Things You Never Knew About Bésame Red Lipsticks

In 2004, Bésame Cosmetics started with one red lipstick. Now, our line of reds is renowned across the world for being the best. But what makes our reds so good? It’s not just the attention to detail and gorgeous packaging (though those are pretty good, too!), but we have a couple tricks up our sleeve that make our reds truly unique. Here are some of the things you never knew about our lipsticks.

We Looked Through History to Find the Best Reds

Each of our lip colors is based on a shade from the past. Gabriela Hernandez (founder of Bésame Cosmetics) has always been inspired by Old Hollywood glamour, but her passion for classic design goes far beyond a love of all things vintage.

By looking to the past, Gabriela has essentially searched through history to find the best reds. Red lipstick has been around for 100 years, why not find the shades that have truly stood the test of time? Through her meticulous research, Gabriela found incredibly popular colors in a range of time periods that were on the verge of being forgotten. Instead of letting these beautiful hues go to waste, she brought them back to life.

Now, everytime you wear a Bésame red, you’re honoring the favorite colors of all the women of your past. A classic color that will never go out of style.

Each Lipstick is Triple-Pigmented

What does triple-pigmented mean? That there’s triple the amount of pigment. Thank you for reading. The end. 

Seriously, our lipsticks contain the highest amount of pigment possible. If you add anymore pigment, the lipsticks aren’t smooth or creamy enough to apply easily (and don’t feel great on the lips). So, we experimented with the levels and found the perfect balance of high pigment and creamy application.

High pigment means bold color, one coat application, and savings. Since there’s so much color in each lipstick, you don’t need to use much to get a rich, wonderful tone. That means you use less lipstick on each application and save money in the long run. 

Even our mini lipsticks (only 1.75 inches tall) last for at least 30 applications! Customers have used our full size lipsticks for a year...or more! 

So pigment doesn’t just mean bold color, it also means long lasting value.

A Liner And Lipstick...All in One!

The shape of our lipsticks is a little unusual...on purpose! The bullet shape was popular for decades, mostly because it works as both a liner and a lipstick — all in one.

Fresh out of the tube, our lipstick forms a sharp edge. With that edge, you can line your lips to get the perfect shape. Then, use the thicker, blunt edge of the lipstick to fill everything in. It’s all you need for perfect lips in one lovely golden tube.

A Favorite of Makeup Professionals

When makeup artists work for film and TV, they need the makeup to do two things: look good and last. Actors are stuck under hot lights for hours and hours and no director wants to spend extra time on unnecessary lipstick touch ups. So, many makeup professionals choose Bésame lipstick because they go on easily and stay on for hours and hours.

Ryan Murphy’s go-to makeup designer Eryn Krueger Mekash spoke to Gabriela about how crucial our reds are when she’s working on set. Eryn said:

When I’m working on a day to day basis, it might be “oh we can just use this random red lipstick.” But those don’t stay on, so you’re constantly just touching, touching, touching. Where with the Bésame lipsticks, I can put that on...and it just stays on.

To hear more from Eryn about the life of a film/tv makeup artist, listen to the Classic Beauty with Bésame Podcast!

Our makeup has been used on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, American Horror Story, Feud, Jessica Jones, Mad Men, This Is Us, and many more. 

Makeup artist for Drunk History Kat Bardot recently posted about the incredible staying and hydration powers of Red Velvet.

Red Velvet also happened to be the lip that was Hayley Atwell’s signature color whenever she played Agent Peggy Carter.

Stars, makeup artists, and busy professional alike all love the ease and long lasting wear of Bésame.

Nourishing and Beautiful

Enriched with squalane and vitamin C, every Bésame lipstick nourishes the lips while providing excellent color. These nutrients help moisturize the skin, which gives the lipstick its creamy feel.

Squalane in particular is an incredible hydrator. Derived from squalene (a naturally occuring substance in our skin), squalane is perfect for retaining moisture and keeping skin supple. Your lips won’t dry out when you wear a Bésame red, the lipstick will actually help your lips feel hydrated and full.

Universally Flattering

Most of our reds are made with neutral undertones. That doesn’t mean our reds blend into the background, instead it means that nearly all of our colors are universally flattering. 

Many reds have either a strong orange or blue toned base. Though some of our lip colors are on the warm or cool ends of the spectrum, most of our reds stay right in the middle. So no matter your skin color or undertone, you’ll look lovely in our reds.

Try Bésame Red or Red Velvet if you’ve had trouble finding a good red in the past, though almost any of our shades will help you feel even more glamorous. 

For more help finding your red, check out our guide on the best red lipsticks for every skin tone.