Coco Chanel
had a singular vision of beauty. “If you’re sad, if you are
disappointed in love, put on your makeup, give yourself some beauty
care, put on lipstick, and attack,” she once offered. Thus, it’s no
fluke that many of the cosmetic offerings Chanel pioneered in the 1920s
are as enduring as her iconic crisp tweeds and sumptuous quilted 2.55 bag. Here are three of her time-tested beauty innovations that helped shape the beauty industry as we know it today.
[post_ads_2]
The Nonpareil Feminine Fragrance
“A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future,” said Chanel. To create her debut fragrance Chanel No.5
in 1921, she commissioned Ernest Beaux, a former parfumier to Russian
aristocracy, to use new-wave synthetic ingredients rather than just
floral essential oils. “I want a woman’s perfume with a woman’s scent,”
she told him. “I want a fragrance that is composed.”
After 10 months, Beaux presented her with 10
different vials. She selected the fifth (allegedly because five was her
lucky number)—and the rest, as they say, is history. By 1929, it was the
best-selling perfume in the world, with droves of people lining up on
the Rue Cambon to get their hands on the minimalist glass bottle, which
has become a design history marvel itself.
The Perfect Everyday Lipstick
Dissatisfied
with what was on the market, Chanel launched her first lip color
collection in 1924. Unlike its mass counterparts, the creamy formula was
ultra-pigmented, yet decidedly wearable. Mademoiselle, who was always
keen on a classic crimson lip, even created her own bespoke shade.
Adding to the luxury were the decadent ivory lipstick tubes, which
featured a cutting-edge copper sliding mechanism. In 1954, the designer
reimagined the original bullet into a rectangular tube as an ode to her
No.5 bottle. The fashion house’s modern formula, Rouge Allure Intense Long-Wear Lip Colour, continues to be widely popular due in no small part to deep blue-based red 99 Pirate, which is one of the best-selling red lipsticks of all time.
[post_ads_2]The Luxe Multitasking Oil
In
1927, Chanel introduced a variety of skin-care offerings, including
toners, creams, lotions, and soaps, that were a celebration of simple
beauty. One of the heroes of the range was a jasmine oil for the face
and body. With its soothing and moisturizing ingredients, silky and
light texture, and fresh floral scent—meant to evoke the fields of
Grasse in France—the non-greasy elixir was groundbreaking when it was
first introduced. Relaunched earlier this year, Huile de Jasmin is
composed of mostly natural ingredients, including camellia, jojoba, and
limnanthes alba oils, which smooth and nourish the complexion, and can
be worn alone or mixed into skincare or foundation for added luminosity.
