Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Review of Besame Cosmetic's Signature Compact

Upon my return home yesterday afternoon, I noticed UPS left a package on my front porch. It was my Besame Cosmetics order! In this shipment, I received Besame's Signature Compact and a Classic Color Lipstick in Red Velvet.

I have been a huge fan of Besame lipstick but until today, I was not familiar with their famous Cashmere Powder compact. I had been wanting to try out the powder for a while but I was hesitant due to several reviews lamenting the compact's size. One reviewer stated the compact was meant for a doll, not a human being!

Nevertheless, I wanted a vintage-looking and pretty compact for my handbag. I love my MAC Blot Powder but the boring, black plastic compact is, well, boring. I have a vintage 1940s compact that belonged to my husband's bubbe which I usually fill with coty loose powder and rubbing alcohol. Recently, the 'bubbe' compact's clasp has started to loosen and as a result, it won't close properly. Since I prefer vintage, I decided to '"bite the bullet" and buy a Cashmere Compact. It retails for $38.00 USD. Compact refills are $15.00 USD.

After opening the light yellow box above, I pulled out this:
 A red velvet drawstring back with gold string and a goldtone Besame logo.

I opened the bag and pulled out a small, yet heavy-feeling compact:

I love the floral details! So feminine and classic!  Now this is the compact opened. The shade I ordered is the lightest available, Porcelain:
 The refill is magnetized so when you run out of powder, simply insert a tiny screwdriver (like the ones used to repair eyeglasses) or needle into the round notch on the edge of the powder pan and pop it out:
As for the size of the compact itself, here is how it compares to a standard compact (in this case one from MAC):
Here is a view showing the thickness of the powder pan itself:
 When comparing the amount of product Besame gives you to the amount found in MAC, it is obvious that you do get less. So, despite it's "doll size," is Besame Cashmere Powder worth spending $38.00 bucks?

For one, Besame touts this powder as a powder foundation. When I compared the powder opacity to MAC Blot powder, the Cashmere had more coverage while the MAC powder was more like a thin, chalky veil. However, when I compared Dior's Diorskin Forever Compact Foundation to Besame, the Dior was more opaque. Basically, MAC Blot powder is intended to a powder that blots off shine throughout the day. It is just too weak in consistency to be a proper foundation.

The Cashmere Compact is a primarily a sheer coverage foundation. If your skin has flaws or imperfections, this powder is not going to be a good choice because it will not provide enough coverage. So, what is this powder for?

I have been experimenting with it and what I have discovered is that if you use blotting papers and a powder puff, this powder is great for touch ups. The tiny foam puff the powder comes with is pretty useless. It is too small and after a few uses, it seems dirty and worn out. I threw mine out.

Throughout the day, my skin gets very shiny. I blot oil with a couple of blot sheets from Clean and Clear and then using a puff, I lightly apply a small amount of Cashmere powder to my forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin. If you use this powder without blotting, its thicker consistency will make your skin look cakey and heavy. You need to blot first with oil sheets!

Also, if you want a more sheer coverage, simply apply tinted moisturizer and using a larger puff, apply a light dusting of Cashmere powder to set. Moreover, if you are blessed with tiny pores and flawless skin, this powder as a foundation alone with work for you.

In addition to this powder's different uses, the vintage look makes it worth its price. It looks so pretty on a vanity table and it is perfect for nights out. Imagine pulling that gorgeous compact out of your gold clutch!

I like the fact this compact is re-fillable. The MAC Blot powder is 23.00 USD. When I run out of product, I need to spend another 23.00 dollars. Like I stated before, the Besame compact refill costs 15.00 USD.  I also think the dense-quality of the powder and the fact the pan is small will help me reduce my need to touch up my makeup!

So, if you are if you are looking for an authentic-looking vintage compact along with good-quality powder that has a myriad of uses, then give Besame Cashmere Powder a try!

17 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for this review! Besamé makes such beautiful products but they don't come cheap! It's nice to know what you're getting before investing in a product.

    I love the look of the compact and the fact that it's refillable.

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  2. Ginger,

    You are welcome! I am going to review the Red Velvet lipstick next. I really love Besame products and I have really been impressed with their look and quality so far! I also got to speak with Gabriela Hernandez herself (the founder and owner of Besame) and I was blown away by her passion for her company and her products!

    As for the compact, it is gorgeous! I just love holding it in my hands!

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  3. I love Besame, but I wish this was a pinch larger! Have you ever tried TheBalm's Sexy Mama? That's my blotting powder of choice right now. I apply all of them (my MAC Blot included) with an Ecotools retractable kabuki brush.

    https://www.thebalm.com/makeup/sexymama.htm

    I tried to calculate the cost per ounce, but interestingly, Besame doesn't list the ounces of product on their website. Does it say on your package?

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  4. Erin,

    Thank you for the recommendation! I will have to check it out for sure! I love Ecotools brushes! The cost is great, the quality is wonderful, and the fact they are cruelty-free just makes buying them even better!

    The Besame powder is .11 ounces while the MAC blot powder is .42 ounces. I hope this helps!

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  5. Besame: $345.45/oz for new, $136.36/oz refilled.
    MAC Blot: $54.76/oz
    TheBalm: $76/oz
    Dior DiorSkin Forever: $145.45/oz

    How wild that your new Besame is actually more expensive than the Dior! I don't know how quickly you go through your blotting powder, but I'd be tempted to save that one for special events, rather than day-to-day usage.

    Enjoy the recommendation! I absolutely love TheBalm products. The eyeshadows are super pigmented and very smooth. Ecotools brushes rock. The same company makes the HD brushes for Walmart - have you tried them? Believe it or not, they're killer. Most all of my brushes these days are drugstore bought, and I couldn't be happier.

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  6. Love your reviews! I just won a Besame Red velvet lipstick, haven't got it yet but can't wait whoo hoo!

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  7. Erin,

    That is amazing! Great calculations! Seeing those calculations makes me think I need to use my Besame compact sparingly. It is a shame the company didn't make the compact bigger like they did with the lipsticks! I agree about Ecotools. Their concealer brush, eyeliner brush, and foundation brush are all fantastic. The eyeliner brush is the best I ever used! It makes the best cat eye liner!

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  8. Thanks for the compliment, Fiona! That is wonderful that you won a Red Velvet lipstick! I love mine! The color is more like a crimson rather than a bright red. The color reminds me of MAC's Russian Red! You are going to love it!

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  9. You're welcome Tara! They should've made it bigger - it's not like larger compacts weren't in existence back in the day. I have some that are small pancakes!

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  10. Great review! I love the look of that compact, but I don't know if I could justify spending that much for so little product, especially after those calculations above, yikes! It is beautiful though. I might be better of hunting down a vintage compact on Ebay instead. Eh, we'll see if I cave or not!

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  11. Crafty Doll,

    Thanks! I have been using the compact for nights out with the man. The small shape is perfect for my small evening bags. Also, the powder is expensive and when the pan runs out, I am going to fill it will a mix of alcohol and Coty Loose Powder. The small pan will also contain the powder better than a larger compact. If you are looking for pretty vintage compacts, Etsy and eBay are great. I have seen several pretty ones at Bygones but they are priced too high.

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  12. I agree its so tiny ,but well worth it..especially for fotos..I have yet to get the gorgeous compact powder..I tried the older Besame foundation was too thick and dark for me.
    thanks for the review amor.

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  13. La Dama,

    The compact es muy chico but it's worth it! I love the coverage! I wanted to try the Souffle Foundation now that it has been repackaged in a tube but Gabriela herself told me it is not meant for oily skin (which I have). So, I will stick to the Cashmere compact. I just wish the refills were less expensive.

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  14. Thanks for this review. :)
    I appreciate the MAC vs Besame comparison photo too. By the way, what are the diameter and depth measurements of the Besame pan?

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  15. Where do I buy this?

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  16. Please do tell me where to buy it. Is it still in business?

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