While both the botanical and luxury beauty markets continue to gather pace, few brands have managed to successfully traverse the two. Industry veteran Sylvie Chantecaille, who founded Estée Lauder’s Prescriptives brand in 1979, launched her eponymous luxury beauty brand in 1997 as a small fragrance house built on this concept. She talks to Cosmetic News Weekly about where the brand is today.
What sets Chantecaille apart?When I started my line I wanted to use only the most advanced science and technology concerning plants and flowers. I have continued to focus on creating the best formula; a true luxury product at the highest level, with no expense spared on ingredients and R&D.
What’s the secret to delivering a luxury experience?The first thing people see is the packaging. It needs to have a sense of honesty and integrity. The second thing is how it smells. When anyone opens the product they smell it. For us, not using fragrance and immediately giving them a fresh scent created by the ingredients, and the ingredients only, is huge. The texture is the next thing people notice. And if you are lucky enough to see customers apply it to their face, it’s that feeling they get right away– it has to feel luxurious, fresh and in perfect harmony with their skin.
How has the economic downturn impacted business?It actually hasn’t. We are lucky in that we’ve continued growing rapidly since the recession hit. It seems to be our time right now.
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