The beauty industry has often been associated with excessive packaging and an abundance of single-use plastics that have had a big impact on the environment. However, there is a growing awareness of sustainability issues amongst brands and consumers that has brought in a shift toward more eco-friendly practices in the industry – particularly in the realm of beauty packaging.

Here are some of the ways you can make a difference with your products and drive down waste from your beauty packaging.

Include biodegradable and sustainable materials

Transitioning to biodegradable and sustainable materials is one of the first steps that beauty brands should take when trying to reduce their environmental impact.

Materials such as recycled plastics, glass, bamboo, and paper are all great alternatives to traditional plastic packaging, but you should make sure that they are still functional and work with your product. For example, you can’t put an oil in paper packaging!

When you’re looking for a packaging manufacturer to work with, or selecting the materials for your products, ensure that you are working with suppliers committed to eco-friendly sourcing and that the materials you use are both sustainable and have minimal environmental impacts during their entire life cycle.

Pick minimalist designs

Although you may want to have innovative packaging that grabs a customer's attention straight away, embracing minimalist design principles is a key strategy to reduce waste in beauty packaging.

Simplifying packaging not only reduces the amount of materials that are used but also minimizes the environmental impact of production and disposal. Rather than going for the most flashy designs, opt for sleek, clean designs that prioritize functionality and do without unnecessary layers and components.

Try to incorporate refillable and reusable packaging

Introducing refillable and reusable packaging options is a powerful way to cut down on single-use waste.

Offering refill options or recyclable containers that customers can use again after they’ve finished with the product is a very sustainable consumption model. It reduces the demand for new packaging materials but also promotes a sense of responsibility among consumers, making them take ownership of waste reduction efforts.

Think about take-back programs

We’re seeing a lot of beauty brands introduce take-back programs where customers can return empty beauty packaging for recycling or upcycling.

This ensures that the materials used in your packaging are properly disposed of or repurposed, which significantly drives down the overall waste you’ve generated. You could also incentivize customers to take part by offering discounts or other perks.