N°1 de Chanel Serum Revitalisant.
N°1 de Chanel Serum Revitalisant.
Image: Supplied

The House of Chanel has answered the global call for sustainability with the launch of a game-changing product line, N°1 de Chanel — the culmination of a decade’s research and commitment to nature and ingredient integrity. With a long history of researching and working with natural ingredients, Chanel turned to the expertise within its own labs, where sustainability has become part of the brand’s DNA. In the beauty industry, sustainability is now a serious topic of conversation, and the introduction of N°1 de Chanel is proof that Chanel not only has been ready for this step for some time but is also taking strides to change the culture within the luxury space. 

“Concerning the line, this is the first one — and a first for us — that will really have a global approach to beauty by combining skincare, makeup, and fragrance mist. It also has a sustainable and innovative approach, which will really change the way of thinking about beauty products. I think it’s game changing in terms of active-ingredient creation,” says Sandra Forestier, head of biological and clinical studies at Chanel. The brand had the luxury of being able to dedicate a considerable amount of time to researching natural ingredients and their traceability, in order to guarantee safe ingredients without having to resort to chemicals. With the abundance of natural ingredients available to it, Chanel turned to Gabrielle Chanel’s favourite flower, the camellia — a delicate plant iconic for its aesthetic value and resilience, as neither water nor cold has any impact on its petals.

Nicola Fuzzati, director of innovation and development of cosmetic ingredients, shares how the “red camellia” (The Czar cultivar of Camellia japonica) came to be the main component of N°1 de Chanel. “ We started cultivating in Gaujacq in the southwest of France, where we have one of the best-known experts in camellia cultivation in the world, Jean Thoby. It became an Open Sky Lab where we studied the composition of the different camellias to evaluate their potential, and we identified the red camellia, [which produces high quantities of] protocatechuic acid.” By harnessing the bio-essence of this flower’s resilience, experts developed it into the main active component of N°1 de Chanel in a 10-year research programme into senescence [the process of skin cellular ageing], in collaboration with a professor at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna. 

Image: Supplied
N°1 de Chanel Fond de Teint Revitalisant.
N°1 de Chanel Fond de Teint Revitalisant.
Image: Supplied

Each stage of the development underwent rigorous testing and clinical trials to guarantee active-ingredient efficacy in skin cells, tissue, formulation, and vitality, targeting the first stages of ageing. “The red camellia extract was the most efficient in preventing the entry of cells into a senescence. We found that it could enhance the vitality of cells by 67%, even in a stressful environment,” says Forestier. The sustainability credentials of this collection are impressive, with eco-designed packaging, a reduced use of plastics, reduced packaging weight, no paper leaflets, and sustainable, innovative formulations. At the same time, there is no compromise on the intrinsic qualities we have come to expect from the Chanel brand, namely luxury, quality, efficacy, and beauty. 

Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied

“Up to 97% of the ingredients are from natural origins. We have, as far as possible, used recycled and recyclable materials. The best example is the leader of the collection, the revitalising cream. The lid is made of 90% bio-based materials, which means that inside the lid you have a mix of camellia-seed shells, which are by-products in the production of the camellia oil, mixed with wood chips. It is the first refillable cream container for Chanel Skincare, and 80% of the product is made of glass, which is recyclable,” explains Forestier. At the heart of N°1 de Chanel, along with a commitment to sustainability, scientific expertise, and research, is a desire to create an opportunity for women to practise self-care. This is done through a four-step ritual designed to prepare, treat, revive, re-energise, and enhance the skin’s inherent beauty. N°1 de Chanel shows not only a welcome shift towards sustainability but also the enormous potential of plants and nature when time and a considered approach are taken. 

N°1 de Chanel range.
N°1 de Chanel range.
Image: Supplied

From left:

1.Powder-To-Foam Cleanser 25g, R1 005

2. Revitalizing Lotion 150ml, R1 230

3. Revitalizing Illuminating Eye Cream 15g, R1 395

4. Revitalizing Serum 50ml, R2 830

5. Revitalizing Cream 50g, R2 010

6. Revitalizing Serum-In-Mist 50ml, R1 600

7. Revitalizing Foundation 30ml, R1 435

8. Lip And Cheek Balm 6.5g, R925

9. L’Eau Rouge Revitalizing Fragrance Mist 100ml, R2 155 

 From the February edition of Wanted, 2022.

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