Coco Chanel’s love for the camellia was the stuff of legend. A flower with no scent or thorns, so great was the couturier’s appreciation for its simplicity and purity that it became synonymous with her house. Now, we’ve come to appreciate the camellia for a whole other reason. Exalted by Chanel researchers for its resilience and ability to bloom during the most extreme winters, the concentrated energy of the red camellia is captured in N°1 de Chanel—the house’s first holistic and sustainable pro-youth line.
In fact, scientists at Chanel laud red camellia extract for its ability to penetrate deep into the skin’s layers to promote cellular rejuvenation and boost collagen production. As a result, fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven skin tone are visibly reduced, leaving behind a firm, radiant complexion. Beyond being a skincare collection(it even boasts a foundation, fragrance, and lip and cheek balm), the jewel of N°1 de Chanel is the Revitalizing Serum, made of 95 per cent naturally-derived ingredients, 76 per cent of which are camellia-derived.
N°1 de Chanel: Beauty for a new generation
As the world evolves, so too our skincare needs. To combat the aggressors of modern life including pollution, stress, and lack of sleep, N°1 de Chanel’s modus operandi is to undo the five signs of ageing: the appearance of wrinkles and pores, radiance levels, skin elasticity, and how plump the it appears.
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“Skin’s vitality starts at the cellular level. The combined effects of skin ageing and external factors like environmental stressors cause the vitality of skin cells to decrease with time,” explains Armelle Sourad, Chanel’s international scientific communication director. “Cells stop dividing and cellular activity slows. This phenomenon is known as senescence initiation.”
Cellular senescence, also known as ‘zombie’ cells, is a biological phenomenon that translates to skin that’s less radiant and supple, with the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Chanel research has shown that red camellia extract counters senescence, boosting cellular vitality by 67 per cent, helping cells to subsequently live longer.
Souraud explains that in the beauty world, anti-ageing skincare efficacy is generally measured over just one or two months. Chanel however, tested the long-term impact of the Revitalizing Serum and discovered that its efficacy increases a whopping fivefold after six months of use. “The more you use it, the better your skin’s vitality,” says Souraud.
Eugena Bey, 29, entrepreneur, on N°1 de Chanel
“I absolutely adore the N°1 de Chanel range. It has been an absolute game-changer for my skin, especially living in the humid climate of Singapore and even during the chilly winters in Denmark,” shares Pilates aficionado, Eugena Bey. Bey’s come a long way from acne breakouts that shook her confidence as a teen. “Everything changed when I decided to educate myself about improving my skin condition. This newfound knowledge made me more aware of the products I used on my face.”
These days, Bay gravitates towards skincare that’s organic and able to effortlessly fit her travel regimes across different climates. Her less-is-more approach to beauty was born from the realisation that 12-step routines were neither sustainable nor made a difference to her skin. “It’s been quite a journey dealing with various skin concerns, but I’m grateful to have finally discovered a routine that works for me. Now, I feel comfortable and confident enough to go out with just my natural face. Having a consistent skincare routine not only prepares me mentally for the day but also boosts my confidence and empowers me.”
Bey fell in love with N°1 de Chanel after a cycling accident last year left her with a gash on her chin. “Remarkably, the Revitalizing Serum continued to work wonders on my skin, aiding its healing and recovery,” she shares.
Eugena’s tip “After application of the N°1 de Chanel skincare, spritz a little N°1 L’eau Rouge Revitalizing Fragrance Mist and feel incredibly fresh and smell delightful throughout the entire day.”
Kimberly Wang, 32, DJ
Like Bey, radio personality Kimberly Wang experienced “very bad acne” in her teen years. Its effects were debilitating and got to the point where Wang refused to go to school. Wang’s wake-up call came from a doctor who sternly informed her that she had been aggressively over washing her face after sports, leading to inflammation.
In place of over-stripping products and harsh cleansing techniques, Wang learnt an important lesson in respecting her skin’s barrier while uncovering the science behind “what works.”
“N°1 is good, because it’s like a nice in-between. It’s not too rich and intensive, so you can it daily,” says Wang, who uses the line including the rehydrating Revitalizing Serum-in-Mist. She enthusiastically continues, “Sometimes, your skin takes a while to ease into a new product but I don’t really experience that with N°1 de Chanel. It’s very easy to use, is very very light in texture, so you don’t really feel it after you apply it. It works well with make-up as well, it doesn’t have a weird cakey or greasy effect.”
Wang was also drawn to N°1 de Chanel for its sustainable approach to skincare and the environment, with refillable pods and intentionally eco-friendly packaging.
Kimberly’s tip “My favourite N°1 hack is actually the Lip and Cheek Balm! That’s the only thing I use on my face. It’s perfect, fuss free—convenience is a big thing for me, I’m a lazy girl. It’s the best ever.”
N°1 de Chanel Revitalizing Eye Cream
Kalynskye, 23, model
“When I first started modelling, I realised that the skin and make-up products on set can be quite stripping, so as someone that has super dry skin, it was so harsh on me,” muses model, Kalynskye. “It was a really bad period of time because my skin was also breaking out, and that was when I realised that I really needed to take care of my skin.”In addition to weekly hikes and Pilates sessions to “keep the blood pumping”, Kalynskye nourishes her dry skin with products with more moisturising ingredients. N°1 de Chanel’s ultra hydrating Revitalizing Cream provided just the answer.
“It’s really lightweight but also moisturising. It feels like I don’t even have anything on my skin, which I love,” says Kalynskye.
“As someone who has dry skin, I’m always looking forthings to keep me moisturised, but most of the moisturising products are super heavy, and I want something that’s light so I canput more make-up on,” Kalynskye continues. “N°1 is especially good for this climate.”
Kalynskye’s tip “Obviously, you have to have clean hands. Always apply your lighter, thinner textured products first—then move on to heavier, richer textured products. And I find that you must always keep to your night skincare routine. That’s really important because it really affects how you look and feel the next day.”
N°1 de Chanel Revitalizing Cream
Beauty director: Alli Sim
Producers: David Bay and Dominique Leicester
Art director and videographer: Joseph Poh
Director of photography: Anuar Hassan
Associate beauty editor: Emily Heng
Make-up: Kenneth Chia
Hair: Christvian Wu
Nails: Felicia Widjaya
Camera assistant: Nicholas Lee
Sound engineer: Mark Toh
Production assistants: Hifzhan Golam and Iszylee
Models: Eugena Bey, Kimberly Wang, Kalynskye Adrian/Now Models
