Pioneering the refill revolution

Pioneering the refill revolution

As part of our long-standing commitment to reducing environmental impact and fostering responsible consumption, we are accelerating the development and rollout of refillable solutions across our brand portfolio. Refills represent more than a passing trend — they are a fundamental pillar of our vision for a more sustainable, desirable, and high-performing beauty industry.

Our approach to sustainable packaging

For nearly two decades, L’Oréal has been actively working to minimize the environmental footprint of our products. Since 2007, we have a framework to design more sustainable packaging. 

Our sustainable packaging strategy is based on 3 major pillars, the “3Rs”: 

1. Reduce packaging intensity and therefore use fewer resources, based on 3 levers: reuse, lightweighting and resize. 
2. Replace impacting materials or processes by materials or processes with a better environmental footprint (renewable, post-consumer recycled, lower carbon emissions). 
3. Recycle by creating packaging that contribute to circularity by being recyclable.

Refills are a concrete example of this vision: Refilling a PRADA Paradoxe fragrance bottle saves 44% glass, 67% plastic, 100% metals, and 61% cardboard. Today, refill formats are available across all four of our Divisions, covering fragrances, hair care, skin care, hygiene, and makeup. 

Fragrance Refills: Reinventing Luxury

A pioneering example is the Mugler Fountain, inspired by 18th-century fragrance fountains, which allows consumers to refill their iconic fragrance bottles directly at the point of sale.  

Inspired by this success, in 2023 we have also launched the pilot of a multi-brand fragrance refill fountain in avant-première at Sephora. This refill fountain allows customers to refill their empty bestselling fragrances, such as Lancôme La Vie Est Belle or YSL Libre l, directly at the store. Further rollout of this fountain is planned for flagship stores across Europe and North America, with an expanded offering of refillable fragrances anticipated.  

To make refills “the new normal”, we are making them “the new cool”

Establishing refills as a mainstream beauty habit also requires cultural momentum. That is why we are amplifying our refill initiatives through media activations and brand storytelling, positioning refills as a desirable, modern choice. 

An emblematic example is actress and sustainability advocate Emma Watson, who embodies Prada Paradoxe, the brand’s first refillable perfume. Designed for simple at-home refilling, Paradoxe demonstrates that sustainability and luxury can coexist.  

Additionally, to support adoption, we are also investing in training beauty advisors, equipping them to educate consumers about the environmental and experiential benefits of refilling at the point of sale. 

Scaling Refills Across Categories

Beyond fragrances, L’Oréal is extending refill solutions to all our divisions.  

In Europe, Elvive — the world’s #1 shampoo — , now offers refillable pouches reducing plastic use by 60% across several product lines. This initiative has the potential to impact millions of consumers.

L’Oréal Luxe also features refills, including skincare products like Lancôme Génifique Serum. Its newly designed refillable bottle maintains the product’s iconic look, reducing resource use. The use of one 50ml refill allows for a 74% reduction in global weight compared to using the original preset bottle.   

Refills allow us to merge sustainability, desirability, and performance — delivering the same exceptional formulations consumers love, in innovative packaging designed to significantly reduce resource use and environmental impact.