THE MAKING OF BESAME LIPSTICKS

Inspirational drawings, advertisements and my grandmother's original 1940's lipstick tubes started me in the process of designing a modern classic lipstick. I strove for a size, shape, quality and vibrant color that would bring romance back to the cosmetics of busy women today.
An engineer created technical drawings that the factory used to make molds for production. The accuracy of these drawings was critical since a millimeter's variation can make the mechanism fail.
A 3-dimensional model was built and the decorative motifs were designed and fitted. We tested many combinations of designs and colors before deciding on the final version. The final design was submitted to the factory for screening onto the metal. The chrysanthemum design was chosen because it was a favorite in early deco packaging. Our aim was to create a timeless, romantic design that would remain a constant in our brand.
The aluminum molds, custom made in the US, make 80 lipsticks at a time. The holes in the molds are machined with precision, making seamless castings. The molds are tested with our formula to make sure there's a clean release. The special tip was designed to hug the lips on application.
We use denser colors to provide longer wear. Our special satin finish and high-pigmented formula stays put, feels silky and lasts. A long-wearing formula was a priority because women seldom have time to reapply lipstick during the day. Our lipsticks are beautiful and contain powerful pigments that extend wear.
The top of the mold shows our custom molded tips. When the molds are locked, they form a tight seal and produce perfect castings.
Hot lipstick is hand poured into the molds as the first step in casting. Here we are pouring one of our vibrant reds.
The top of the mold is scraped of excess product in order to remove the casting.
The lipstick castings are inspected and any defective ones are discarded.
After setting on a frozen cooling table the mold is opened and the cast lipsticks are ready to be released.
The finished tips rest on a tray waiting to be inserted into their metal bases.
After the tips are inserted, the lipstick is flamed or slightly melted to remove any surface marks and create a high shine finish.
The cooled lipsticks are sealed, labeled, and placed in a carton as a finished product ready to ship to glamorous women around the world.