Chanel’s top secret beauty collection has arrived and it’s a game-changer for the brand

We’re only six days into 2022 and already one of the biggest beauty launches of the year has been revealed. After celebrating 100 years of the brand’s iconic No.5, Chanel has unveiled a whole new beauty collection aptly named No.1.

Operating under a code name during production to protect its 10 years in the making, the collection presents many firsts for the brand, including a focus on sustainability.

BEAUTYcrew was granted an exclusive preview of the collection and here are the highlights you should know.

It brings together the best of science and nature

Every product within the No.1 collection features ingredients of natural origin. We’re talking 86-98 per cent across the nine core products. The star is the red camellia, which, after 10 years of experiments, Chanel scientists found supports skin vitality and prevents the onset of senescence. 

What is senescence, you ask? It’s when skin cells cease dividing but still exist in the body, disrupting the smooth functioning of other active cells. In short, this mechanism can contribute to premature ageing and the signs of ageing.  

Chanel research, in collaboration with researchers from the Department of Biotechnology and Ageing at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna (phew!), found the red camellia performed exceptionally in the first stages of senescence to help improve the quality of the skin.

It’s Chanel’s first-ever cross-category collection 

With such snazzy science behind it, the No.1 collection of course features an impressive selection of skin care products. It includes a powder-to-foam cleanser, powerhouse serum and (facialist Melanie Grant’s favourite) an eye cream that can also be used to nourish lashes. 

But, in a first for the brand, the range hasn't just stayed in one lane, also spanning across makeup and perfume. Featuring a foundation, fragrance mist, and cheek and lip balm, it’s one chic and multifaceted collection.

It was made with the environment in mind

Let’s be honest, luxury and sustainability aren’t usually partners in crime. But with the launch of No.1, Chanel has made some significant changes to reduce its environmental impact. 

The weight of bottles and jars has been reduced, 80 per cent of the products in the range are made of glass, lids are made from recycled materials where possible, and the Red Camellia Revitalizing Cream is refillable.

Want to discover the entire range? Scroll on…