I’m a firm believer that everyone is interesting in some way. We all have stories, talents, and histories that make us who we are. Gabriela Hernandez goes beyond interesting and into the realm of fascinating. She is a makeup historian, sits on the board of the Makeup Museum in NYC, and runs her own makeup line, Bésame Cosmetics.
Back in February I reviewed her homage to Marry Poppins, which was a full set of classic style makeup based on the 1964 Disney movie. What I hadn’t known then was the depths to which Gabriela would dive to learn about her subject and to bring her fans authentic experiences in the makeup world.
Gabriela’s newest project is based on Marilyn Monroe and comes as a 15-piece collection, which includes recreations of Marilyn’s own makeup based on items from her personal effects.
“We’ve designed this makeup collection to feature Marilyn’s favorite colors and historically accurate products,” says Gabriela. “These colors are authentic, and we are incredibly proud to be releasing them as they are a reflection of Marilyn and her personal style. Wearing her makeup is a way to celebrate who she was and her influence over the world of personal beauty.”
When designing a collection, Gabriela doesn’t just see her subject as an influence with which to create something new. Instead she works hard to make sure that each piece is meticulously researched and recreated to be as close to the original product as it can be. Gabriela spent over a year going through auctions of Marilyn’s personal effects as well as archives, photos, films, and speaking with Marilyn’s family to find brands and colors that she used.
Gabriela explained why she chose Marilyn as her muse for a collection, “I wanted to do somebody who was very iconic. People admire her look, but they don’t really know that she’s actually the one who came up with most of it. She spent hours trying to figure out how to maximize and minimize things that she liked or didn’t like about her face. So even though her makeup looks very simplistic, it was really quite deliberate in looking a certain way on camera.”
While Marilyn was an artist when it came to her look, not everyone will be a makeup artist so Gabriela has included a guide which walks users through a step-by step process to get Marilyn’s classic look. You can find an online version of the guide here.
The collection itself is stunning. With only 200 being made available, the full Cosmetic Valet Case is a collector’s dream. It comes in a limited-edition box made of Sapele mahogany and includes a golden metal signature embedded on top of high gloss varnish, velvet interior, and gold-plated clasps. It includes a gorgeous refillable metal compact with Silver Screen Powder, mascara, 2 ultra-pigmented lipsticks based on Marilyn’s favorite shade of red and a coral color she wore throughout the early 1960s, 2 matching lip pencils, eye pencils, sharpener, lip gloss, a white cream highlighter, lashes, and a four pan palette of rich neutrals. Each piece is 100% cruelty-free and created for sensitive skin. They do not contain gluten, parabens, or mineral oils.
If you are looking for something more affordable and travel friendly, Bésame also offers different versions including the Red Carpet set which comes with Red Hot Red Lipstick in a replica tube from one used by Marilyn with a faux diamond top and the Refillable Metal Compact.
After speaking with Gabriela, it is obvious that her collections are each a labor of love and a source of pride for her. I’m blown away by the level of detail of the collectors set, but even the individual sets have those personal touches that make this collection special. If you enjoy vintage makeup or are interested in trying out Marilyn’s, make sure to visit Bésame Cosmetics online at www.besamecosmetics.com.
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