Revolutionising the Beauty Industry: The Truth About Refill Cosmetic Packaging
Hidden way beneath the enchanting allure of the beauty industry, lies an ugly truth of plastic waste. In fact, the beauty industry alone contributes to the 120 billion units of packaging thrown away each year, a staggering and overwhelmingly large amount, and an unfortunate reality that can no longer be ignored - especially in a world where more and more consumers are looking at new ways to reduce their carbon footprint.
Of course, looking for solutions to excess packaging waste was the next logical step for many brands with the industry, and rightfully so!
The rise of single-use plastics
Single-use plastics are and have been the most obvious choice for cosmetic brands over the years. And why wouldn’t it be? Super convenient, lightweight, and not too much trouble to manufacture (not to mention cheap enough) – but at what cost? Billions of units are produced each year and a lot of it isn’t even recyclable, which is why it all pretty much ends in landfill.
We all know that Plastic = Bad, right? Of course we do. But did you know, that landfills are often situated in areas whereby lower-income populations reside? Unfortunately, these communities face the direct impact of all our waste, meaning much more heavily polluted air, contaminated water, and an increased risk of health issues.
Reduce and refill
One solution to the ever-growing landfill crisis - what with mascara tubes, lipsticks, skincare products, foundations etc., all being made with plastic - is to make cosmetics refillable.
Back in 2008, L’Occitane embarked on their refill initiative by introducing sachets of their original products, whereby consumers were given the opportunity to use these to refill their old bottles. Research shows that sachets were made up of 90% less plastic than an original bottle, which, as you can imagine, all adds up annually to be a substantial amount less.
Many would argue that L’Occitane were the pioneers of refills in the beauty space, as they were way ahead of the game when compared to competitors. Since then, they have opened over 50 filling stations in which customers are encouraged to bring along their empty bottles into the store and fill them up again and again with brand new product. It has clearly been a great success…
However, while it’s true that they were at the forefront of it all, L’Occitane is not the only major brand to make the change and adapt more reusable packaging as part of their line.
Increased awareness due to covid-19
From reusable concealer pots and lipsticks to eyebrow pencils and shampoos, brands such as Kjaer Weis, Chanel, Asa Beauty and Charlotte Tilbury, have all been trailblazers in the sustainability movement in recent years.
Take a look at L’Oreal, for example. Launching the L’Oreal for the Future program in 2020, there was an awareness there by the Group, that companies can be just as much part of the solution as they are the problem, to many of the challenges faced in today’s world. And if that wasn’t enough, L’Oreal has been identified as the most highly engaged participants in the United Nations Global Compact.(UNGC), a pact to get more businesses and firms around the world to adopt more sustainable and socially responsible policies, as well as being responsible for reporting on their implementation.
Consumer trend forecaster, WGSN, said in a statement back in 2020 that they have been “tracking the rise of refillable packaging at WGSN since 2019, but consumer interest has noticeably increased over the last few years". This was a response to covid-19 as we’ve all adjusted to being largely at home, subsequently becoming "far more aware of the waste we produce,” confirms Emma Grace Bailey, WGSN Strategist, Beauty.
Types of refillable packaging
Refillable beauty is most definitely a step in the right direction towards achieving sustainability in the industry as we become more conscious of our own direct impact on the environment, rewriting the attitude of being blissfully ignorant.
Not only does refillable beauty use a significant amount of less product than the more traditional cosmetic packaging, but it also reduces shipping size and weight. Although refills are often more complex to develop, Bargh shares that it "reduces carbon footprint in transportation".
It’s true that not all refillable packaging products are perfect in terms of the impact they have on the environment, but some are undoubtedly better than others. Four types of refillable methods include:
Refillable pouches – A good approach for refillable packaging, however, not for all cosmetic products including foundations, serums, lipsticks etc., as it can be quite a messy practice.
Refills in store – This approach allows consumers to refill their empty bottles in store, however, it is not necessarily the most cost-effective approach, which is why only few companies do it.
Returnable packaging – Just as you used to return empty milk bottles to the milkman, this encourages the customer to bring back their empty packaging. This ultimately puts the responsibility on the consumer, plus there are additional costs that not all companies are willing to pay, such as the cost for cleaning the containers.
Bottle within a bottle refills – Typically used in liquid products such as creams or serums, this practice is hassle-free. However, one drawback of this approach is that companies are ultimately creating two separate pieces of packaging and is again reliant upon the consumer themselves to recycle. Otherwise, you know where it’s going to end up… landfills.
Reduce carbon emissions without any disruptions
Consumers of beauty products can also typically benefit from a lower price when it comes to repurchasing, as well as a much more convenient recycling process that is less likely to disrupt your average household recycling system. Reducing the amount of plastic waste you go through, along with your carbon emissions, without disrupting your day to day, and a few extra quid in your pocket, refills are surely a good thing, right?
However, refillable beauty faces a larger customer acquisition issue. While it’s true that the refills are less expensive, the initial product does tend to have a heftier price tag, meaning that many customers are struggling to justify making that initial purchase if it means they’re going to have spend a bit more money. Still, the acceleration of refillable beauty product releases does not seem to be slowing down, which hints at the possible positive environmental impact it could make on the industry.
Not only that, but interestingly enough refill sachets are also not actually made from recyclable materials. For example. L’Occitane’s refillable pouches cannot be recycled.
Meyselle states that, “To be recyclable, they need to be made from one plastic material, and most pouches are not, so it’s going to landfill.” So, sadly, refill sachets are not the magical solution we were all hoping for.
Hence partnerships with innovative recycling company, TerraCycle, being a more viable answer to our refill woes.
TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Box
Terracycle works with companies to recycle 'hard-to-recycle' plastics. Clean beauty brand, Credo, partners with them housing the infamous 'zero waste box', allowing customers to return their empties without having to worry about recycling because TerraCyle takes care of the rest.
However, as with everything, TerrCycle does come with its own set of limitations, with the most apparent one being the impact of returning said empties has on the environment itself. Often companies encourage using postal services to return empties, which is also an added strain on the environment, and not necessarily the ‘greenest solution’.
Compostable packaging as an alternative to refills
One of the main alternative solutions to introducing refill products, is to look into other options when it comes to packaging. For instance, composting has become a massively popular choice for an alternative material to plastic.
L’Oréal-owned Seed Phytonutrients, and Innisfree have both adopted this method, using a paper bottle for a new serum that was launched back in August. However, just like recycling and refillable products, composting can have its own deleterious effects on the environment, including requiring more natural resources to produce compostable packaging and straining developing nations that often bear the brunt of industrial composting and recycling.
Refill packaging has come a long way since L'Occitane began its campaign back in 2008. Along with the array of materials and recycle programmes on offer, reducing waste in the beauty industry is becoming a real possibility.
However, you guessed it… refill packaging also comes with its own set of challenges, which is why reducing the amount of beauty products purchased and repurposing packaging is so important in tacking this issue, putting quite a bit of responsibility onto the customer themselves to be the change they wish to see.
Ideas for greener packaging
Thankfully, a lot of cosmetic companies are embracing the idea for more eco-friendly products, as turning a blind eye is, quite frankly, no longer an option. Especially as so many companies are held under such intense scrutiny, they’d be fools not to. And if they want to be ahead in the game, well, they need to make sure they’re selling well.
There are a lot of alternatives for more eco—friendly packaging, such as:
Corrugated and kraft packaging – made of recycled paper pulp, this is widely popular material for packaging.
Bamboo packaging – a more recent approach to sustainable packaging, bamboo grows quickly and does not require pesticides, making it a much more sustainable substance. Just don’t tell the pandas.
Beeswax packaging – another alternative to plastic, beeswax is used alongside cotton cloth, pine resin and jojoba oil to create a washable material that is 100% biodegradable.
Paper packaging – recyclable and biodegradable, paper is a much better filler than bubble wrap, for instance.
Seaweed packaging – one of the best things about using seaweed for packaging is that there’s just so much of it!
Glass packaging – while it is easy to recycle, glass doesn’t use renewable materials, which is why it’s a better option for a refillable container.
Metal packaging – a strong and reusable material perfect for cosmetic packaging.
Challenges faced by the beauty industry
As we’ve mentioned, beauty brands are constantly under the microscope, with influencers often being vilified for collaborating with a company with questionable morals, guilty of greenwashing. Not only that, but how can we really hope for a more sustainable future when consumers are so accustomed to simply buying new products when they run out? Additionally, there’s always the challenge of ensuring both sustainability and efficiency, and how important that the quality of the product itself isn’t compromised.
Brands can put in all the hard work with producing more ethical makeup, but when it’s easier to throw something away, it can be a hard habit to kick, meaning that there ultimately needs to be a huge shift in the way that consumers behave.
Brands could offer incentives to the consumer to encourage a switch-up in their behaviours, such as a reward for returning so many empty’s. For instance, a free lipstick if the customer returns 5 old, used product containers. Companies such as MAC Cosmetics and Kiehl’s already have such policies in place.
The power of influencers
It’s not just the brands that we need to be putting pressure on, though. What about those that yield the power to influence their thousands, and in some cases millions, of followers to make better choices when it comes to plastic waste?
Social media is an incredible tool when leveraged correctly, and there are so many young people out there who soak up everything they see on Instagram, which, let’s face it, can often be filled with absolute garbage. So, here’s an idea – if an influencer can promote more sustainable practices, such as opting for the refill option, then it could actually go a long way.
The future of cosmetics
So, what does this all mean for the future of the beauty industry? Needless to say, the wheels are already in motion and it’s evident that there are some giant leaps being made when it comes to making more sustainable products, selling ethical makeup, and proactive approaches to reducing excess waste. But unfortunately, any real change isn’t going to happen overnight, and a lot of the damage has already been done, so much so that we need years and years of active dedication going forward in order to even begin to see any real results or undoing’s.
With that being said, it’s not all doom and gloom. Nowadays, more and more people are educating themselves on the impact that plastic waste is having on our world, raising awareness and taking action to do better so that generations to follow can thrive.