When I was in college when everyone else was doing the natural look and wearing tie dye T-shirts, I was wearing vintage clothing and bright red 1940s style lipstick. I collected and carried vintage compacts with me, and loved to whip out my red lipstick and fancy compact to reapply in public. I loved platform shoes. I wish I had the photos to prove it. I think I must have lived in the 1930s-40s in a previous life. I’m not kidding.
So when I discovered luxury vintage Besame Cosmetics, I was in love. The retro styling and classic colors are just my style. The old song, Besame Mucho, is playing in my head.
Decades of Fragrance: 1910-1960
A few months ago, Besame introduced their Decades of Fragrance, perfumes that reflect the kind of scents that were popular in the decades from 1910-1960. Each 50 ml scent comes in a gorgeous vanity table-ready cut glass atomizer.
I have been dying to buy one, but Sephora doesn’t carry the Besame perfumes in the stores. Why not???? I was afraid to take a chance on a perfume that I hadn’t tried out first. Besame wisely came out with a sampler set that gives you a chance to experiment with all of the fragrances and determine which ones are right for you. And the set is stunning in its own right. The gold bullets with red embellishments look a lot like their signature lipstick packaging. After I finish these up, I’m keeping and continuing to display the perfume sampler on my English Deco vanity because it’s just that pretty.
Here’s the run down from Besame on each of the scents:
1910 Art Nouveau, Belle Epoque, Klimt, 1910s Floriental
Top notes: lemon, orange-flower, ylang-ylang; Heart notes: tuberose, saffron, jasmine, peony; Base notes: nubuck, vanilla, cive
1920 Hollywood, rumours and scandals, 1920s Floral, Ambery, Musky
Top notes: mandarin, juniper berry, galbanum; Heart notes: jasmine, violet, muguet, suede; Base notes: cocoa, myrrh, amber, musk, sandalwood
1930 Marlene Dietrich, cigarette and seduction, 1930s Oriental
Top notes: mandarin, cinnamon, clarysage; Heart notes: tobacco, heliotrope, lavender; Base notes: vanilla, cedar wood, musks
1940 After prohibition, NYC jazz club, 1940s Aromatic, Floral, Ambery
Top notes: bergamot, cognac, davana; Heart notes: rose, clove, labdanum; Base notes: sandal wood, amber, benzoin
1950 Billie Holiday, intoxicating gardenia, 1950s White, Floral, Powdery
Top notes: mandarin, mango, freesia; Heart notes: gardenia, frangipani, tuberose; Base notes: vanilla, cashmere wood, musks
1960 Classic vs modern, the Graduate, 1960s Chypre Floral
Top notes: grapefruit, armoise, coriander; Heart notes: rose, reseda, jasmine; Base notes: patchouli, oud, oakmoss
So far and not surprisingly, the 1930 and 1940 are my two favorites, but I’ve gotta spend some more time with 1920 and check out the dry down from 1960. 1910 is heavenly, like a late spring garden, so I’m putting that one aside for a few months till the weather suits it better.
The Decades of Fragrance sampler is priced at $45, and the gorgeous full size atomizers by decade are $68 each. Lovely!
I will be wearing either 1930 or 1940 perfume when Jeff and I go out for our Valentine’s Day dinner. I’ll also be wearing the gorgeous Besame Lipstick in the classic 1959 Red Hot Red, a semi-matte warm red that’s perfect for me.
Here’s what Besame has to say about it:
“Marilyn Monroe’s favorite. A bold and brazen warm red. A semi-matte finish with one coat full coverage. The highest natural pigment content for a smooth, indelible, feather-proof finish. Enriched with squalene, vitamin C and aloe. Our vintage reproduction reds are the exact shades used by your favorite Hollywood starlets.”
The Classic Lipsticks are infused with modern day good for lips ingredients, and it applies like a dream. The blunt edge makes application easier especially if you can’t find your red lipliner like me! Besame has lots of different shades of red plus others to choose from. Besame Classic lipsticks are priced at $22.
I love everything Besame! The lipstick and the perfume would be great additions to anyone’s Valentine’s Day preparations. And if you are looking for a beautiful and memorable Valentine’s gift for yourself or someone else, look no further.
Besame Cosmetics are cruelty-free, gluten-free and parabens-free. Besame is sold on the Besame website and at Sephora. I hope that Sephora will start to carry more of the Besame product line in their stores!
That sampler set is a really great idea! That red lipstick is absolutely unbelievably fetching on you, Allison! I have been meaning to try Besame lipsticks for years, but have never gotten around to it! Clearly I need to get this lipstick! Thanks for your beautiful review. BTW, I always love seeing all of your hearts!
Lola’s Secret Beauty Blog recently posted…BBC Week in Review
Thank you, Helen! I love all my hearts too. Besame is the perfect brand for me, but I think you would enjoy it too. The Decades of Fragrance sampler would be great for a fragrance lover like you. And they have lots of different shades of red lipsticks. The packaging is to die for.
I like the sound of this fragrance set. Those scent descriptions have me curious. I owned a Besame lipstick a few years back. It applied like a dream.
Yes, it goes on very well, and I like the blunt edge coz I can’t find either my red or my universal lip pencil! The scents are very interesting, nothing like contemporary fragrances or at least any that I can think of!
I love the vintage-ness of these items. They are so glam and that lipstick is gorgeous on you. The perfect red shade.
Leigh recently posted…Maybelline Dream Velvet Soft Matte Foundation Review
Thank you, Leigh! Visit the Besame website if you haven’t already. Their cosmetics and packaging are fabulous. And the lipstick is a dream to apply!
I LOVE THEIR STUFF, I LOVE THEIR STUFF! Finally, a post I can FULLY relate to!!!!!
Kat Dinges recently posted…Sally Hansen Miracle Gel – Holiday 2015
Oh wow! So happy to hear that, Kat! Besame Cosmetics is beyond gorgeous. I wish I owned everything they make. A full size perfume is next on my list!
I’m so jealous of the things you get get there and we can only dream of getting in UK. Your blog makes me anxious lol 😉
Lovely post and I love the pics honey x x
Dorota Gornicka recently posted…iDorottka ♥ palettes: MAKEUP REVOLUTION SALTED CARAMEL, COULD IT BE THE ONE?
Oh, I hope you mean anxious in a good way, Dorota! Yes, we are certainly lucky to have Besame here! I think everything they make is stunning! But you do have some real beauties in the UK that we don’t get here 😉
I want to try Besame lipsticks so badly, but the last thing I need is another lipstick. 😉 The perfume sampler is also such a great idea!! I have their brightening setting powder and loooooove it. It’s so good!
Jodi recently posted…Foolproof Blending with Demeter Fragrance Duos & Trios
Besame Cosmetics has so many delights! Who “needs” another lipstick, right? But these are irresistible! And the perfume sampler is so lovely. I need to pick up the brightening powder ASAP!
I absolutely adore the 30s/40s style, and I always say I was born in the wrong era lol Vintage packaging makes my heart skip a beat, so this brand is definitely on my must try list! This set sounds so great too, especially for perfume lovers!
Julie recently posted…Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow
That’s so funny, Julie, I say the same thing, and that’s why I feel like I was living during those decades, lol. I think you would love Besame. In addition to the marvelous packaging, the products are so well made. The lipstick is a dream, and I can wear almost all of the scents in the perfume sampler.
Oh, that perfume atomizer is gorgeous! I didn’t even know they had perfumes. I just saw that Sephora was carrying colors other than the signature Besame Red and ordered one, but it hasn’t arrived yet. I know I’ll feel totes glam applying that gorgeous red – even without the vintage compact, though between this and Renu’s post on vintage compacts, I kinda want one now…
Nidia – Lit From Within recently posted…14 Days of Valentines – Holo Hearts #14DaysofValentines
I hope you love your Besame lipstick when it arrives! I’m in love with the perfume atomizer too. I know I want one, but I’m having a hard time deciding which scent! And yes, you need a vintage compact one of these days!
The 1950s fragrance sounds nice. I always like a citrus scent. That lipstick looks beautiful on you too.
Aleya Bamdad recently posted…Top Bathroom Decor Trends For 2016
Thank you, Aleya! The 1950s scent is a very fresh citrusy, almost grapefruity scent. It’ll be wonderful for the warm weather.
Ahhh! That atomizer and those bottles are adorable! Love that the scents reflect iconic moments in time; such a great idea!
Elaine recently posted…Elizabeth Arden Perfume ALWAYS RED
Aren’t they lovely?! I agree about the concept for the perfumes. Those are Besame’s decades so what better way to celebrate them!
That perfume atomizer is gorgeous! I would like one with 1959 and one with 1960, please. That red lippie is lovely on you.
Erika recently posted…Pedicure Perfect Crystal Files from Aveniro
Thank you! Coming right up 😉
I do love the Besame packaging but I just don’t reach for the products like I should.
Cindy (Prime Beauty) recently posted…Fashion Flash: The Best Online Resource for Over 40 Women!
They are pretty keepsakes too!
Besame has the most stunning packaging and their perfume bottle proves that. I like that they have this sampler so you can really try them all and know what’s the best for you.
MarciaF recently posted…Splurge vs Steal with Urban Decay, Covergirl, NYC Lovatics, Makeup Revolution
Yes, without the sampler I would be afraid to choose but I want one of those gorgeous atomizer. Now which of these decades will get the nod?
I love you in red lipstick! This set is so fancy and I just love the packaging! I also love sampler sets. It’s like food buffets for me, a little bit of everything 😉
Color Me So Crazy recently posted…Ipsy January Glam Bag– I Know, I Know
Thank you, Brigitte! Red lipstick is my fave. And Besame is soooo appealing and addicting!
Love Besame! So creamy, rich and vintage chic! <3
Shipra recently posted…SoCozy Boing Curl Shampoo, Conditioner, and Curl Gel Cream
absolutely right!
OMG! There packaging is gorgeous.
I couldn’t agree more. I wish I owned the entire line
As you know, I am a huge Besame fan. I have the vintage red and the 1960s palettes, they are amazing. I have not tried the perfumes yet, they sound divine.
NORAH recently posted…The Brush Guard + Brush Guard Cleaning Kit
I didn’t know that, Norah, but that makes me even more of a fan. I will have to look at the 1960s palette. The perfumes really seem like authentic scents from the periods. The Decades of Fragrance sampler is so worth trying
I’ve wanted to try their lipsticks. Their reds are beautiful. I’d love to try the perfumes. I’m a perfume ADDICT.
Kim recently posted…Hotel Review: Riad Turquoise in Marrakech, Morocco
I know you are, Kim! You really should get the Decades of Fragrance sampler!
Besame takes such careful consideration of their packaging and formula. Everything about them is spot on!
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I couldn’t agree more! Love Besame
That is absolutely gorgeous packaging! Ugh, I hate the present-day plastic era and wish I had lived in the 70s at least (if not earlier). Love that red lippie on you!
Renu recently posted…Fleur de Force Eyeshadow Quad in Cosmic Bronze Review, Swatches
Yes, I still prefer non-plastic cases. That’s why I wore Clinique lipstick for so long. With their silver metal case, they stood out!
I own one Besame lipstick. I love the pigmentation but the shape of the tip is a tad struggle when it comes to application.
Kath TheFabZilla recently posted…T. LeClerc Ombre Divine Cream Eyeshadow | Rose Diaphne and Pourpre Vanite
Hmm, I actually find this lipstick easier to apply especially when I can’t find my lipliners like right now! But I can see what you mean.
Their packaging is so perfect! The scent sampler is so going on my want list (along with their violet powder that I’ve wanted to try forever.) I love seeing the pieces from your heart collection too!
Bailey recently posted…Michael Todd Soniclear Petite
Thank you, Bailey! I love my hearts! My list of other Besame products is certainly growing. I wish Sephora would carry the entire line in their stores to make it easier.
That packaging! How cute. I think this sampler is a great idea!
Destany recently posted…Indigo Bananas Avec le Coeur
The sampler really is a great idea especially since Sephora, for some reason, doesn’t seem to carry the Besame perfumes in the stores
Those perfumes sound lovely!
Justina recently posted…Self Confidence at 29
They really are beautiful scents. So unlike modern scents, and I find that refreshing
Besame is hands down amazing, but what a brilliant idea to have a library of fragrances! I am definitely intrigued.
The Besame Decades of Fragrance concept that fits so well with their positioning reminded me of the SquareHue Decades theme for 2015. I love it!
Such gorgeous packaging!
The Beauty of Life recently posted…#ManiMonday: Dolce & Gabbana Dora Intense Nail Lacquer
Isn’t it beautiful! I love looking at them almost as much as using them
Oh my gosh, what gorgeous packaging they use for their products. The perfume is beautiful! I didn’t know Besame had all of these products in their line. I’ve only seen the powder at Sephora and I love it. Thanks for all of the information!!
Stacie recently posted…How to Easily Sell Your Unwanted Items
I wish that Sephora would carry more of the Besame product line. In my store, it’s mostly only the two finishing powders, and not even any of the lipsticks, boo hoo.
I haven’t actually tried this brand yet but I have a few things on my wishlist!
Lisa Heath recently posted…Glam Polish Queen Of Mean Collection
It’s fun just to look at their website. The positioning is so much fun, and the packaging is so glam!
Such cute packaging! No idea what we are doing for Valentine’s this year, but I’ll have to put together a nice outfit and make up look!
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I hope you have fun whatever you decide to do!
Those lipsticks have such CUTE packaging! Totally the perfect gift for Valentines 😀
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I agree! So vintage, so luxe, so Valentine’s!
New to your blog (found you through the Lipstick League) and I’m sold! I’ve been eyeing Besame products for years, but hadn’t pulled the trigger. That fragrance sampler is right up my alley. I’m interested in the history of perfume and the set looks so fun and vintage. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. (My wallet is weeping, though!)
Thank you so much, Poppy, for visiting and for taking the time to comment about the Besame Decades of Fragrance sampler! I love vintage things so everything from Besame is right up my alley. I found the perfume sampler to be so wonderful because the scents are so different from the fruity and gourmand scents that are so popular these days. Also, I am finding myself gravitating toward 1910, a quite floral floriental which is definitely out of my usual wheelhouse, and I love it when something surprises me like that. I want to buy one of the full size bottles (the vanity spray is so gorgeous!) so I’m trying to decide between 1930 and 1910. I hope you’ll enjoy the set as much as I do if you take the plunge!!