Sublime Secrets

Chanel Sublimage has come a long way with its breakthrough beauty products—Jessica Liew discovers the fortifying powers of age-old plants in the new essences, Fondamentale and Lumière

It was the year 2002 when Chanel’s beauty division made a breakthrough discovery of the vanilla planifolia. The fascinating plant, native to Madagascar had revealed a potential to regenerate skin from the core, fortifying the beauty and strength of its essential functions, derived from the plant’s holistic facets. This was how Chanel Sublimage was born, in an open-sky laboratory and under the watchful eye of Nicola Fuzzati, active ingredients research director, and Armelle Souraud, international scientific communications director.

By 2006, Sublimage had established its first natural active ingredient, the Planifolia PFA. Chanel had tapped the hidden power of vanilla, the potency of its fruit, leaves and flowers. Inspired by nature’s unique biodiversity, Nicola set his sights on another open-sky lab in 2010, in the south of France. It became the botanical research station for his team, as they immersed in local, alpine and Mediterranean plants. Here was the establishment of the solidago, the key to the L’Essence Fondamentale, and the anthyllis, the fortifying extract of L’Essence Lumière.

Nicola and Armelle are beside themselves in delight, eager to introduce the two new Sublimage products to the press, in Hong Kong’s Galerie Perrotin. “In nature, I can find anything,” declared Nicola. “But then, I need the technology to sublimate, to extract its best and clearly, at the same time, I don’t want to destroy nature.” The duo led us through an immersive showcase that began with a vivid documentary of the vanilla planifolia’s discovery.