I’ll be honest. The first time I saw a tin of Bésame Black Cake Mascara, I had no clue what I was looking at. It looked like a watercolor paint set for a very chic, very gothic child. No wand. No tube. Just a solid block of black pigment sitting in a tin. If you grew up in the era of Maybelline Great Lash, this feels like an alien artifact. But it isn't new. Actually, it’s the oldest trick in the book.
Before the 1950s, women didn't pump wands into plastic tubes. That's a recipe for bacteria, honestly. They used "cake" formulas. Bésame Cosmetics, founded by Gabriela Hernandez, basically resurrected this 1920s staple because, frankly, modern mascara is kind of a mess. Most tubes dry out in three months. They’re full of preservatives. They clump. Bésame Black Cake Mascara doesn't do any of that because it stays dry until you decide it’s time to use it.
The Learning Curve is Real (But Worth It)
You can't just swipe and go. You need water. Or, if you’re a vintage purist—though I don’t recommend this for hygiene reasons—spit. Don't do that. Just use a drop of water.
The secret to making this work is the consistency. You want a paste. Not an ink, not a soup. A paste. You put one tiny drop of water on the cake, take your spoolie, and scrub it until it looks like melted chocolate. If it’s too runny, it’ll end up on your cheekbones by noon. If it’s too thick, it’ll flake off. It takes about three tries to master the "ink-to-water" ratio. Once you hit that sweet spot, the control is unparalleled. You aren't fighting a goopy brush that’s been sitting in a tube for six months. You’re using fresh paint every single time.
It’s versatile. That’s the big selling point. Because it’s a pigment block, it’s not just for lashes. I’ve used it as an eyeliner with a slanted brush, and it gives that soft, smoky 1940s look that felt-tip liners just can’t replicate. You can even use it to fill in eyebrows if you have dark hair, though you have to be incredibly light-handed unless you’re going for a full Joan Crawford vibe.
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Hygiene and Why Your Eyes Will Thank You
Most people don't realize how gross their mascara tubes are. Every time you pull that wand out and shove it back in, you’re pushing air and bacteria into a dark, moist environment. It’s a literal petri dish. This is why eye doctors tell you to toss your mascara every 90 days.
Bésame Black Cake Mascara is different. It’s solid. Bacteria need moisture to grow. Since this cake stays dry between uses, it lasts way longer. Some users keep a single tin for a year or more without it "going bad." You just wash your brush with soap and water after every use. It’s cleaner. It’s more sustainable. It’s also one of the few formulas that doesn't irritate people with chronic dry eye or sensitive lids. It lacks the heavy waxes and parabens found in waterproof drugstore brands.
The Ingredients Matter
If you look at the back of the tin, you won't see a wall of unpronounceable chemicals. It’s a refined, paraben-free formula. It’s vegan. It’s cruelty-free. Hernandez is a historian as much as a cosmetic chemist, so she looked at what worked in the 1920s and removed the toxic stuff (like coal tar—yikes) while keeping the performance.
It’s primarily made of:
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- Stearic Acid (a fatty acid that helps it glide)
- Synthetic Beeswax (for that vegan-friendly hold)
- High-quality black iron oxides
Does It Actually Stay On?
Here is the caveat. This is not waterproof. If you plan on crying at a wedding or walking through a monsoon, Bésame is going to betray you. It will run. It’s a water-activated product, so water will deactivate it just as quickly.
But for everyday wear? It’s surprisingly resilient. It doesn't "smudge" in the way oil-based mascaras do. When it fails, it just sort of disappears or leaves a clean streak rather than a grey smudge. For people who hate the "heavy" feeling of mascara, this is a godsend. It feels like nothing. Your lashes stay soft. You can touch them and they won't feel like crunchy spider legs.
Why the "Clean Beauty" Crowd is Obsessed
Sustainability is a huge buzzword, but Bésame was doing it before it was cool. The tin is recyclable. The product is concentrated. Think about how many plastic mascara tubes end up in landfills every year. It’s staggering. One tin of this stuff replaces roughly three to four tubes of standard mascara.
Also, the aesthetic. Let’s be real. Pulling a gold-scalloped tin out of your purse is a power move. It feels intentional. It turns the act of putting on makeup from a chore into a ritual.
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Application Hacks for Modern Use
- The Double Layer: Apply one thin coat, let it dry for 30 seconds, then go in for a second. This is how you get that "false lash" thickness without the clumps.
- The Liner Trick: Use a damp, flat-angled brush. Drag it across the cake and press it into your lash line. It’s much more forgiving than liquid liner.
- The Spoolie Upgrade: The little brush that comes with the tin is okay, but it’s tiny. Use a full-sized bamboo spoolie or a professional fan brush for better separation.
Comparing It to the Competition
There aren't many cake mascaras left on the market. Long-time makeup fans might remember Maybelline’s old red box, but they discontinued that decades ago. You can find "theatrical" cake makeup from brands like Kryolan, but those are designed for stage lights and can be very harsh on the eyes. Bésame occupies this weird, beautiful middle ground between professional stage makeup and daily luxury wear.
It’s more expensive upfront—usually around $28—but when you calculate the cost per use, it actually beats out drugstore brands. You aren't paying for a plastic tube and a bunch of air. You’re paying for pure pigment.
Final Practical Steps for New Users
If you're ready to ditch the tube, start slow. Don't try to apply this for the first time when you have five minutes to get to work.
- Buy a dedicated spray bottle: A tiny travel-sized mister is better than using a tap. One mist onto the cake is exactly the right amount of water.
- Wash your brushes: Seriously. Don't put a dirty brush back on the cake. Keep it clean, and the product will stay pristine for over a year.
- Embrace the brown: If the "Black" is too harsh for your skin tone, Bésame also makes a "Brown-Black" and a "Royal Blue" version. The brown is particularly good for that "no-makeup" makeup look.
The transition to cake mascara is about slowing down. It’s about knowing exactly what is going near your eyes and reducing the plastic waste in your bathroom. It isn't just a vintage gimmick; it’s a better way to handle one of the most problematic products in the beauty industry. Give it a week. You’ll probably never want to "pump the wand" ever again.
To get the best results, ensure your lashes are curled before you apply the wet pigment. Since the formula is water-based, curling your lashes after application can cause the product to stick to your curler, which is a mess nobody wants to deal with. Once you've applied your two coats, let them dry completely—usually about sixty seconds—and you're set for the day. If you find the pigment is flaking, you used too much powder and not enough water; if it’s translucent, you used too much water. Adjust and repeat.