I found Besame Cosmetics on Instagram and quickly became obsessed. 

According to their website:​

Check out this video where totally adorable founder Gabriela Hernandez explains how it's a family business and how her daughter helps add a young perspective. 

We love the multi-generational girl power!

I was lucky enough to be able to try a few lipsticks, a loose powder, and a blush.

Hernandez speaks about how in years past, all girls wore was red, and not there aren't so many different reds out there- that she likes to provide a variety of flattering reds. She calls herself a makeup detective, re-creating vintage shades using current FDA standards. 


Besame is totally cruelty free and never tests on animals, and some products (loose powders, pressed powders, and cream rouges) are vegan.

​I tried the lipsticks in Victory Red and Noir Red, as well as the loose powder in Vanilla and the blush in Raspberry.

The blush is a reproduction of a color from 1930, Noir Red also from 1930, and Victory Red from 1941. 

I really love that the website provides swatches on a variety of skin tones- I think that kind of inclusivity is highly important in the makeup world.

All of the products perform extremely well- the lipsticks are creamy, pigmented, long lasting and smooth. The tip is squared, so application is a breeze. Plus, the little gold tubes are metal and look so so amazing on your vanity!

The blush is a very unique, highly flattering and super versatile. I can wear it with almost any look and it adds instant life to a look. 

Again, the packaging is adorable, the lid twists off to reveal a lot of product. 

The loose powder is very brightening and looks great under eyes to add that awake look to your face. It's almost similar to banana powders- but very fine milled and so smooth. 

I really love the products I've tried and can't wait to try more. I think Besame Cosmetics provide a really interesting, unique perspective on makeup today and I think it really adds that special something to any collection. 

No. It's not. 

I totally get why you would ask that, but no. 

I reached out to ViaBuff after seeing them all over Instagram and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. 

First, all the fuss- totally warranted. They offer facial sponges and body sponges, as well as a handle attachment for their body sponge. 

I was able to try out a few types of their sponges- each color is for a different type of skin- and I'm in love.

Green is mild and for normal skin and people with Eczema.

Pink is moderate and for dry skin, ingrown hairs, Keratosis Pilaris, and people who regularly wax.

Purple is extra gentle and works for oily skin, acne and those with Psoriasis.

They also offer blue which also gentle and white which is clinical strength for very dry skin.

Apparently, they're dermatologist tested by Dr. Libecco at Akron Skin Center, which is great. 

First, it's important to note that I (luckily, knock on wood) my skin is relatively non-problematic. I can get occasional stress/hormonal induced acne but I'm not usually particularly dry or oily- very normal.

For years (like eight years) I wouldn't take my makeup off before bed, I wouldn't moisturize unless I was particularly, specifically dry, and I sure as hell wouldn't bother exfoliate or any of that shit.

Lately, I've been getting a lot better at skin care- not for any specific concern, but more along the lines of just being better to myself. 

I've been (trying) to take my makeup off before bed, using moisturizer (and primer) and even doing a lot more face masks. 

This winter, I've had some very uncharacteristic residual dryness by my nose. I've been somewhat actively trying to take care of it but nothing really was doing the trick.

I tried exfoliating, a few moisturizing masks, heavy moisturizer, etc. Nothing was working and I kind of shrugged it off. Slightly annoying, but I truly didn't really care. 

When I first dried the ViaBuff facial sponges, I thought what the hell and went at the sides of my nose with the pink sponge- specifically meant for dry skin- and to my complete delight, it totally took care of all the dry skin.  

See- no dryness. I'm wearing Marc Jacobs Re(marc)able Full Cover Foundation Concentrate and Kat Von D Lock-It Concealer Crème with Tarte ReCreate Silicone-Free Anti-Aging Primer (which is meh) and I moisturized with Philosophy Hope Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 last night after exfoliating with ViaBuff and Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel this morning before makeup. This photo is after about 6 hours in makeup, and you can see, it's not breaking up, looking caked or dry. 

It was a small problematic area, and not a dramatic issue, but I saw clear results and I can attribute them completely to the ViaBuff facial sponge.

I tried the body buff (half pink half green) in the shower and it also did a remarkable job exfoliating my legs and body. 

Finally, one of the coolest things about ViaBuff is that the sponges are machine washable- that way there's no nasty bacteria buildup and the sponges are able to be cleaned regularly. Makeup stains and grossness are eliminated. It's great. 

For those interested in washing them, ViaBuff recommends washing with whites, with no bleach or fabric softener and letting the buffs air dry.

I'm a huge fan of ViaBuff and I'd also like to give a shoutout to their website- it's actually a great resource with relevant, accurate information about many skin concerns including ingrown hairs, acne, Eczema and more.

The information is unbiased and sourced from places like Mayo Clinic and scientific journals. 

Many of these Instagram famous companies are all about selling product and don't really give a shit about if the products work, real people's concerns, etc. 

I've found that ViaBuff does care (did you know they're actually a family business?) and they make products that work. 

​I also really love that an 18" long handle can be purchased for those with limited mobility - it's a very inclusive idea and I applaud that. 

I was able to snag a discount code for Bruised Knuckles readers at ViaBuff- if you enter the code "BruisedKnuckles20" during checkout, you'll receive 20% off for 30 days.