Meet Raychel Wade, La Prairie's Colour Ambassador

Last week, as InCircle started at Neiman Marcus, I had an opportunity to interview Raychel Wade, La Prairie's Colour Ambassador, who was at the Tysons Galleria store for the day. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with her, and I got to experience the latest La Prairie Color Collection of whisper shades for spring.

Raychel started our chat by interviewing me! We chuckled over that. She was so friendly and warm - she wanted to know all about me: beauty blogging, how and why I started, and whether I was enjoying it. Even though she was the star of Thursday's show, she reached out and showed an interest in me. As she put me at ease, I recognized immediately that Raychel is a warm "people person." As our chat progressed, it was clear why she's a great consultant. She's fun, knowledgeable, and down to earth!

Raychel began her career as a sales associate and makeup artist at Saks in Beverly Hills. She moved on to New York, where she had the idea to work directly with customers. As a result, she founded Cheek to Chic in 2002. Her charismatic personality, combined with her eye for color, skillful application, and simple - yet beautiful - makeup quickly earned her a loyal clientele. Raychel identified a niche in the cosmetics market for makeup application and education with a real focus on personalized attention.

I can't tell you about Cheek to Chic and Raychel's passion better than she can.

The most common complaint I hear from women is that they have too many cosmetics that they don't know how to use effectively. With growing frustration in finding the perfect product, they are persuaded to buy makeup that they don't need. As a result, women spend too much money on items they can get at a drugstore, and skimp on items that cost a little more. Drawers become filled to overflowing with products and women don't have the heart to throw any of it away.

Cheek to Chic's goal is to help women look their up-to-date best. Whether you are a busy businesswoman, a new mom, an A-lister, a young woman, or a baby boomer, Cheek to Chic will help you get a handle on the overwhelming beauty industry. When all is said and done, makeup should be fun!

Last year, Raychel became Colour Ambassador for La Prairie. You may know that La Prairie's core customers are over 40 and loyal, even though the line appeals to smart women of all ages. Many of La Prairie's customers have been using the company's skin care for years, and they have gravitated to the color collection as it has expanded. The results show. A lovely blond from Switzerland was sitting behind me. Her skin was flawless. Raychel had selected some colors for her, and one of the other makeup artists was finishing her look. She had a huge smile on her face as she saw the results in the mirror! She looked stunning, and she felt good. Customers who leave looking good and feeling happy make Raychel happy. She said it's her joy to show women how to look their best and change the way they see themselves.

The tables next to us were chock-full of La Prairie's latest collection for spring 2010. In synch with this season's trendiest looks, pinks and corals were abundant. Raychel spent her day showing women how to wear a pop of color, breaking out of that comfortable neutral look.

I asked Raychel to show me some of her favorite products from the collection, including what she was wearing. Raychel is excited about smokey eyes that use "non-traditional" colors, like deep blues and purples. She was wearing a blended mix of Cellular Treatment Eye Color Ensemble palettes ($70) in two quads, Les Cristals and Les Orchidees. Check out the link to Neiman Marcus to see the color ensembles.

I was really impressed with Cellular Radiance Cream Blush ($70) and its four flattering shades. The cream blush gives the skin a luminous glow with hydrating, long-lasting color to enhance the contours of your face and your smile. I loved all four shades, and I found my mind returning to them overnight. The next day, I stopped by Saks at Chevy Chase, Maryland and selected Rose Glow for my Friends & Family pre-sale bag of goodies.

Raychel was also excited about three new Cellular Lip Colour Effects ($40) gloss shades: Island Orchid (bright pink), Breezy Coral (bright coral), and Quiet Fig (muted plum). Her favorite lip look? Cellular Luxe Lip Color ($55) in Almost Pink with Breezy Coral gloss and a nude lip liner.

Here are some practical makeup tips from Raychel.

• Every woman should occasionally remove the clutter from her makeup bag or vanity. How to select what goes? The age of the product always counts. Look at the lip shades you are carrying with you. Are there six shades from the same color family? You only need two or three!
• Are you carrying around a product that came in a gift with purchase? Do you feel guilty if you don't use it? Toss it!
• Did you buy the latest trendy color, but almost never wore it? Gone!
• Pare down the number of brushes you keep. You don't need 10 of them!
• Streamline your selections to what you will use. Raychel told me about a customer who said emphatically that she would only give five minutes in the morning to makeup - no matter what. So she helped that customer select only the products she could use in five minutes. Did she need an eyeliner or lip liner? No, she only needed the basics. Apply what you are going to wear really well; skip the frills. You don't need to use the whole "formula" you read in magazines.
  
• When applying your makeup, take a step back from that magnifying mirror and look at yourself from the distance others will. How does it look? Adjust accordingly.
• The most common mistake women make? They don't even out their skin before applying color. It's really important to have pretty, even-toned skin. If that means wearing foundation, get used to it. No pretty blusher will shine unless the skin underneath looks good!

What's coming for fall? There will be lots of grays and purples, but they won't be as subdued as you might expect for the season. Pops of color, platinum gray or violet, will brighten the look.

If you get an opportunity to make an appointment for a consultation with Raychel at your local La Prairie counter, take it! Not only is she delightful, she's got a great eye. I'll bet you will learn something you'll incorporate into your everyday look.

You can learn more about Raychel at her Cheek to Chic site and on Facebook. You can even watch videos to learn her makeup tips. Check out how you can create the smokey eye look at this link. Raychel's YouTube channel is ChicMakeup160. You can see La Prairie's line at their Web site.

Photos courtesy of Cheek to Chic, La Prairie, and Neiman Marcus