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!
True story. I was having lunch at Barneys (in L.A.) with my colleagues.
We stopped by the Chantecaille counter. I had just read about the brand in VOGUE (I think) and being a big Prescriptives fan I wanted to check it out. I had no plans to buy anything. Unlike my colleagues, I was broke.
Well, next think I know I charged a whole bunch of money. Their products are amazing. I have this one eyeshadow in a dark forest green color. I use it as a liner (the way the make up artist used it) applying it with a brush. It has a little shimmer to it. It’s one of the most flattering colors I’ve ever used.
As a dark-skinned black woman, I am very picky about which make up lines I use as most don’t work on my complexion.
Chantecaille, along with Bobbi Brown, and Chanel are my favorites.
I have used Chantecaille in the past, (when my wallet has allowed me to). I especially love their fragrance Frangipani, it is delicious. Their lip gloss (that comes in a small compact) is of the highest quality.
Can’t buy it all the time, but when I do I am never dissapointed.
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Yep, I knew they created Prescriptives! What an awesome line. They’re palettes look so purty :). I’ve actually tried them, and they wear super well!
they make the best facial mask ever. ever. charcoal detox mask. I got it as a sample from my esthetician and fell in love.
planning on attending an upcoming Chantecaille makeup master class soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that sometime soon.
Chantecaille is great! I’ve completely converted because of their whipped foundation. My shade is Banana…and I love how it looks on my skin and how my skin looks after I take it off. I’ll pay the price for a quality product.
I THINK they make the best facial mask ever.
Thank you for this post! These are all excellent credits that I will use to justify my first Chantecaille purchase! So excited 🙂
… Her sister’s name is Olivia. Get your facts straight.
I feel like you could have shared this in a nicer way. But thanks. I wrote down what I was told by the folks who repped the brand. Take care, Rosa.
The makeup looks amazing – but I am surprised that they do not do deeper/darker tones for their tinted moisturizers…disappointed actually, especially in this day and age :/
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I had the pleasure of blow drying Olivia’s hair in Sydney a couple of years ago and got plenty of chantecaille treats, then I didn’t know of the brand, today? It’s the only stuff I use, let the products grow with ur face and you will never be more grateful