The mark of a Chanel Coco Mademoiselle campaign is always a tryst, then a twist—the guy never gets the girl. "I love to think it wouldn't be a Coco Mademoiselle commercial if she didn't leave the man in the end. 'Goodbye, I'm on to the next'—I like that," Keira Knightley, the face of the fragrance since 2007, told ELLE.com. Keira plays this seductive, mysterious, mischievous character masterfully—and judging by the commercials' views (13 million for her 2014 version and 9 million for her 2011 one on YouTube alone), people can't get enough.
Today, Knightley debuts in another Chanel video, this time for a new iteration of the beloved fragrance: Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense, which launches March 1. As the name suggests, it's a heightened version of the original, with notes of Indonesian patchouli wrapping around rose, jasmine, tonka bean, and Madagascar vanilla absolutes.
"It's fresher. Very zesty. You see a naughtier side to Coco Mademoiselle," Knightley described. This is exactly what director Johan Renck capture in the night-after-a-party video:
In honor of the new fragrance, ELLE.com caught up with the actress to discuss her most memorable beauty looks on film, her drastic hair changes through the years, and why she embraces making mistakes.
How has your approach to beauty has changed over your career?
I probably wear a hell of a lot less makeup than when I first started. I really enjoy working with wonderful makeup artists, wonderful hairdressers, and creating a look and fantasy. Then, my off-duty look is literally not even brushing my hair and wearing very little makeup. I'm a girl of extremes but I enjoy both things.
Why did you wear more makeup when you were younger?
I really enjoyed playing around with different looks and being different people. When you're becoming yourself, it's good to mess around with the way that you look with hair color or makeup. It's a voyage of discovery. As you get older, you get more confident in your own skin and more sure of what you like and don't like. I know what I like now in a way that I didn't use to.
You've played many roles—each with very distinct beauty looks. What has been your favorite?
Atonement, that was a very good one, I love that that hairstyle. I really enjoyed Anna Karenina, again, the hair in that was amazing and then Colette coming up this year—she's just fucking cool. She [French novelist Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette] was breaking boundaries and her look is very much her own creation.
Personally, I feel like your Liz Bennett bangs in Pride and Prejudice were iconic.
It was a wig—they were good bangs! I had a really heavy, heavy bang for a while that I really enjoyed, but it was difficult to act with because it was such a specific look. When I worked on Never Let Me Go, I had such very perfect, fashionable bangs and they were like "No, this doesn't work at all for the film." So they just cut my hair in a really wonky way and it looked terrible.
In real life, you've tried just about every hairstyle there is. Which has been your favorite?
I like a slick, short bob partly because it's really low maintenance. Or, I like my hair really long. It's the in-between that I find really annoying; that's why you keep cutting your hair off. It's really long at the moment so I can imagine at some point I'm gonna chop it off.
Would you ever do a pixie again?
No, I don't think I'd do pixie again. I think I've got two cowlicks at the front of my hair, so what you think would be a low-maintenance haircut was just a complete nightmare. I looked like Sid Vicious, which wasn't what I was going for.
You have The Nutcracker and the Four Realms coming up this year and you're wearing the most amazing pink wig as the Sugarplum Fairy. How do you feel wearing something that outrageous?
It's the first time I created a character based on the look. Originally, it was meant to be quite naturalistic. Makeup designer Jenny Shircore and costume designer Jenny Beaven [made] the designs just crazier and crazier and crazier and I was suddenly like, "Well I can't just be 'normal' in the middle of this, so I'm gonna have to do a proper big characterization." It was really fun. There was a lot of glitter. They actually used prosthetics on my eyebrows so that they could paint my eyebrows on higher, thinner, and purple. Then [I had] very glittery pink nails and, obviously, an enormous wig that was meant to look like—we call it "candy fluff"...what do you get at circuses? Cotton candy!
Even your skin is pink!
I'm literally painted. As much skin as you can see has white paint with pink, iridescent sugar all over it.
You've done a lot of historical roles with amazingly intricate beauty looks. Any one you'd bring back in 2018?
What's tricky is actually when I do modern roles, it's the "natural" beauty looks that take hours and hours. I think a red lip, which is always like what I think of as being 1930s or 1940s, is always helpful particularly if you've got a cold or you've had a bad day. There's nothing like red lipstick [to make you] feel better.
Are there any other beauty products that you would say have the same uplifting effect?
Often I put a bright color on my nails when I finish a job because they've always got to be natural when I'm working. So, as soon as I finish, I'll go a bit crazy. I always love Chanel Rouge Noir.
What beauty hacks or tips have you picked up from set?
I just got a great one: Mix your foundation with your cream, moisturizer, or whatever you're using. [The finish is] more natural. It gives an amazing glow. I use a Sisley moisturizer and I use the Chanel Hydra Beauty Micro Serum mixed with Les Beiges. The combination gives off that amazing, glowy, luxurious color for your skin.
What is your favorite red carpet beauty look of all time?
I did a great one recently at Sundance with an amazing red lip and a very sleek ponytail. I was wearing a very beautiful Chanel suit. Normally, the last one I did is my favorite because it was how I felt at the time.
Any red carpet beauty looks you regret?
No, they all felt right at the time so even if other people didn't like them I always like them.
What is the most luxurious part of your beauty routine?
The truth is I don't have a beauty routine, so I'd say that the only part of my beauty routine is putting on moisturizer. I just found rosehip oil. A friend told me to try mixing the rosehip oil with moisturizer if you're really dry. I did that the other day and my skin felt great afterwards.
What's the most low-maintenance part of your routine?
I take my makeup off with soap and water. I like to keep it all super, super, super simple. I don't use cleansers, or toners, or anything. I get a facial probably twice a year, which always feels really great, but again I work with a lot of makeup so when I'm on my own time I like to do absolutely nothing.
What is the best beauty advice you would give to your younger self?
Don't worry about making mistakes and have fun.
Do you feel like you've made mistakes?
Yes, I feel like everybody makes mistakes. The way that we have raised young women to be terrified of making mistakes and to always be perfect—that's absolutely impossible. I think there's a lot of anxiety around the pursuit of perfection and we shouldn't be trying to pursue perfection, we should be liberated by the mistakes we make.
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense, $140; bloomingdales.com
