Flower Power: Chantecaille’s Mother & Daughter Dynamic Duo
A generational beauty empire built upon the values of innovation, environmentalism, and family, Chantecaille is paving the way for a greener world in harmony with our modern indulgences. The family-owned company firmly believes in the natural healing powers of the earth’s flowers and only sources the purest ingredients for its beauty products.
Through these collections, they use their platform in the beauty industry to raise awareness about the pressing endangerment of wildlife and the planet at large. Founder/Mother Sylvie Chantecaille and Creative Director/Daughter Olivia Chantecaille show us that luxury and environmentalism are not mutually exclusive; together, they encourage us to treat our planet the same way we should treat our skin – gently and with kindness.
What is the best part about working with family?
SYLVIE: It’s fun and wonderful. There is a certain special trust and understanding. We can practically read each other’s minds – and fast!
OLIVIA: I love my family and enjoy spending time with them, so I am very grateful to share a business where we can all join our common passions while each standing on our own. We each have very unique roles and are able to pursue our creativity and talents.
How do you keep business and home separate?
SYLVIE: We are in the office together five days a week, so when we are at the beach on the weekends we focus on fun, sports, entertainment and friends. We try not to discuss work – though it can’t always be helped.
OLIVIA: In the beginning, when it was just my mother and I, it was all we talked about. Now that the rest of the family has joined, we are all happy to focus on other interests during our off-hours.
How does your French background influence your brand?
SYLVIE: In so many ways! The French sense of style is very strong. The French truly believe that beauty is on the inside, and approach beauty calmly – not following trends or altering the face, but embracing individuality. I credit my French upbringing with helping me see what I want to create so clearly. And the textures! The French love great textures in our skincare and cosmetics, and I am crazy about texture.
What’s one Chantecaille tradition?
SYLVIE: We spend every Christmas in Bordeaux, at my husband Olivier’s family vineyard with his family. His mother just turned 100!
What should be the first products our viewers purchase from Chantecaille?
SYLVIE: Start with Future Skin. Though Just Skin is also superb, and a best seller too – especially in Asia – Future Skin is just the best foundation, ever. The next thing you should buy is the Bio Lifting Mask, because it makes a real, visible difference.
OLIVIA: My favorite product is our Pure Rosewater spray. Refreshing, toning and soothing – it is a very unique product that is loaded with Vitamin C. I have a bottle by my bed, one on my desk and the travel size in my flight bag. And I always borrow our new Camellia and Lavender Balm from my daughter. It is an all-natural organic salve that works anywhere from my lips to my dry fingertips.
What are your must-have skincare products?
OLIVIA: As a busy working mother, I have very little time for self-care. I am always working on multi-tasking products that give visible results. I am currently in love with our new Bio Lifting Serum+. It is loaded with new, super-effective plant stem cells that target wrinkles, loss of volume, & dry skin and protect from blue light damage. I also love our masks – I never have time to sit and wait, so I wear them while I sleep. I alternate between our soothing Jasmine and Lily Mask and Bio Lifting Mask, which is like an iron for wrinkles!
Favorite fragrances?
SYLVIE: When I was young I wore Vent Vert by Balmain. Then, when I started working with scents, I created Chantecaille Vetyver for myself! I also love Le Wild – it’s so rich; it’s like walking in a jungle and stumbling upon a wild gardenia – different from a classical white fragrance. I really respond to nature and flowers.
OLIVIA: My favorite fragrance of ours is Petales. It is a very fresh and modern gardenia scent that always reminds me of the flowers in my wedding bouquet. Our fragrances are all based on natural flowers and their environment and are crafted in the traditional way perfumes were made in France centuries ago.
Waking up with the Chantecailles… What are your morning routines?
SYLVIE: In New York, I always have breakfast in bed. It’s vital to set my good mood for the day! It’s also when I send a lot of emails and make calls all around the world while I wear our Gold Eye Masks. Then I rush to dress and leave for work. My East Hampton mornings are very different – less rushing, more sports! I wake up and exercise first thing, do Pilates, swim laps, go to acupuncture – ease into my day.
OLIVIA: My morning routine is getting up to go and drop off my daughter at school. I try very hard to not check my phone when I first wake up. I drink a glass of water, spritz with Pure Rosewater, then I jump in the shower with my Rice and Geranium Foaming Cleanser. Next, I apply a new serum that I am testing for next spring, Bio Lift Fluid+, and finish with Anti-Pollution Mattifying Cream. I believe in the power of essential oils and apply a few depending on the day—I’ll do some on my daughter as well. Sometimes I have to choose between applying makeup or brushing my hair! I will quickly dab on some Future Skin foundation, a touch of Happy Cheek Gelée on my cheeks, and a sweep of our new Moonlit Perle Glow Powder. I prefer to save lipstick for after I kiss my daughter goodbye at school. Et voilà!
You’ve dedicated several collections to raising awareness toward endangered species, from African elephants to the ocean’s coral reefs. What projects inspired by our planet’s critical environmental issues can we expect to see next?
SYLVIE: We are all very concerned with global warming, and the dangerous effects it has on both humans and the wild. This summer we traveled to the North Pole and became very involved and educated in the plight of the polar bears.
Originally from Los Angeles, Alicia lived in Shanghai for 11 years before moving back to the states to attend the University of Miami, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in public relations and minors in art and philosophy. Currently residing in New York City, Alicia applies her knowledge of strategic communication and design in her career. She enjoys painting, rugby, exploring, and more often than not, you’ll find her petting someone’s dog.
The French truly believe beauty is on the inside, and approach beauty calmly – not following trends or altering the face, but embracing individuality.
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