‘Expert’ is a term so overused in the beauty industry, it feels devoid of any real meaning – but if I were ever asked to single out a woman who truly deserves that title, it’s Olivia Chantecaille. She talks about the breakthroughs in plant stem cell research and the innovative new ways to incorporate botanicals into skincare with ease. Her wherewithal is as apparent with every word out of her mouth as it is thanks to the effortless radiant glow across her face.
You could say beauty runs in the family. Her mother, Sylvie Chantecaille, is a visionary in the beauty space. She launched her first niche cosmetics company in 1977 with friend Diane von Furstenberg, where she covered new ground using organic aromatherapy essences and botanical ingredients long before they were as popular as they are now. And that’s all before taking the creative helm Estée Lauder’s Prescriptives brand in New York too. She was raised among lab samples and colour charts, accompanying her mother on research and development trips so it was only natural that the pair decided to join forces to launch a new family-run, family-named beauty line.
What started off as four fragrances has now blossomed into a full line of both skincare and makeup, anchored by the brand’s signature Future Skin, an on oil-free, gel-formula foundation. The fact that it was one of the first products on the market that offered skincare into makeup made it a breakthrough, not to mention the fact that it comes with 60 per cent water and seaweed extract making it lighter and less saturated than the cakey options at the time. Their mantra is that makeup can look good and be good for your skin – and it’s working. Everyone from Dame Judi Dench to Jennifer Lopez swears by Chantecaille products and Angelina Jolie was famously spotted applying Brilliant Gloss on the red carpet at the Golden Globes – quite the endorsement, right?
While she may now be a New Yorker, her approach to skincare is firmly grounded in her French roots. Here she talks all about her routine, what makes Chantecaille different and the products you need on your radar.
ON FRENCH BEAUTY: I was raised with a French woman’s approach to beauty, which was something that my mom and I wanted to bring to the market when we launched. The effortless approach, a very naturally beautiful look, sort of that ‘no makeup-makeup’ look, the ‘I woke up this way’ look was what we wanted to bring to women with Chantecaille. The French don’t ever want to look like they’re wearing makeup – typically the men don’t like it, except maybe for a red lipstick! They prefer a look that is more natural. French women take pride in their beauty routine, they take time every day, the ritual of beauty is a very important part of their culture. We also focus on natural ingredients – it’s the same way the French approach their diet, they eat seasonally and locally and shop that day for fruits and vegetables that were harvested that morning. French women take really good care of themselves – they really put in the time to nurture themselves; they have a real respect for their own beauty and their bodies. My grandmother had this beautiful beauty routine, I remember watching her in awe as she’d sit at her vanity table and use this beautiful powder puff, which she’d always use on my sister and I. That has definitely stayed with me and infused my approach to beauty.
HOW CHANTECAILLE CAME TO BE: I have been surrounded by beauty products my whole life. This is the third cosmetics company that my mother created – so I grew up in the industry. Sylvie created a line for her friend Diane von Furstenberg’s Madison Avenue store, and based on the success of that she was brought on by Estée Lauder herself to launch something totally modern for the new working woman—that became Prescriptives, where she spent almost 20 years. So I was always surrounded by beauty products and my mother would often take me with her to trips to the lab when she was developing something new. We teamed up to create Chantecaille – the industry was in a period of really chemical-heavy products, and we were personally very interested in natural-based, holistic approaches We studied Chinese medicine, aromatherapy approaches, and plant-based techniques that could be applied to cosmetics.
ON THE INFLUENCE OF HER MODELLING CAREER: We were the first to incorporate skincare directly into makeup, and actively tried to eliminate harmful ingredients. Coming from modeling helped me understand so much about makeup application. Pancake, heavy matte makeup was the norm then, and we were looking to develop something that was lighter, more natural looking and feeling, that would harmonize your face and enhance your natural beauty, not hide it. We took more of a self-love approach to makeup. We launched originally with a product called Real Skin, which was loaded with vitamins, healthy oils and properties that naturally occur in the skin – Jennifer Lopez’s makeup artist Spencer Barnes started using it on her and it became that famous ‘J Lo glow’.
THE CHANTECAILLE SIGNATURES: Our Pure Rosewater, Future Skin, Jasmine Lily Healing Mask, Faux Cils mascara and Ultra Sun Protection are some of our top sellers. There are so many rosewater products out there but ours has a unique power. The texture of our products is luxurious and feels amazing. We always approach skin with the idea of healing, calming, soothing and repairing the damage and protecting from future damage – and those tenets are at the base of every product we create. In the industry, irritation is always marked as one of the major causes of aging and we’re always actively trying to undo that at a high quality, elevated level.
ON COMING UP WITH NEW PRODUCTS: Chantecaille was created by women for women–we were the first customers! My mother and I are very intuitive in the way we work, and we’ve been fortunate in that we’ve created products for people that have answered a need or a question before the customer even knew that they were searching for it. For example: at a time when people were seeking other artificial lash-lengthening methods that ultimately were causing irritation, we launched our Faux Cils mascara with a natural peptide to encourage growth without the side effects. It was built into the product, didn’t require an extra step but was so effective – two weeks later you’d look in the mirror and see that your lashes were longer.
THE CREATIVE PROCESS: A point of inspiration might be a trip, a piece of art, a natural material we’re inspired by. Trend forecasting leads to color selections, and there is also the cause or charity we align with which offers its own direction. We look for and also develop our own innovative formulas that we feel that will make a difference. Fashion definitely influences beauty trends and vice versa. They are very inter-connected. When a woman is looking at how to update her look for the season into her lifestyle, she pays attention to the total picture…her handbag, necklace, shoes. The dress, lipstick, eye shadow.
BEING AHEAD OF THE CURVE: We’re very forward-thinking in our approach to beauty and passionate and curious about the latest tech and science. We were the first to use plant stem cells and understand how effective and safe they are – that was a groundbreaking, industry-changing discovery and it is something that totally sets us apart. They work with your body to encourage it to do what it does best. The stem cells give your skin a boost of its own power to perform at an optimal level, but keeps it safe and gentle. It’s akin to homeopathy, really—as opposed to shocking it to react, like with lasers or peels, which can be so aggressive, we prefer a recharging, refreshing approach to healing.
PINCH ME MOMENTS: I feel extremely proud when we meet people and they tell me they use our products and love them–that we reach people’s lives outside the office always feels good! The philanthropy relationships we have built also make me feel so proud – when you see that you can have an impact and make changes in conservation, by doing what we do. It’s crazy—the fact that Sylvie had this kernel of an idea, that she shared with me and now we have a globally recognized family business 17 years later is pretty amazing. I’ll also say that seeing Angelina Jolie use our Brilliant Gloss in Charm on camera in front of millions of people at the Golden Globes was kind of amazing too. We were sold out overnight. The Angie effect!
GIVING BACK: Each season we collaborate with a different environmental or conservation cause that needs immediate attention, allowing us to be a voice for those who don’t have one. We merge the cause with what we feel are the upcoming trends, so that our collections are relevant to the customer in addition to reflecting what is happening on the current runways. For the Fall, we created our Protect the Lions Palette. My mother and brother visited Kenya and our friends at The Lion Guardians—the team of women there are using hugely innovative conservation efforts to keep the lions safe in their natural habitat and help their population grow after years of being hunted. They’re setting a new standard that is being adopted in neighboring African countries. We immerse ourselves in these issues – it’s both inspiring and educational so that in turn we can share it and help raise awareness. It’s a passion for my family that we have found resonates well with our clients.
ON HER DAILY BEAUTY ROUTINE: I always spray a generous amount of our Pure Rosewater on my face first thing. Then, I moisturize with our Rose de Mai Cream. It’s lightweight, purifying and boosts radiance to keep my complexion bright. It has a mixture of plant and flower stem cells that are rich in anti-aging benefits. It’s the perfect everyday cream. I then apply our Nano Gold Energizing Eye Cream. It’s infused with 24K gold, which has major antioxidant and soothing properties. The eye cream creates a good base for my brightening eye concealer, Le Camouflage Stylo. For a healthy glow, I add highlighter to my cheeks with our Liquid Lumiere. On my way out the door, after I kiss my daughter goodbye, I’ll apply my current favorite summer Lip Chic shade, Cosmos. It keeps my lips hydrated while giving me a summery pop of color. Before bed I follow the lead from my sister, Alex. She swears by dousing a cotton pad with our Pure Rosewater and then adding a few pumps of our Flower Infused Cleansing Milk. She’s totally right – it removes everything! It picks up any excess oils, dirt or leftover makeup.
THE SKINCARE HACK SHE SWEARS BY: I absolutely love masks, specifically a great sleep-in mask since I usually don’t have time to sit with a mask on during the day. I’ll alternate nights, using our Jasmine and Lily Healing Mask one which is soothing, anti-aging and incredibly balancing, with the Bio Lifting Mask which helps erase wrinkles and build collagen. It works wonders while I’m getting my beauty rest.
ON FEELING BEAUTIFUL FROM THE INSIDE OUT: What works for me is to be grateful and recognize all the good and beauty I have in my life. Wherever we are, my daughter and I point out beautiful things that make us feel happy—butterflies, flowers, chipmunks, anything pink. I always take a few minutes to breathe and set intentions for the day to start my day off on the right foot and try not to forget to laugh. If you’re feeling good on the inside, it will show on the outside.