“Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together.” – Elizabeth Taylor
It’s not a secret that I love a good red lipstick. Ever since discovering my love for vintage fashion, my collection for red lipsticks has doubled. One company I have had my eye on for quite some time is the vintage-staple makeup brand Besame Cosmetics. In this post I will be reviewing three of Besame Cosmetic’s classic color lipsticks. What makes them unique and is the price worth it?
Keep on scrolling to read my honest review and first impression of Besame Cosmetics
Don’t forget to see the whole review on my YouTube Channel
About Besame Cosmetics
Besame Cosmetics was founded by Gabriela Hernandez in 2004. With a background as a cosmetic historian and designer, Gabriela created a makeup company that brought back the simple glamour of her grandmother’s beauty routine. Besame Cosmetics is a family owned (Latinx) business based in Los Angeles and makes all their products in house. They are cruelty free and formulated for sensitive skin. Their products are also free of gluten, parabens, and mineral oils.
Although their main product is their lipsticks, they also have face products such as cream rouges, eye shadows, and face powders. But their cake mascara is another product that I am highly interested trying out next!
Last year when attending D23, (The Disney Convention) I purchase my first lipstick from the Besame Cosmetics booth. They collaborated with Disney to create their Sleeping Beauty collection. The Maleficent shade (a dusty rose color) caught my eye and immediately purchased it. Since then, they have done some fun collaborations. Recently they released a whole “I Love Lucy” collection that included two signature red lipsticks and a limited edition eye shadow palette.
Classic Color Lipsticks
I wanted to try a range of colors, so I chose three of their classic color Besame lipsticks. Carmine 1931, Victory Red 1941 and Blood Red 1922; all costing $24 per shade. They have over 15 different shades of reds and pinks ranging from dusty rose to red velvet. If you noticed next to the name of the lipstick, follows a year. That is because they recreated the shades that was popular in that year. When unboxing the lipsticks for the first time, I first saw their gorgeous packaging. From the gold embossing on the box, to the design on the lipstick bullet. Their lipsticks alone make a great addition to my vintage makeup vanity.
If you are unsure on which lipstick shade to get first, they have a fun little quiz on their website that will recommend three shades to choose from.
Carmine 1931
This color caught my eye immediately. On camera is show up more red, but this is a bright peachy-orange color. The perfect pop of color you will love in the spring time. First thing I noticed is that their lipsticks have square shape, different from any other lipstick I have tried before. I found this shape to be super elegant yet, it made applying the lipstick much easier and had more control on getting clean lines around the corners of the mouth. If this square shape makes applying the lipstick difficult for you, I suggest applying with a lip brush to get a more precise application.
Victory Red 1941
One lady can never have too many red lipsticks. When I think of a vintage red lip this is the shade I see. A true shade straight from the 1940’s. This particular shade of red had some blue under tones, making a great red color that would compliment many skin-tones. If you see along the lipstick, the Besame logo is imprinted. The small details like this make me not want to use the lipstick because it is soo beautifully crafted. Can I also mention that I love the smell of these lipsticks, I don’t know how to explain it but it just has that nice lipstick smell. ( If you know, you know)
Blood Red 1922
A perfect dark shade for a sultry look. Appropriately named, this blood red shade is a go to color for the fall season. The 1920’s was all about a dark vampy lip. This color immediately reminds me of The Great Gatsby era. Most of the Besame lipsticks have a silky satin finish, which helps if your lips are on the dryer side. On another note, if you want that matte finish look you should try blotting your lips with a finishing powder. (This will also help with making your lipstick last longer throughout the day)
With this particular dark color I would recommend using a lip liner before to prevent bleeding.
Final Thoughts
What is my final review? Well, I would definitely purchase more of these lipsticks personally. I’m a sucker for the packaging and how they look when I display them on my vanity. As far as how long lasting these are, they are not a matte formula so if you eat or drink anything, you will most likely need to touch up afterwards. During these time where wearing a mask has become part of our routine, I would not recommend to wear these under your mask, it definitely will smudge. Price wise they are more expensive, but knowing they are cruelty free and made in house, I don’t mind spending the extra money knowing I’m getting a good quality lipstick. If you love vintage styles, these replica vintage shades are totally worth having in your makeup collection.
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