don’t come cheap. Vivian Lou’s flagship model, the Classic Weight-Shifting Insoles for High Heels, sells for about $29, and you can also buy a premium, $49 Couture model—pretty steep, considering the average drugstore insoles cost around $8. The promises are lofty, too, with the brand claiming that you can “Wear heels four times longer without pain … finally, high heels without the hurt.”
I—and three of my Wirecutter colleagues—spent hours teetering, clomping, and sashaying around in heels outfitted with both types of Vivian Lou insoles. Our verdict: They didn’t sweep us off our feet.
Most insoles rely on bulky cushioning to relieve discomfort. In contrast, the Vivian Lou insoles are resin slivers that, in theory, prevent pain by shifting your weight from the ball of your foot to your heel. “When you walk in heels, your gait is abnormal, since all the pressure is placed on your forefoot,” explained Dr. Suzanne Levine, DPM, a board-certified podiatric surgeon in New York City and author of My Feet Are Killing Me. (Levine created her own line of comfort insoles, which we have not tested.)
I started out by trying the Vivian Lou Classic insoles in a (baseline excruciating) pair of strappy 3-inch heels. Initially, I felt less discomfort than I’m used to, and a subtle reduction in the pressure on my forefoot. But after just an hour of wear, the familiar pain—pounding in my toes, buzzing through my arches and up my legs—announced itself. Did it take four times as long to strike, per Vivian Lou’s promise? Hard to say, but I wouldn’t call a 60-minute session a miracle. (Note: Vivian Lou does offer a “forever money-back guarantee” on all its insoles, minus shipping costs.)
I was eager to hear what my three colleagues—who don’t have my flat feet or ruinous posture—thought of the Classic insoles. Their feedback: “Underwhelming,” “barely noticeable,” and “nothing to write home about.” Hardly ringing endorsements.
Next, we all tested the Couture insoles, which Vivian Lou bills as its “most effective” model. The design is similar to that of the Classic insole, but with an even narrower silhouette, an extra area of padding at the forefoot, and designated right and left insoles. Two testers were pleasantly surprised by these insoles and found them to be a noteworthy improvement. “They make it feel like my high arches are getting a gentle, sustained hug,” said one. “These are much better than the Classic ones—I actually notice a difference,” said another. Still, nobody was entirely blown away.
All four testers positively balked at the price of the Vivian Lou insoles, given their lackluster performance. If they were cheap, we could imagine considering them as an option, because even a modest upgrade in comfort is helpful. But none of us could stomach shelling out $29 (plus shipping) for the tepid Classic model. And though our testers had more enthusiasm for the $49 Couture version, as one tester pointed out, “I have actual pairs of shoes that cost less than that.”
Curious to know how a drugstore brand would perform in comparison, I got myself an $8 pair of Dr. Scholl’s Invisible Cushioning Insoles for High Heels. The packaging and product design definitely weren’t as slick, and they’re wider and bulkier than the Vivian Lou styles, so the insoles were visible from the side in my strappy heels. (They’d be incognito in many other shoe styles.) In terms of actual comfort, though, the Dr. Scholl’s insoles had a springy texture and flexible arch support that instantly provided more noticeable relief than I’d gotten from either Vivian Lou model.
The product page for the top-of-the-line Vivian Lou Couture Weight-Shifting Insoles includes—surprisingly—a recommendation not to buy them. Instead, Vivian Lou suggests that all brand newbies start with the less expensive Classic style (or the $59 ‘ Try Both’ Bundle). Why would a company steer potential customers away from its crown jewel?
Well, it’s because—as the site goes on to explain—the Couture insoles have a special added feature, a metatarsal support pad, that is “great for most, but for some, this pad can cause discomfort.” We asked a Vivian Lou rep for more details about how common it is for customers to experience this issue, and they responded, “The Couture is scientifically superior, but because of its unique shape and additional technology, it doesn’t always match the foot shape. Some have spectacular success with it; others don't.”
Turns out, I fell into the unlucky subset of Couture insole noncompatibles—but not for the reason advertised. When I first put them in, the insoles felt pleasantly supportive. About thirty minutes into wearing them, though, I began noticing a disturbing lump on each foot in the area between my heel pad and arch. This mystery lump wasn’t in the same spot as the insole’s metatarsal support pad, but it was a dealbreaker for me nonetheless. Like a princess sleeping on a particularly nasty pea, I found it so distracting—and eventually, painful—that I had to take off the shoes.
Unlike most insoles, which are transferable, Vivian Lou insoles are intended to be permanent; they have strong adhesive bottoms, so once you stick ’em to a pair of shoes, they’re there to stay. While this keeps the insoles from slipping, sliding, and bunching, it also creates some major drawbacks—most obviously, you would have to buy a new set for each pair of heels.
The adhesive also raises the stakes when it comes to installing your insoles perfectly. You have a grace period to make adjustments before it fully sets (I was still able to peel and readjust after 10 minutes), but after that, you’re committed to the placement, like it or not. And if you ever decide to remove the insoles, Vivian Lou warns that doing so could damage the footbed of your shoes. At the very least, you’ll be left with a sticky residue.
Understandably, our testing panel wasn’t thrilled by the Vivian Lou insole’s permanency, or the associated risks—and most of us hadn’t been aware that this was how they worked. The grumbles ranged from practical (“I’d like them better if they could be peeled off, washed, and reused,”) to snarky and outraged (“Now I’m supposed to start putting $50 insoles in all my shoes? There goes the kids’ college fund.”)
According to Levine, it’s no surprise that these insoles didn’t have the power to magically transform our impractical footwear. Between the shape and biomechanics of your foot, the configuration of your shoe, and your particular pain points, there are simply too many specific variables to be realistically tackled by a generic product. Concluded Levine, “A simple insert isn’t going to solve the problem.”
You’re likely to have better luck if you customize your approach. Levine recommends trying items that target your specific issues, rather than full-size insoles, which might offer support in places you don’t need it. For example, metatarsal pads can alleviate pain in the ball of your foot, numbing sprays are helpful for nerve pain, and arch supports may be your best bet if you have flat feet.
If you want to take it up a notch, it might be worth considering getting fitted for custom orthotic insoles, which can better address the unique issues confronting your feet. Orthotics are pricey—a pair can run from $200 to $800—but many health insurance plans cover them when they’re prescribed by a doctor.
And, of course, you have one final option. It’s not for everybody, but it’s on the top of my to-do list: Ditch the high heels altogether, and invest in some fetching flats instead.
This article was edited by Ingela Ratledge Amundson and Jennifer Hunter.
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Custom Tooled Leather Heels Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).