Bésame Cosmetics

Bésame Cosmetics was founded in 2004 by Gabriela Hernandez, an Argentine-American designer, cosmetics historian and author of Classic Beauty: The History of Makeup. Drawing on her collection of antique cosmetics, Hernandez launched the brand from Burbank, California with a single product — a 1920s-style lipstick in the shade Bésame Red — and a mission to faithfully recreate the packaging, textures and shades of makeup from the 1920s through the 1960s.

Two decades on, the brand is a cult favorite for lovers of retro glamour, with more than a dozen date-stamped classic red and rose lipsticks, its signature cake mascara, cream rouge and brightening powders, plus museum-grade collaborations tied to films and eras like Agent Carter and Disney's Snow White. Because a perfect vintage red lip and a classic cream blush are among the most-searched, most-dupeable looks in makeup, Bésame's historically accurate range is a distinctive reference point on any brand map.