As the world is experiencing an ecological and sanitary crisis, the beauty sector sees countless emerging brands embracing the precepts of a more environmentally friendly approach to consumption. Reduced, refillable, sustainable packaging, cleaner formulas… these new solutions in line with current trends manage to develop innovative concepts that introduce new bathroom habits.

Stimulated by new generations

Aware of the need for more reasoned consumption, the beauty sector is reinventing itself with sustainable models focused on packaging’s environmental impact and “clean” formulas. There are more brands which emerged over the past few months on the initiative of young entrepreneurs determined to help consumers reduce the footprint of their beauty routines.

Refillable beauty packaging

Currently there are more brands that advocate refillable skincare with a concept focused on the choice of container and content. The idea is simple: an attractive jar made of recycled plastic that you can find in Molpacks’ catalog which can be refilled over and over with skincare capsules.

Our bathrooms have become real supermarket departments, with a large quantity of visually polluting products. Brands aim to transform cosmetic jars into decorative objects with several lives. Consumers choose their own jar(s) among the colours available, and then the refill among the references of cleansers, exfoliators, makeup removers, and skincare products. 

In Molpacks’ packaging catalog you can find jars that are biodegradable, highly resistant, and completely based on natural materials, including pigments. The refill capsules made of biosourced plastic are available in different sizes: 50 ml for skincare products, 150 ml for cleansers. The choice is mainly based on the texture. Every product is available in at least two textures. 

Some brands’ use a pricing strategy in which there is only one refill price, for instance: EUR 29.90 – whatever the capacity. Available for free during the launch period, and then the jars will cost EUR 19.90 for 50 ml, and EUR 29.90 for 100 ml.

The stick format, the solid revolution

There are other new brands that promote the new concept: containers to be kept and refilled with solid formulas. The brands usually develop hygiene products such as: a shower gel in the form of a ball, toothpaste pastilles to crunch, and a stick deodorant. 

The stick seems to be a new format that is revolutionizing the packaging sector because of its flexibility and commodity that adapts best to the accelerated lifestyle of the nowadays customer. The new Stick format also known as “solid beauty” is a format that is usually applied to products such as deodorants or lipsticks, but we can now also see them applied to new formats of makeup such as Max Factor who is using it for makeup foundations. Not to mention Lush, who is using solid beauty for solid soaps, bath bombs or other beauty and cosmetic products. 

Sustainable and practical packaging solutions are increasing the demand of products with stick format; especially in continents such as Asia, according to the “Stick Packaging Market: Global Industry Analysis”,  a study published in Zion Market Research. The increase of stick demand is due to the fact that our current society pursues simple, sustainable and practical solutions and that the cosmetic market is investing in innovation to adapt to these new packaging challenges. 

In fact, according to Mintel, the leader intelligence market agency, the increase of stick solutions is not only because of the change of the consumer behaviour towards sustainable solutions but also the response to covid-19: we are looking for more hygienic packaging in which the product isn’t in direct contact with our hands. 

For one reason or another,  nowadays we can find any cosmetic product in solid format: from a facial tonic to a water bar or even exfoliants or face masks. There are even brands that only offer their product in stick format. This is the case of Nusa, their brand was born under the concept “more use and less waste”, a claim that represents an ethical and sustainable philosophy. Their product is also vegan and with a really instagramable look. 

The choice of partly recycled plastic is based on sustainable values: resistance over time, reuse of the virgin material, energy-efficient manufacturing, and a lighter weight, compared to glass and aluminium, for enhanced transport. 

The solid formulas contain 95% ingredients of natural origin and the specifications are focused on sensoriality and efficacy. With this concept, the entrepreneurs aim to reach what they call “imperfect eco- warriors”: consumers who prefer clean solutions without changing comfort- related expectations – this consumer category is gaining importance. The range should soon be broadened to all bathroom essentials.

Being part of the circular economy

Apart from the boldest concepts, brands and suppliers are also focused on transforming the environmental profile of their packaging, without trying to revolutionize consumption habits too fast. This approach is less spectacular, but it can be adopted on a large scale. That is how several beauty brands chose Molpacks’ reusable solutions. 

Following the example of the hygiene sector, the skincare segment has embraced this trend. In the US, the five founders of Ace of Air, who have launched a crowdfunding campaign,have devised a concept combining skincare and food supplements in containers which can be returned, re- refilled, recycled, and composted.