Chanel’s New Beauty Collection Is Sustainable and Inspired by the Red Camellia Flower

Chanel has launched No. 1 de Chanel, its first sustainable beauty line entering the French luxury house into the world of eco-conscious skincare and makeup.

Not only is Chanel contributing to a more sustainable planet, but No. 1 de Chanel also promises anti-aging technology that delivers healthier and more radiant skin, thanks to the discovery of a natural extract from “The Czar” Camellia flower.

The nine-piece collection incorporates the red camellia flower, sister to the iconic white camellia, which has been prominently integrated into Chanel’s clothing, fragrances, and skincare.

After ten years of research in Chanel’s Open Sky laboratory, located in Gaujac, France, scientists finally discovered No. 1 de Chanel’s age-defying breakthrough: the red camellia extract.

The red camellia is one of the few flowers that bloom in the winter and is able to endure the harsh winter climate. This led scientists at the Chanel laboratories to find other skin-care benefits from different varieties of Camellia.

The red camellia extract is said to prevent skin from looking dull and tired, a phase called senescence. The extract is filled with antioxidants, shields skin from stressors, and supports each cell to function better and longer.

“The No. 1 de Chanel line improves the quality of the skin, diminishing the appearance of wrinkles by 25%, visibly refining the appearance of pores by 25%, and increasing elasticity by 25%. Skin feels 81% more comfortable and appears 54% more radiant,” states the Chanel website.

The impressive properties of the red camellia extract are infused in the nine products in the collection: fragrance mist, tinted lip and cheek balm, foundation, lotion, eye cream, face cream, serum, serum-in-mist, and powder-to-foam cleanser.

The anti-aging benefits are included in the makeup as well, with 20 shades of the semi-sheer No. 1 de Chanel Revitalizing Foundation and six cream blushes that infuse the skin with antioxidants.

Every aspect of the collection was designed to take into consideration the environment. The formulations consist of up to 76% of the anti-aging camellia, 97% natural ingredients, and 80% of the packaging is made with recyclable glass.

Chanel Beauty experts wanted to use new kinds of materials for the No. 1 de Chanel packaging. After the oil was extracted from the camellia seeds, the seeds were then mixed in with wood shavings to create the lid for the creams.

The printing on the glass is done with organic ink, the packaging is free from cellophane, and the paper leaflets have been replaced by QR codes printed on the packaging.

The products are now available to shop on Chanel’s website.