English Version | The root of the party

When camellia red is painted sustainable green, this is Nº1 de Chanel, the house's new Beauty line designed to maximize the effectiveness of cosmetics and minimize the impact on the planet. And that is worthy of celebration.

It's an underground party with the matinee on the surface and the guestlist was handpicked for skincare without any minimum consumption. The location is Gaujacq, a commune in Nouvelle Aquitaine, Landes, in the southwest of France, handpicked for its microclimate and fertile, balanced soil, which needs not great artifices or festive decorations: here, where Chanel has planted, along with floral cultivation, one of its four research laboratories, the mild temperature environment and just-enough precipitation acts as a mirror ball and rainwater is the drink du jour, penetrating deep into the soil and transporting the most important subterranean nutrients to the root of the plant, in a happy hour that the earth never tires of taking advantage of. In the center of the dancefloor, stealing the spotlight on this stage for 2022, is the red camellia, a flower that is no stranger to the French house, but whose scarlet version brings unprecedented properties to a range of Beauty that matches the current demands of both skin and of ecoconsciousness.

It's here, at the root of this species, that the festivities of a search for the perfection of cosmetic ingredients begin, which then continues in the Chanel laboratories, where tailor-made techniques to analyze, filter and concentrate the plant's molecules for the final product are developed – and applied to Chanel Beauty's latest headliner, Nº1 de Chanel, which includes skincare and makeup. The line is a love affair between the innovation of agroecological cultivation and the expertise of Chanel's chemical scientists and is far from being a one-night stand: because respect for nature and its properties is not something that comes out of the blue, this love affair may be the novelty of the year but it has been nurtured since forever, namely with the birth of the iconic Nº5, precisely a century ago. The arrival of the star perfume helped cultivate and deepen the house's expertise in relation to floral cultivation, raw material of excellence in its fragrances, enhancing the natural process of its maturation (for example, the soil is enriched by composting the fallen foliage of the own flowers) and learning from it to take advantage, in the least invasive way possible, of its added value at the end of gestation.

It is in the freshness of the blossoming of this Camellia japonica – which enjoys an incredible concentration of nutritive and beneficial molecules for the skin – that Chanel laboratories (in this case, Gaujacq's) extract an oil that is now incorporated in the Nº1 beauty range. But that's not all: because Mother Nature knows what she's doing, the house makes the most of the plant for the least waste, such as, for example, using the ultra-resistant shells of the seeds of this species (an effective protective envelope for each grain) in the making of the lids for the packaging of some of its creams, taking advantage of, in a kind of biomimicry (the imitation of nature's processes to better human creations), this same principle of protection to seal the contents. The step, admits Chanel, is just one in a series of many already taken (and many yet to be taken), in what is the celebration of the natural, while learning from it. Gaujacq is the ideal stage for this ambitious venture, as it is the ex-libris in leading this large-scale project around Mademoiselle Chanel's emblematic flower. Established in partnership with Jean Tholby, specialist in camellias and responsible for a botanical garden in the area with more than 2000 varieties of the plant, it is from this garden that two varieties of Camellia japonica come from, responsible for the cultures of the maison in the area and for the camellia farm implemented next to to the open-air laboratory that allows to closely study the development of this Chanel symbol. The approach, which leaves its nutrition and protection in the hands of nature, has earned the brand the highest level of environmental certification – the High Environmental Value (HVE), a certification granted by the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food analyzing, at three levels, factors such as biodiversity conservation, plantation protection strategy, fertilizer and water management – ​​and it is a way of ensuring optimized agricultural practices for a reduced environmental impact.

The philosophy repeats itself in the composition of the face and make-up line: prioritizing the use of raw materials that respect the environment is a long-standing commitment and this commitment is its most recent yardstick, Nº 1 de Chanel's formulas favor renewable ingredients, from and with a reduced carbon footprint, without undermining the effectiveness, safety and sensory effect of their products. The formulas also include 76% of camellia derivatives, such as petals, seeds and yeast, so that practically none of the flower is wasted. What comes out of this variety of ingredients? Revitalizing, refreshing, hydrating properties and reinforcing the skin's protection against external aggressions, namely those that characterize the current times (stress, pollution), packaged in ecologically designed packaging with special attention to materials: glass is the biggest choice, plastic was reduced as much as possible, the paper inserts were removed and the ink used on the labels is organic; weight was also accounted for and lightened (bottles are lighter, thanks to ecodesign); and the items now admit refill, which, along with the lower weight, greatly reduces the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Worthy of applause? Of course, but save the ovation for the red carpet, where the stars of this line parade: skincare, makeup and eau de cologne, which aim to respond in the most effective way to questions such as the health and youthfulness of the skin, comfort and shine. On the VIP list, make way for the cleanser that goes from powder to foam (just add water) or a lotion version, to remove impurities and pollution residues. Then open the photocall for the serum, which is enough to preserve the skin's vitality. The face and eye creams follow in the ritual and, as an extra step for any time of the day (on clean skin or over make-up), put the revitalizing serum-in-mist, a spray that works as a barrier against pollution, thus preserving the youthfulness of the complexion, increasing its glow factor, that mandatory factor in any celebration. In the make-up routine, the DJ that opens the floor is the fond de teint that evens out the skin tone in different shades, and in the center of the spotlight is the versatile balm for lips and cheekbones that stands out in a list of six colors, thus completing a minimal makeup choreography, finally flavored by the eau de cologne imagined by Olivier Polge. L'Eau Rouge starts with a skincare foundation enriched with refreshing camellia water and revitalizing camellia extract. The aroma, however, is not that of red camellia, as the flower is odorless; but the absence of a floral scent was just a fuse for the dreamy creativity of the Chanel perfumer, who played with contrasts to create a water with notes of jasmine, orange and rose, then combined with notes of red fruits. A new release can always be a reason for celebration, but the contours of this celebration go beyond the novelty factor. Because the line is not intended to be just one more, but rather to do it differently. Think differently. Caring differently – for the skin, for beauty, for the planet. And that's all the more reason to turn on the lights on the dancefloor and shine the spotlight on this Chanel Nº1.

Translated from the Celebrate Yourself issue of Vogue Portugal, published february 2022.Full story and credits on the print version.