The beauty industry is one of the most creative and innovative sectors in the world, but it also has a significant environmental impact. From packaging waste to water use and carbon dioxide emissions, there are plenty of problems to solve. In this article we look at how you can make your beauty routine more eco-friendly, and we introduce some of the latest trends and technologies in the field. We cover four main topics:

  • Refillable beauty and cosmetics packaging
  • Water-free formulations and saving water
  • Low-carbon materials and biotechnology
  • Reuse and the circular economy in the beauty industry

Refillable beauty and cosmetics packaging

Packaging is, unfortunately, one of the biggest sources of waste in the beauty industry. According to a frequently cited estimate, the global cosmetics industry produces more than 120 billion units of packaging every year, and a large share of it ends up in landfill or in the ocean. To tackle this problem, many brands have introduced refillable products: consumers do not have to buy new packaging every time, but can refill the packaging they already have. This reduces waste, saves money and helps cut carbon dioxide emissions.

Here are a few examples of how brands are moving towards this goal:

Kérastase shampoo

Kérastase

This luxury hair care brand offers refills for several of its shampoos and treatments, so the original bottle can be refilled at the salon or at home.

Diptyque refillable glass bottle

Diptyque

The French perfume house has launched a line of hand washes and body creams in beautiful glass bottles that can be refilled.

L'Occitane refill station

L'Occitane

This nature-inspired skincare brand has opened refill stations in some of its stores in the UK and Ireland, where customers can bring their empty bottles and refill them with their favourite product.

Another way to make packaging more sustainable is to make it more valuable and desirable. Some brands create packaging that consumers would rather keep and display than throw away. Such packaging can be artistic, luxurious or clever, and it can make using the product more enjoyable.

A few examples of such packaging:

Guerlain bee bottle decorated by an artist

Guerlain

The French perfume house worked with calligraphy artist Tarek Benaoum, who decorated Guerlain's iconic bee bottle with motifs of Eastern calligraphy for the fifth anniversary of the fragrance Santal Royal. Each bottle was made by hand, and only a very limited number were produced.

Chanel N°5 L'Eau On Hand Cream

Chanel

The iconic fashion house has created N°5 L'Eau On Hand Cream, based on its famous fragrance N°5 L'Eau, in an elegant rounded pack designed to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. Scented hand care is also offered by the Chanel La Crème Main hand cream, which you can find in the ESSENSA online shop.

Lancôme Advanced Génifique

Lancôme

The French beauty brand offers refill pods for several of its luxury creams, such as the Absolue range. This way the elegant glass jar can be used again and again, and only the contents are replaced.

Water-free formulations and saving water

Water is one of the planet's most valuable resources, yet also one of the most wasted. According to the UN, more than 2 billion people live in countries experiencing water stress, and the World Health Organization estimates that half of the world's population will soon be living in water-stressed areas. The beauty industry uses a lot of water, both in making products and in using them. That is why more and more water-free products are being developed, which use almost no water in their formulation or in use.

Some examples of water-free products:

  • Solid and powder products: these come in solid or powder form and are activated with water or another liquid when used. This saves water already in the manufacturing process and reduces the need for preservatives. A good example is Ethique's solid shampoo bars, which are concentrated and packaged without plastic.
  • Syndet products: cleansers based on synthetic detergents have a lower pH than traditional soap and clean the skin without stripping its natural oils. Because they are solid, they also need less packaging. A few examples:
    1. CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar: a soap-free cleanser;
    2. Dove Beauty Bar: a gentle cleanser;
    3. Sebamed Cleansing Bar: a soap-free cleanser for sensitive skin.

An even simpler way to save water is to use products that do not need to be rinsed off, such as body creams and hand creams. Also read how soap changes your perfume experience.

Low-carbon materials and biotechnology

The beauty industry is a big consumer of petrochemicals, which are derived from fossil fuels and have a significant carbon footprint. However, there are many new materials and technologies that can replace petrochemicals and reduce carbon emissions. Some of these technologies:

  • Carbon capture: a process in which industrial carbon dioxide emissions are captured and turned into useful products. For example, LanzaTech has developed a technology that captures steel mill emissions and converts them into ethanol, which can be used as a biofuel or a chemical feedstock.
  • Microorganisms: living organisms such as bacteria, fungi and algae that can be used to produce new materials and ingredients. For example, Geltor uses microorganisms to produce collagen for skincare products, which is more sustainable and ethical than traditional animal-derived collagen.
  • Biotechnology: technologies that use biological systems such as enzymes, proteins and DNA to create new materials and ingredients. For example, Amyris uses yeast to produce squalane from sugarcane, a moisturising ingredient that was previously usually obtained from shark liver oil.

To learn more about the differences between natural and lab-made ingredients, read the article "Natural vs. synthetic perfumes".

Reuse and the circular economy in the beauty industry

The beauty industry has also begun to embrace the principles of the circular economy, which aim to reduce waste and use resources as efficiently as possible. Among other things, the circular economy means designing products with recycling in mind, avoiding waste and using products again and again. Here are some examples of how the beauty industry contributes to the circular economy:

  • Recycled materials: brands such as Garnier and L'Oréal use recycled plastic in their packaging, which helps reduce waste and carbon dioxide emissions.
  • Upcycled ingredients: UpCircle Beauty, for example, uses food industry by-products such as coffee grounds and fruit stones in its products, helping to reduce waste and promote sustainability.
  • Take-back programmes: brands such as MAC Cosmetics and Kiehl's have launched take-back programmes in which customers can return empty packaging to the store to be recycled or reused.

Sustainability also means using your products to the very end. Take a look at our perfume care guide to keep your favourite fragrance in good condition for a long time.

In conclusion

The beauty industry, and you yourself, have many opportunities to make your beauty routine more eco-friendly. By following the latest trends and technologies in the field, it is possible to reduce waste, save resources and promote sustainability. Refillable products, water-free formulations, low-carbon materials, biotechnology, upcycled ingredients and the circular economy are just a few examples of sustainable practices the beauty industry can adopt. But you too can make a big difference to the environment with small changes to your beauty routine.