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

Hey, Lipstick! You're the Balm!

 "I feel absolutely naked without my lipstick!"  bonus points if you know from which classic movie this quote has come.  Lipstick: love it or hate it, need it or forget it.  Personally I'm of two minds about lipstick, because I love the way it looks but hate the way it feels.  I always remember to take it with me but almost always forget to put it on.  If you're on the fence about this cosmetic staple, let's go over the benefits of wearing lipstick and a few work arounds if it's not your most favorite accessory.

1.  Protect & Heal.  A moisturizing lipstick can protect against chapping, pealing lips, and one with SPF can even protect against sun damage on this very delicate skin.

2.  Confidence Bump.  Hey, remember that post about power suits, well think of lipstick as the power suit for your smile.  No, wait, don't think of it like that, that's a terrible analogy.  The psychology is the same though.  Lipstick, particularly a bold bright shade, makes you feel beautiful, powerful, confident, and that's the best reason to do anything.

3.  Define your lips.  In the same way that shoes can make or break the outfit, pale lifeless lips can ruin even the best features or make-up application.  And, let's face it, when you talk to people they're going to be looking at your mouth, so why not make it look its best and put on a little color and shine.

Those are just a few of the benefits of wearing lipstick, but if you're still not a fan, here are a few work arounds.  1.  Go Matte.  Most people's problem with lipstick is the sticky feeling or the fact that it smudges.  Finding a nice Matte lipstick, I like NYX Suede Matte-$8, feels like wearing nothing at all and I haven't had a problem with smudging, but I do still remove my lipstick for mealtimes and reapply afterwards, just in case.

2. Lip Stain.  Lip stain goes on wet but then dries leaving behind a color that won't smudge or have that sticky feeling many don't like and is supposed to last for 8-12 hours.  L'oreal Rouge Signature Lightweight Matte Lip Stain has great reviews and only costs around $10.  Personally, I love this stuff for wearing to work where I feel like I need to have some color on my lips, but I don't have time to be constantly checking for smudges, but I do have to reapply at least once during the work day.

3. Tinted Gloss.  A nice tinted gloss like Baby Lips by Maybelline, is very lightweight with just a hint of color so it feels and looks very natural.  You get a little color with this brand, plus you get the benefit of being protected from chapped lips!

Shopping Info: Ashley Dress in Blue Lipstick print from BernieDexter.com-$172, Lipstick Shaped Clutch Bag - $18.00 from: SHEIN

Product Review: Under Eye Concealer

Under eye circles can occur for a host of reasons from sleepless nights and dehydration to allergies and genetics and the simple fact that we're all getting older.  We'll all have them at some point in our lives, so it's best to have a few products on hand should you need them.  With the last few years of struggling with insomnia while simultaneously adding a few birthdays, I find myself with under eye circles more often than not these days and I've tried a number of different concealers to help cover them.  What I've learned from all this experimentation is that I can't use the same products in my mid 30s and beyond that I used in my 20s.  So for this post I'll present all the things I've tried and the pros and cons of each for women in their mid 30s and up.

Garnier Skin Active Clearly Brighter  Anti Dark Circle Eye Roller-$10

If you're looking for something lightweight, this one is definitely the best.  It doesn't settle into fine lines.  What it's not the best at is sticking around.  It seems like this stuff is absorbed or faded within an hour or so and the dark circles are back.  Even though it's reasonably priced, this product was the least effective and my least favorite.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer, Light-$7

This under eye concealer has a spongy applicator with a top that twists to refill the sponge.  It's a mid-weight cream.  Not so light that it's barely visible and not so heavy that it cakes or settles into fine lines.  The least expensive of the bunch, it's probably my favorite and the one I use most often.  I use it in the mornings on top of my foundation and in the evenings if I need a touch up, I use this same brand in the brightener.  When applying, I lightly dab two or three dots under each eye and then gently tap the area with my ring finger to blend.

MAC Prep+Prime Highlighter Light Boost $30

This concealer carries the heftiest price tag out of all the brands I tried and sadly I didn't think it was worth the money.  I like the soft brush applicator, and it is very light and smooth so it didn't cake, but it's so light that it's easy to over blend and have it disappear completely.  This one I ranked as second best.

NYX Cosmetics Concealer Jar, Yellow-$9

This one was my least favorite of the four.  It's clearly made for younger skin because it's so thick and waxy it settled into the lines under my eyes and created bag where there were none before.  

Julep Review

This year, I decided to give a gift that keeps on giving by getting a Julep subscription for our household.  We got a package deal for 3 months plus extra month free with the code JUST4YOU.  And I used the code POLISHGIFT  to get 12 free nail polishes.  This pic shows all 12 free polishes plus one of the nail polishes and the lip mousse that came in our first month's box.  

Our first month's box included two more nail polishes and a lip mousse.  The lip mousse is amazing!  I love the smooth texture and the rich color!  I've set our boxes to include a mix of beauty, skin care, and nail items, but I can always change it from the 21st to the 24th.  I'm excited to see what comes in January and I'll keep you posted!