How do you sell beauty products that are “good” for both you and the planet? And how do you get a balance between luxury and sustainability? Everything has changed. Luxury in beauty used to mean glamorous boxes and beribboned bags – excessive packaging now feels distasteful. Every year, more than 120 billion units of packaging are produced in the cosmetics industry worldwide. Now, we’re learning to prefer the low-key and minimal – such as Nunaïa’s award-winning mycelium (mushroom-based) carton. This winter, Chanel’s limited-edition N°5 perfume bottles, made of recycled glass, came box-free, encased instead in biodegradable paper pulp that put a cool, cutting-edge twist on recyclable packaging.

Some luxury brands are making inroads into more considerate practices. According to one study, if refillable containers were used for cosmetics, it would eliminate some 70 per cent of carbon emissions associated with the industry. Hermès lipsticks are refillable; the Louis Vuitton perfume counter offers refills.

New Irish skincare and supplements line Seabody (at Brown Thomas) uses minimal packaging and protective violet glass bottles. “We don’t consider luxury to be about price point,” says co-founder Dr Helena McMahon. “We define luxury as the ability to access products that are truly sustainable, that are wonderful to use, and that are really efficacious. I think this is the true definition of luxury now.”

Perfume expert Frédéric Malle cautions against brands using green gimmicks for “marketing positioning”; his focus is on “being very vigilant about the way we work and the sourcing of raw materials.” La Prairie’s Pure Gold collection is glamorous, but outrageously expensive – the cream costs over €700 and refills are the same price (which doesn’t make sense). There’s no bandwagon around Clarins; they have been using pure plant oils since the 1960s, have Fair Trade programmes and carbon-neutral status, and plan to become a BCorp by 2023 (to join select other luxury names like Davines and Sunday Riley).

Another luxury brand kicks off 2022 by putting conscious credentials front and centre: N°1 de Chanel is a five-step line-up designed to shake up your beauty routine in a thoughtful way, from skin prep to scent. Modern and holistic, N°1 is an immersive collection formulated to energise and revitalise – to make you feel good as much as look good.

It tackles the idea of luxurious-meets-conscious head-on. “Sustainable innovation is really at the heart of our development,” explains Natalie Volpe, Chanel’s head of International Innovation R&D. Since 1995, the company has cultivated camellias on an area the size of 100 football pitches in the south of France; the open-sky lab here allows them to can cultivate and analyse plants immediately, on site. And that’s just the beginning. “The weight of the packaging is reduced, and recyclable, but it maintains the same luxurious quality you expect – you won’t notice a difference,” says Volpe. “Eighty per cent of the packaging is made of glass, and the patented cap is composed of material from natural resources, including camellia wood shavings and seed shells.” Using the waste from the key ingredient is a clever idea (in development since 2018), and one we’ll see more of.

A CLOSER LOOK AT CHANEL’S N°1 COLLECTION

The N°1 de Chanel Red Camellia Revitalizing collection is fresh and fun – mix and match as suits you. The formulas are concentrated, so you only need a tiny amount. And at their heart is red camellia extract, which has shown impressive revitalising results on the skin: “This is really a new step – to be able to address the early stages of cellular ageing and to restimulate cellular vitality by 67 per cent,” says Volpe.

CLEAN An innovative waterless powder-to-foam cleanser: mix with water to create an airy foam to purify and revitalise skin. €49. PREP A refreshing lotion based on camellia water to prep skin for treatments. €60. TREAT Three treatment steps include serum (€105), eye cream and Revitalizing cream (€98; refill €83). The serum, with more than 75 per cent of ingredients from the red camellia, is the most concentrated source, and its autodropper ensures an exact dose (and no waste). It was formulated with as few ingredients as possible “for it to be an absolutely functional formula that constitutes 95 per cent of natural ingredients”. Tests found it had a positive effect on the emotions as well as the skin: this is feel-good face care. 

MAKE-UP The fantastic water-based foundation (€70) formula has a light refreshing feel with good coverage. Notably, it features 94 per cent natural ingredients, with more than 70 per cent camellia-derived ingredients. It’s about lasting comfort. Finish with the Lip and Cheek Balm in soft, flattering shades that are not sticky. €45. SCENT No routine is complete without scent. Created by Olivier Polge, L’Eau Rouge Revitalizing Fragrance (€105) is designed to spray on and revive and energise all day long. It’s fresh and light, and smells like luxury skincare. Available at Brown Thomas.