Josephine Fairley visits L'Occitane on 5th

            On Friday, November 30, the L’Occitane en Provence store on Fifth Avenue shone vibrant and gold with glimmering white Christmas lights. An elaborate window display featuring large, pink faux peony trees, artificial snow, golden fairy wands, and festive blue and pink L’Occitane gift boxes created the enchanting visual of a winter wonderland, rather than that of a retail emporium. L’Occitane on Fifth, a Manhattan branch of the French beauty product and skincare empire, was celebrating its one-year anniversary since the store’s opening in 2011, with award-winning author, journalist and business owner, Josephine Fairley, as the night’s guest of honor.

Display window: L'Occitane on 5th

Employees stood by the store’s entrance, distributing free samples of shea butter hand cream, crème précieuse, and all-natural restoring shampoo. Butlers circulated within the store, presenting evening shoppers with complimentary French macarons, tea, and champagne to enjoy while browsing the shop. Fairley, an established writer who once held her own green column in the New York Times, had been invited to discuss her best-selling beauty book, The Anti-ageing Beauty Bible, co-written by beauty and health journalist, Sarah Stacey. In the center of the store stood a large round wooden table holding copies of the sacred text, piled high next to a display of L’Occitane’s “Crème Divine” anti-ageing serum made from fleur immortelle (“immortal flower”) extract.

Just a few minutes past seven o’clock, customers and employees gathered in the back of the store around the antique hand-washing stations, hoping for perhaps just a shred of superior wisdom from the beauty giant. Fairley began by praising the L’Occitane company for its excellent achievement in producing quality skincare, referencing specifically the “Crème Divine,” featured in her and Stacey’s Beauty Bible. She explained that thousands of women trialed countless products for the book, and “Divine” not only made the cut, but it outshone many highly acclaimed competitors as a consumer favorite.

L'Occitane's "Crème Divine"

“Products have to earn their way into our books,” Fairley stated, imparting that in order for an item to win her favor, it must first gain the approval of the thousands of real women who have witnessed and experienced its effectiveness.

The book contains chapters dedicated to make-up and skincare advice, nutrition, exercise, and how to be happy, “the biggest beautifier ever.” Fairley, who once covered topics ranging from sumo wrestling to orphans in Romania, credited her limitless curiosity as the driving force behind her success in the world of beauty editing and journalism.

“Writing is a muscle that becomes easier when exercised over time,” she said.

By refusing to adhere to a certain genre of writing and pursuing any endeavor that might add to her experience, Fairley has emerged as one of the few individuals ever to hold the secret to eternal youth. Through her latest book, she generously offers this knowledge up to a global audience.

Me with the beauty guru herself, Josephine Fairley.