From Gabrielle to Chanel: How the brand's famous founder inspired its approach to beauty and skincare

Gabrielle Chanel was a woman ahead of her time. In the realm of fashion, she freed women from the restrictive corsets and long skirts of the 1920s, creating a two-piece set consisting of a slim skirt and collarless jacket made of tweed, inspired by the suits worn by men and her lover, the Duke of Westminster.

She changed how women carried bags with the Chanel 2.55, the first luxury bag for women that came with a shoulder strap.

She made her mark in fragrance with Chanel No 5 in 1921, the brand’s first perfume inspired by the scent of a woman. It marked the start of the Chanel Beauty empire – the first Chanel makeup line launched in 1924, and the first skincare range in 1927.

“Since 1921, women have been at the centre of all Gabrielle Chanel’s beauty creations, with the ambition to not only enhance their beauty but above all to reveal their aura," said Armelle Souraud, international scientific communications director for Chanel.

"Presented in packaging with an iconic graphic identity, the beauty products she offered adapted to the lifestyle of the modern woman, always on the move, by including products for the body, sports and tanning, emphasising the importance of self-care.”

A BEAUTY PIONEER

The first Chanel skincare range was launched with a total of 15 items. It was a holistic collection consisting of products such as beauty creams for day and night, a hand cream, lip oil, makeup cleansing wipes, massage cream, astringent cream, jasmine oil and more.

Chanel’s skincare philosophy was guided by the notion that beauty begins from within. “Gabrielle Chanel used to say that ‘beauty care must begin with the heart and soul, otherwise cosmetics would be useless’,” shared Souraud.

“By giving women back the power over their own bodies, Gabrielle Chanel gave them the right to be themselves and assert their individuality. Faithful to this vision, the house strives to meet the needs of each woman, so that they feel represented and accompanied in their personal quest for beauty and wellbeing.”

The products were forward-thinking for their time. The Huile de Jasmin, for one, has several purposes. With its soothing and moisturising ingredients, light texture and fresh jasmine floral scent, it both smooths and nourishes the complexion. It can also be used as a massage oil and can be worn alone or mixed into skincare.

While effective formulas were key, Gabrielle Chanel paid particular attention to functionality. Adapting to the lifestyles of women in those times, who enjoyed their frequent weekend getaways, the Mademoiselle came up with “weekend” versions of her products, which were smaller in size and easier to pack.

The timeless packaging of her products – monochrome and minimalist – speaks to her stylistic foresight. This iconic identity continues to be Chanel's signature design aesthetic.

In the 1920s, Gabrielle Chanel invested in a laboratory-factory in Pantin, France, where her creative imagination and vision for beauty took shape, thanks to the scientific expertise and know-how of artisans and manufacturers.

A HOLISTIC APPROACH

Gabrielle Chanel’s achievements in beauty remain a source of inspiration for the house’s modern day “integrative beauty” concept. “Integrative beauty according to Chanel is a continuation of the holistic vision of the woman intuitively imagined by Gabrielle Chanel," said Souraud.

"It echoes the diversity of knowledge, know-how and expertise integrated within the Chanel House, supported by International Research itself integrated into a network open to the world, in the service of a singular and plural vision of beauty. Chanel's Integrative Beauty is nourished by the past, combined with the present, and turned towards the future.”

In 1972, Pantin became the historical birthplace of Chanel Research & Development, dedicated to skincare and makeup. It is here at Chanel’s Pantin Research and Innovation Centre where the house’s modern day skincare lines – from Sublimage to Le Lift, Hydra Beauty and N°1 de Chanel – are envisioned, researched and formulated.

“The Pantin Innovation and Research Centre is an incredible hub combining the latest technology with artisanal methods, science with innovation, and know-how with expertise, all in the service of women’s beauty,” explained Souraud.

“From the quest for the noblest raw materials to the formulation of the most delicate and high-performing textures, Chanel scientists and artisans reach for the same ideal of perfection and create an alchemy of science, nature and luxury.”

Reflecting the house’s “integrative beauty” concept, Chanel beauty products of today embrace modern uses and the latest scientific and historical advancement.

N°1 de Chanel, which launched in 2022, is the first beauty line from the house that cohesively integrates skincare, makeup and a fragrance mist. The products, ranging from a revitalising cream, hybrid lip-and-cheek balm and eye cream, all formulated with the red camellia extract, are envisioned for today’s modern woman with a hectic lifestyle. 

In keeping with changing industry trends, the line is also eco-conscious and sustainable. The formulas contain up to 97 per cent ingredients of natural origin, utilising various parts of the red camellia to prevent waste. For packaging, 80 per cent of products are made from recyclable glass.

THE ROLE OF TEXTURES & EMOTIONS

For Chanel, self-care is a holistic experience where all senses are awakened. Chanel was one of the first in the cosmetics sector to integrate a Sensory Evaluation Laboratory, first in France in 1993 and then in Japan in 2002. A department dedicated exclusively to the study of emotions and wellbeing was created in 2009 to better understand the close relationship between the senses, emotions, pleasure and wellbeing.

“Luxury is an experience that often touches on the intangible. In addition to being effective, the application of a Chanel cosmetic confers an emotion and a pleasure that reinforces the feeling of wellbeing,” said Souraud.

Chanel’s expert formulators work closely with the Sensory Evaluation Laboratory to come up with the sensory profile of each formula according to multiple characteristics – how it feels on the hand, the fluidity and consistency of the texture, how it glides on the skin, absorption speed upon application as well as the feeling of hydration after application.

The importance of sensory appeal is highlighted in the Sublimage Les Extraits line – the creme de la creme of Chanel Beauty. The recently reformulated Sublimage L’extrait de Nuit has an oil-in-water formula that transforms on contact with the skin, revealing shimmering micro-droplets that feel soft and comfortable.

“Sublimage is the quintessence of Chanel expertise and embodies all the values of the house," commented Souraud.

"An alliance of luxury, exceptional sensoriality and high-technology, the Sublimage formulas are continually honed, adjusted and recomposed, as discoveries are made by Chanel Research, so that each one benefits from the latest innovations. Facetted like precious gemstones, they contain meticulously selected ingredients, with exceptional performance levels.” 

Combined with the sensoriality of the formula, the exclusive La Fascia de Chanel massage technique helps to enhance the clinical benefits of products. This unique “art of touch” method involves deep, slow stretching of the facial fascias, which is subject to stress on a daily basis, helping to release tension from the face while cleansing, rehydrating and smoothing the skin. Clients can experience the house’s fascia massages at its Chanel Prive facial boutiques.

Chanel’s integrative beauty concept, shaped by Gabrielle Chanel’s original vision and innovations, is an all-encompassing approach to selfcare and wellbeing – one that blends expertise, research, sensoriality and emotions. It reflects a harmonious blend of tradition and modernity, adapted for today’s women on-the-go.