Besame Lipstick Review

About Besame Cosmetics

Besame Cosmetics designs luxury makeup that captures timeless 20th-century glamor. The company sells highly pigmented eye, lip, and face makeup, along with accessories like brushes and cosmetic bags.

Besame’s vintage-inspired collection boasts a cult following, particularly for its limited-edition products. If you yearn for looks made iconic by women like Marilyn Munroe and Lucille Ball, one of these shades may become a new addition to your makeup faves.

Follow this Besame lipstick review to explore the brand, their bestselling shades, customer reviews, promotions, and more. Keep reading to find out if this decade-defying lineup is right for you.

Overview of Besame Cosmetics 

Besame Cosmetics was founded in 2004 by Gabriela Hernandez, a designer/cosmetics historian. Side note: how cool does cosmetic historian sound? Sample curriculum, please.

Gabriela’s mission was to channel the simplicity of her grandmother’s beauty routine and bring classic elegance to the modern world of cosmetics. I too have a fashionable grandma. I’m loving this origin story already.

Gabriela and her family own and operate the company from Glendale, CA. Besame Cosmetics produces locally in Los Angeles, CA, with a commitment to high-quality ingredients and clean beauty.

Besame vintage makeup is cruelty-free, low-waste, and designed for sensitive skin. The entire collection exclusively features natural ingredients free of mineral oil, gluten, and parabens.

Unlike most companies offering extensive products, Besame Cosmetics curates a relatively small line of lipsticks, eye shadow, mascaras, rouge, powder, and accessories. 

Besame’s makeup shades are reproductions of the last century—beginning with vintage makeup from estate sales, auctions, and antique stores. The company then recreates the colors and textures to match the originals using clean ingredients.

Before we dive into this Besame lipstick review of their bestsellers, here’s a sum-up on the brand:

Pros

• Curated collection of lipstick, eyeshadow, powder, accessories, and more
• Sustainably made with natural, clean ingredients
• 100% cruelty-free, long-lasting, and low waste
• Free of gluten, parabens, and mineral oils
• Safe for sensitive skin
• Points reward system for product discounts 

Cons

• Limited product selection
• Special collections are only available for a limited time
• Luxury makeup is pricey; it’s more expensive than most drugstore brands, but mid-range for a premium brand

Besame Vintage Lipstick Review

Besame lipsticks are triple-pigmented to create rich shades, with a long-wearing satin finish and a subtle vanilla flavor (ok, yum). They contain Vitamin E, squalane, and aloe. Besame vintage lipstick includes 15 shades priced at $24, plus a mini trio set for $15. 

Besame lip shades range from neutral pink and magenta to deep red, vibrant orange, and sultry maroon. The lipsticks have a gentle shine, packaged in attractive gold tubes with rounded tops, vintage style.

One of the most compelling elements of Besame lipsticks is that each one is associated with a year in the past. There’s a quick quiz on the website to discover shades that complement your skin tone, hair color, and desired uses. 

In the interest of providing a thorough Besame lipstick review, I took the quiz. Besame recommended neutral pink, coral, and mulberry shades for my olive skin, brown eyes, and dark brown hair. Pretty informative for a 2-minute quiz, give or take.

This Besame lipstick review contains a mix of my own reflections, passion for history, and info from each product page. I’ll take you through the popular lipstick shades between the 1920s and 1960s, decades that coincide with the Hollywood Golden Age.

Let’s travel in time.

The ‘20s: Deep and Daring

We call it the Roaring Twenties, and it truly was. An economic boom, Prohibition, flappers sneaking into speakeasies, parties worthy of The Great Gatsby. Ladies were letting loose and their lips showed it with soulful, warm-toned red.

The deep, sensual tone of Bésame Blood Red (1921) went with sparkling jewelry and risqué dresses that were shorter than ever before. Va-va-voom, indeed.

This Besame lipstick was inspired by women taking risks, daring to display femininity on their own terms. A century ago to the year, this was only one way that our lady predecessors rocked feminism.

The ’30s: Dark and Sultry 

The Classic Hollywood age continues, and iconic actresses like Joan Crawford and Greta Garbo don sultry plum shades that stood out in black and white films.

Besame Noir Red circa 1930 is inspired by the lively parties and intrigue of the decade. Imagine wearing this lip color while attending a murder mystery dinner party (those were all the rage back then).

If you want to make a dramatic pout statement and love red-purple shades, channel the 1930s cinema.

The ‘40s: Bright and Bold

With the hardships of the Second World War behind them, women yearned for brighter, more optimistic shades. War brought thousands of women to the workplace, where some would remain. Others felt society’s pressure to resume their duties at home (ugh).

Experiencing new freedom on the job front—or yearning for more—gave women the confidence to rep bold shades much like Besame American Beauty (1945). Featuring a berry shade with magenta undertones, this bright and romantic shade continued the trend of femininity trend.

At this point, we’re far from rigid Victorian-era fashion rules at the turn of the century. Enter Besame Red Velvet (1946) the brand’s top-selling lipstick.

This popular hue was carried by many beauty departments at the time. It uses a neutral, versatile undertone that works with all skin tones, which no doubt contributes to its status.

The ‘50s: Brazen Babes

If this color makes you think of Marilyn Munroe, you guessed right: This 1959 lipstick shade was favored by the blonde bombshell herself. Besame Red Hot Red pays homage to this brazen Hollywood actress who became one of the most famous cultural icons of her time. 

This Besame lipstick features a brilliant red with a warm yellow undertone. History remembers Marilyn for being exceptionally bright, as well. Although it’s too bright for me, I think shades like this look seriously attractive on others.

The ‘60s: Pretty in Pink

If you gravitate toward natural every day looks like I do, softer pink shades of the 1960s may be more your style. Besame Portrait Pink circa 1963 is a flattering neutral shade you can wear day or night.

Women in America were captivated by First Lady Jackie Kennedy in this decade, and beauty companies satisfied the craze. Mrs. Kennedy actually did wear shades resembling this one. How do I know this? I’ve watched a lot of Mad Men. 

As the decade went on, pink still reigned supreme. Besame Dusty Rose (1969) is a dark pinkish mauve color. If you like these shades, The Beatles, and all that peace and love stuff, maybe you actually do belong in this era. 

Besame Lipstick Reviews: What Do Customers Think?

Besame makeup is celebrated across the web, and most customers seem pleased with product performance, especially for lipstick. Besame lipstick reviews indicate that buyers highly enjoy the smooth feel, vanilla flavor, and shades that complement their features.

On the company website, their most popular lipsticks have near-perfect ratings of 4.8 and 4.9/5 stars based on 1,000+ customer reviews. One testimonial deemed Besame the “perfect lipstick formula” and many others share similar sentiments. These Besame lipstick review examples convey just how satisfied buyers are:

• Red Velvet: “I love the classic-ness of this color and the scent is so gentle and nostalgic. Definitely one of my favorite lipstick colors.“
• Chocolate Kiss: “The formula is hydrating! But this lipstick is hands down my ultimate favorite. I find myself using this lipstick constantly! Goes with all my outfits and suits my warm toned skin.” 
• Blood Red Lipstick: “This is a really beautiful color and the texture and subtle vanilla scent are dreamy. It wears well and is comfortable.”
• American Beauty: “Hard to find red with blue undertones. Please, never stop making it! I have olive skin, brown eyes and chestnut blonde hair. This lipstick is the one.”

Besame lipstick performs pretty well on other sites, too. MakeupAlley users award the brand 4.4/5 stars from 540 ratings. Similarly, Amazon customers give the lipstick 4.5/5 stars out of 732 ratings.

The occasional Besame lipstick review complains of issues with color, texture, or undelivered items. Besame consistently responds to these comments across websites, encouraging buyers to get in touch with customer service. These negative reports are rare and vastly outnumbered by positive experiences.

Is Besame Cosmetics Worth It?

Besame lipstick is the height of vintage cosmetics. We think it’s a worthy investment, provided you have the budget for it. While they fall on the pricier side, this makeup is of much higher quality than cheap drugstore brands.

While the collection is limited, Besame lipstick is quite varied, ranging from neutral to bold in the hottest shades. The company gets extra points for cruelty-free, sustainable, and healthy ingredients. If you have sensitive skin and struggle to find lip products that work, Besame could be your solution.

An in-depth Besame lipstick review found that the overwhelming majority of customers are in love, if not obsessed with their lipstick, so it seems like the brand is well-deserving of a cult following. It’s natural for there to be some unhappy users, but no cosmetics line will work for everyone.

Another big selling point for Besame is historical accuracy. If you’re not into vintage, this lip line may not be worth it. If you’re truly interested in authentic makeup from days gone by, Besame lipstick is a worthy celebration of the icons and ways of life that influenced 20th-century beauty.

Besame Cosmetics Promotions & Discounts 

At the time of this Besame lipstick review, there are currently no deals, but check their website and social media regularly for promotions.

One sure-fire way to save on Besame Cosmetics is by joining their rewards program to access product discounts as you rack up points. When you redeem points, you’re given a Besame discount code (200 points equals $10). Once you sign up for the program, you can earn points by:

• Leaving a review on a Besame Product: 10 points
• Referring a friend: you each get 50 points
• Following Facebook.com/BesameCosmetics/: 20 points
• Follow them on Instagram @besamecosmetics: 20 points
• Spending $1: 1 point 
• Having a birthday: 50 points 

Where to Buy Besame Cosmetics 

Customers can shop the entire collection through the brand website, BesameCosmetics.com.  Besame also has a flagship store in Burbank, California. A selection of lipsticks is also available through Amazon.

FAQ

Besame Cosmetics Shipping Policy

Besame ships within the United States and internationally to the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and the European Union. Free shipping is offered for Domestic (US) orders of at least $55, or for international orders over $150.

Shipping costs are calculated and displayed at checkout based on your location. Besame estimates for delivery time depend on the order volume. Customers can track their orders through Besame’s website.

Besame Cosmetics Return Policy

Besame offers a full 30-day exchange or return policy, excluding sample sets and final sale items. All returns are subject to a $7.95 handling/processing fee. Customers may only process one exchange per order (unless an exchanged item is damaged upon arrival).

An important Besame lipstick review advisory: the company does not refund original or return shipping fees. 

How to Contact Besame Cosmetics

If you have questions beyond this Besame lipstick review, reach out to the team via:

• Contact form on BesameCosmetics.com
• Phone: 1 818-276-9400 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm PST)
• Email: [email protected]

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