Last weekend, the Nordstrom Spring Trend Show was BANANAS. B-A-N-A-N-A-S. Picture a department store makeup area just packed with anxious customers to the point where you can’t even make it down an aisle. Everywhere you look, women are getting makeovers or buying makeup or watching demonstrations.
Amidst the madness, I had the opportunity to meet the beautiful and gracious Alex Chantecaille, director of sales for the luxury cosmetics brand. I have had a longtime fascination with Chantecaille, but it’s been a fascination from afar. Their makeup is known for high end luxury, and honestly my wallet needs truly compelling reasons to allow the purchase of a $78 eye shadow palette. When I met Alex Chantecaille she graciously offered her perspective on the brand her mother created, and opened my mind in the process.
#1 thing I didn’t know – Chantecaille is a family business all the way. Alex’s sister Sophie Olivia is the Creative Director. Alex is the Director of Sales. And their mom Sylvie is the creator of the brand, the inspiration and heart and soul of it all.
#2 — Chantecaille created Prescriptives. Literally. Sylvie Chantecaille launched Prescriptives for Estee Lauder in 1979, and left to start her own brand in 1997. So if you had a particular affinity for that now defunct brand, you know where to turn for the kind of quality you once loved.
#3 — Chantecaille prides itself on making timeless, high quality makeup that defies trends, and making products especially for deep, rich, dark skin tones. Much to my delight and surprise, many of the makeup artists working the trend event for them were women of color. Many of the women lined up for Chantecaille makeovers were also women of color. And everyone looked happy. This all made sense once I found out that Chantecaille and Prescriptives were created by the same person.
#4 — Yes it’s expensive, but that is because the company doesn’t skimp on cost. They pride themselves on using the best ingredients, and not testing on animals. “It’s like the difference between a gourmet chocolate mousse cake, and a Little Debbie’s snack cake. Sometimes you’ll eat the Little Debbies, but you deserve the gourmet,” Alex Chantecaille explained.
#5 — A percentage of the proceeds of the lustworthy Chantecaille palettes – including the Sea Turtle and the Tigers in the Wild palette – go to benefit the animals they’re named after. As an animal lover, I’m ALL over that.
Meeting Alex Chantecaille and seeing the love her family’s makeup inspired reignited my yen. I’m planning on attending an upcoming Chantecaille makeup master class soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that sometime soon.
Now that I’ve shared the new things I’ve learned, what say you bellas? Have you tried Chantecaille before? Would you try it now? Or do you have a price limit when it comes to makeup and this won’t do? Talk to me!
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