FLOWER POWER

Chanel heralds a new era in its skincare offering, with a collection that promises luxury and clean beauty in equal measure.

- Sally Hunwick

Growing up, my family had a camellia tree in the back garden. I remember it like a giant orb of a bush that towered over our little heads with near impene-trable branches and waxy, tough leaves. In season it would come into its own and burst out red extravagant blooms, which seemed so weighty they could only hang on to the tree for a few days. They would then scatter the ground like offerings and we would pick them up and save them in dishes of water.

As a child, I didn’t know the camellia was an emblematic plant for Gabrielle Chanel, nor could I imagine that the red camellia in particular, with its vitality and vigorous growth, would become the focus of Chanel’s new naturally based sustainable skincare line.

N° 1 de Chanel is the house’s new clean and sustainable skincare line. The nine-product range is based on the red camellia, and it’s the flower’s beautiful colour that helps protect skin vitality and address the interim signs of ageing, such as fine lines, pore size and dullness.

“The range is rich in anthocyanins, an incredibly potent antioxidant; it’s responsible for giving the camellia petals their vibrant red colour and helps protect the blossoms against harsh weather and environmental aggressors,” explains Chanel skin expert Melanie Grant.