Pucker Up: Trying Bésame Lipstick & Rouge

I'm not immune to those facebook ads that pop up in my feed, mostly because those ad have been specifically targeted to me based on my browsing history.  For the most part I ignore them as the violation of privacy that they are, but every now and then one does peek my interest and after I see it a couple hundred times I give in and go investigate.  Such was the case with Bésame cosmetics. 

My favorite foundation that I've been using for nearly 20 years was discontinued by Mary Kay in favor of a new line which just doesn't match my skin and quite frankly doesn't measure up to the old stuff at all.  So, I've been searching for cosmetics lately when Bésame came across my feed.  

I was gifted with some true vintage cosmetics years ago in the form of lipstick and rouge which I used occasionally.  They weren't really my colors--back then I hardly wore any make up at all--but I kept them because the colors were so pretty and beyond that, the cases were gorgeous.  

I still remember exactly how they looked: a rich pink pressed rouge that came in a tiny gold box and the lipstick was the richest red in a gold metallic case with ridges running down the length of it like an art deco artifice.  I remember looking at it and sighing at the sheer glamor of a by gone era, wishing we could have some semblance of that in modern times.  Sometimes wishes comes true.......

I looked at Bésame's line of cosmetics for several months before deciding to take the plunge, and here was the hook:

Classic elegance.  Modern beauty.

Luxury meets clean beauty.

Bésame is committed to sustainable practices and safe ingredients. By taking out fillers and poor quality ingredients, we’re able to create luxurious products that wear all day and look beautiful on your vanity. We’re constantly evolving to offer more refillable and low waste products. Every product is gluten, paraben, mineral-oil, phthalates, formaldehyde, and cruelty-free.

So, basically everything I've ever wanted in my make--up all rolled into one.  I decided to try it.  Unfortunately, Bésame doesn't currently offer foundation, so the search continues on that front, but I did decided to try some cream rouge and a couple of lipsticks.  Before buying, I did take the quiz to let Bésame help me find the shades that would look best on me and the recommendations were American Beauty and Bésame Red.

The unboxing experience is such a treat, like opening a gift (you have to watch the video!) and the cases have that vintage elegance that's sadly missing from most modern products.  As far as my lipstick quiz picks go, I love both of these colors.  American Beauty has more pink to it and is supposed to be a redux of a shade popular in 1945 and Bésame Red is such a lavish warm tone based on a popular color in 1920.  They're extremely rich and moisturizing, plus they stay put!  I haven't noticed any bleeding into fine lines.  I'll keep you posted, but at present, I'm in love with these lipsticks!

When I was in my teens and 20s I never wore rouge; it just looked a little too over the top on my make up.  The 30s however were a different story and I found that my cheeks needed just a hint of color.  As I enter my 40s, I've seen my skin become a little dry and in need of more moisturizing products instead of powders.  That's why I decided to try a cream rouge.  There are three colors to choose from and I chose the Poppy, a shade reminiscent of a popular 1938 rouge, since it seems like it would be a little more subtle than crimson and a little more natural to on my skin tone than apricot.

I've never tried cream rouge before, so in all honesty, application was a little tricky.  I put way too much on one cheek and had some difficulty blending it to match the other.  But, by the third or fourth application I think I've got the hang of it, and it feels so nice on my skin.  

Overall, I've been really happy with this experience and these products that I will definitely be back for a few more shades as the season changes.  In the meantime, if you've been curious about Bésame, don't hesitate to try it and don't forget to Check out the video below for a little unboxing and sneak peek at what you can expect if you order from Bésame.

Shopping Info:  

American Beauty Lipstick - $24.00, Bésame Red Lipstick - $24.00, and Poppy Cream Rouge-$20 from: Besame Cosmetics, Lipstick Shaped Clutch Bag - $18.00 from: SHEIN,  Moon Top, City Classified flats, Skirt from Chicwish