Not long ago, a display for a new brand of cosmetics popped up in a small glass cube right near the entrance of my local Neiman Marcus. Lipsticks, eye shadows, foundation sticks and compacts in shiny chrome packaging with C-H-A-N-T-E-C-A-I-L-L-E spelled out in thin black letters around their curved rims. I was intrigued, and the buzz began to make its rounds on the Web.

"Has anyone heard of Chantecaille?"
"It looks like Prescriptives stuff. I bet Prescriptives makes it."
"Can someone tell me where I can find Chantecaille? I don't know how you say it, but that's how it's spelled ..."

For those who like to know such things, it's pronounced shan-tih-KIGH, and it's the new makeup collection created by Sylvie Chantecaille, a 20-year employee of cosmetics giant Estee Lauder and the brains behind much of Prescriptives' success. Along with her daughter Olivia, Sylvie set out to craft a line of cosmetics that was at once technologically cutting-edge yet based on the purest, most natural ingredients possible. The result is a collection of modern, wearable colors -- 48 lipsticks, 48 eye shadows, 6 blushes, 6 compact-makeup colors, 3 shades of loose powder, 4 sheer foundations and 8 stick foundations. Chantecaille also makes 3 fragrances and a full line of brushes, ranging from a $20 eyebrow brush to a big, fluffy, black squirrel powder brush that retails for $70.

Currently, Chantecaille products are available exclusively at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman in the U.S. And the department manager at the Neiman's I went to said Chantecaille plans to expand the line, primarily with the release of skin-treatment products in January 1999. We'll keep you posted.

None of Chantecaille's products are tested on animals and all are noncomedogenic. None of the foundations contain mineral oil or lanolin, and all the lip products are fragrance-free.

These are the products I played with and tried on, and what I thought about them, along with price information.

Real Skin Foundation SPF 8-10, 4 shades, sponge included ($47.00)
Described by Chantecaille as a translucent gel foundation, this noncomedogenic complexion balancer is made of microparticle powder and amino acid emollient oil. This felt very, very slippery to the touch and looked greasy, and it comes in a flat compact container. The sales associate pointed out that it's meant to impart a no-makeup look that also hydrates. The coverage is extremely sheer, so I agree on those points. Perfect for that dewy, just-stepped-out-of-a-steamy-Gucci-ad look. It's probably great for people with flawless skin that's a tad on the dry side. Also, with only 4 shades, it'll probably be hard for most people to find a good match. And it's pretty pricey too!

Compact Makeup, 6 shades, sponge included ($45.00)
This is a dry powder foundation that can also be used with a wet sponge for more coverage. It's a hydrating, non-irritating foundation that includes something called polyphenals of green apple, which Chantecaille says helps prevent aging and damage from UVA and UVB rays. I don't know about all that, but it felt light and not at all chalky. For what it costs, I suppose that's the least it could do!

New Stick SPF 8, 8 shades ($38.00)
This is a fairly run-of-the-mill stick foundation, and it offers the heaviest coverage of Chatecaille's 3 foundations. I liked the consistency -- it's less slippery than Bobbi Brown's stick foundation but still blended smoothly and evenly. As a bonus, the New Stick contains antioxidants like gingko biloba, green tea and vitamins C and E. I might actually buy it (and use it very sparingly, due to the high cost) once my current fave runs out.

Talc-Free Loose Powder, 3 shades with puff included ($45.00)
The Talc-Free Loose Powder comes in a groovy silver container. Instead of talc, which can dry out and sometimes irritate the skin, mica particles help brighten up and smooth out dull complexions. The powder also contains polymers, which Chantecaille claims help "hush" oil secretions. You'd probably have to buy it and wear it for a while to figure out if that's true, and with just 3 shades to choose from, it's unlikely that it will fly off the shelves. Still, it's nice to know there's a talc-free loose powder out there.

Cheek Shade, 6 shades ($20.00)
Blush is blush, I say. It's all about whether you prefer pink, plum, coral or red, cream or powder, shimmer or matte. These are standard, sheer, matte blushes, but the only color that even looked remotely flattering to me was Mood, a pinkish taupe. I'd pass on this unless you surprise yourself and find a shade that really works for you.

Lasting Eye Shade, 40 shades ($20.00)
Usable wet or dry, these are ultrafine-textured shadows in colors ranging from the most basic neutrals to some really wild brights. Chantecaille claims the shadows, and I do quote here, "will never fade, crease or run." Where I come from, them's fightin' words -- a challenge if I ever heard one. Still, I was impressed by the light texture and the range of colors. I liked Nutmeg, a basic terra-cotta brown shade; on the wilder side, I loved Mulberry (a bright wine), Magenta (shocking violet) and Gingko (lemon-lime).

Shine Eye Shade, 8 shades ($20.00)
I love to use pearlized shadows to highlight my eyes, especially for special occasions. And these really are pearlized - the shadows' color pigments actually contain tiny particles of pearls! I liked (and bought) Granite, a taupe shimmer, and Tanzanite, a shiny steel gray.

Lip Matte, 6 shades ($20.00)
I'm not crazy about matte lipsticks in general -- they always seem dry and cakey to me. Not so with Chantecaille's version, which contains evening primrose oil and vitamins C and E to moisturize and protect delicate lips. I especially liked Papaya, which was a natural-looking nude shade.

Lip Sheer, 12 shades ($20.00)
I'm much more partial to sheer lipsticks, and Chantecaille offers a great range of almost transparent colors. They can be worn alone or layered, and they offer UVA and UVB protection. I went crazy for Quasar, a deep violet, and Luna, an iridescent gray.

Lip Stick with SPF 6-8, 24 shades ($20.00)
More like a basic lipstick formula, Chantecaille's Lip Stick contains only natural waxes, like beeswax, along with vitamins A & C and amino acid emollients. An unusual feature of this lipstick is that it's coated with lauroyl lysine, an emoillient that creates a water- and oil-resistant film on the lips. I fell for Clove, a dark plummy brown that looks a lot like Aveda's Wild Oats; Fig, a warm red with brown undertones; and Sugar Plum, a mauvey, lighter plummy brown. I bought the Fig and Sugar Plum and am very ahppy with them, although at $20 a pop, they are my new most expensive lippies. Sigh.

Lip Gloss SPF 15 ($20.00)
I'm not a big lip gloss fan, but these were as nice as any I've seen. In addition to antioxidants and a high SPF, Chantecaille lip gloss also contains moisturizing vitamin E and aloe vera. The gloss comes in a tiny mirrored compact, which I assume is part of the reason it's so expensive. If you're a gloss gal, check them out.

Finally, Chantecaille makes 3 distinct fragrances. I sniffed them out and gave each my seal of approval. Below is a short description of each - I regret that since the store was closing, I didn't get their prices! Sorry about that.

Frangipane - My personal favorite. A warm, musky, possibly vanilla-infused scent. Mmmm. Very nice for fall/winter.

Tiare - A light, "white" floral with citrusy and/or grassy undertones. Springy, clean and fun.

Wisteria - A slightly heavier floral scent than Tiare, but not at all overpowering. It's kind of a combination of many different flowers; among them, I could smell tuberose, jasmine and lavender notes.