Luxury cosmetics have long been characterized by grandiose, excessive, and showy packaging. Brussels has already said that era is over. The new Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (PPWR) favors packaging that is more sensible, more sustainable, and with less waste. And that also affects luxury.
XL packaging, oversized caps, and materials that cannot be recycled are a thing of the past. And all of this, by 2030.
Sustainable packaging for luxury cosmetics
The new European Packaging Regulation (PPWR) requires that by 2030 all packaging be recyclable. This applies to the box, the bottle or jar, and the cap.
Luxury cosmetics — the sector that turned packaging into part of the product — faces its greatest redesign in a century. Against the clock, because from 2030 the Commission will fine those who fail to comply.
Moreover: 73% of consumers actively seek products that reduce packaging waste, according to data analysis and market intelligence consultant GlobalData. Or at least, that’s what surveys say, a field prone to misinformation.
The work done
If there is one thing brands and packaging experts consulted emphasize, it is that the Regulation regarding eco-friendly packaging for luxury cosmetics doesn’t catch them off guard. “We understand the PPWR not only as a regulatory obligation, but as an opportunity to accelerate a transformation that is already part of our sustainability strategy“, explains Laia Altés, Head of Innovation and Marketing at Natura Bissé.
The Catalan firm’s roadmap rests on three ecodesign criteria: “Reduce the amount of materials, improve their composition and increase recyclability”.
In the same vein, Claire Coletti, Global Director of Sustainability at Guerlain, states: “We did not wait for the PPWR to pursue an ecodesign approach in our products. As early as 2018, the Maison introduced refills for some of its flagship products.” She refers to one of the most delicate aspects of the new regulation: reuse and reduction of packaging.
The strategy of the House of Guerlain rests on four pillars that fit Brussels’ demands like a glove: “Reduce and simplify, rethink raw materials, extend the product’s shelf life and optimize the end of the packaging”.
Minimalist luxury
“While conventional luxury is investing resources to redesign and lighten its packaging to comply with the new regulations, brands we represent already had the homework done,” says Jorge Martín, CEO and founder of distributor 5th Essence Square. “What was once seen as radical or minimalist is today validated by the market as authentic and responsible luxury,” Martín adds.
An example are the Montale bottles, made of aluminum. This material is recyclable and much lighter than glass, which reduces the environmental cost of transportation to the point of sale.
For his part, designer and cofounder of Ciszak Dalmas, Andrea Caruso, sums up this era shift: “The European regulation pushes in that same direction, because by 2030 packaging will have to be reusable or recyclable, so this stops being an option and becomes the norm.”
No cellophane and no double packaging
The cut starts with the dispensable: every element of the packaging that does not protect, preserve, or inform. Guerlain has already taken the step: “We have eliminated cellophane from our makeup and skincare packaging.
Soon it will also be removed from our fragrance products, confirms Coletti.
Natura Bissé arrived earlier: “From the outset, we have not relied on cellophane as an additional protective element,” Altés notes. And she adds: “We have eliminated the concept of double packaging, avoiding extra layers of packaging that do not provide an essential function”.
In the niche sector, the trend is identical. Martín detects a “total elimination of exterior cellophane in favor of eco-certified paper seals or biodegradable materials.” And he issues a notice to mariners: “Eco-friendly packaging is no longer an extra, but a hygienic factor. The premium buyer takes for granted that the product must be environmentally respectful. Excessive packaging triggers immediate rejection.”
New materials
The new regulation incorporates the need to progressively include packaging made from recycled materials. Recycled glass and PCR plastic (post-consumer recycled) are already common practice. “Today we systematically include between 15% and 40% recycled glass in every new glass bottle or jar,” Coletti details.
At Farlabo, responsible for fragrance development for brands such as Hoss Intropia and Aristocrazy, they work only with FSC-certified materials, sourced from certified forests. This covers everything from the cardboard case to the natural wood cap. The origin of the material, however, does not exempt that component from needing to be recyclable in practice. And Brussels still does not consider wooden caps among recyclable materials.
“We incorporate glass with 30% recycled material, we have replaced plastic labels with paper and optimized printing processes,” Paula Jaquotot, Product Development & Marketing Director of the Inhouse Brands team at the company, tells us. The ink used on labels can hinder recycling, hence many brands are already researching inks that are less harmful.
Old limits, new ideas
The industry redesigns its old packaging against the clock while complaining about the obstacles to do so. Coletti corroborates this from Paris: “The PPWR objectives regarding minimum recycled content in PET and other plastics stem from a particular market demand for these materials and the currently limited recycling infrastructure available.”
Other materials gain ground, such as aluminum in the Montale bottles distributed by 5th Essence Square. “Its durability eliminates the need for large protective cases,” Martín points out.
Protect the formula: not everything goes
There is a matter that the consumer does not always realize: in cosmetics, the packaging is not just aesthetics, it is part of the product’s conservation system. The PPWR, in fact, treats cosmetics as containers of ‘sensitive contact.’ “The packaging is part of the product’s protection system, especially in formulas with active ingredients sensitive to light, oxygen, or microbiological contamination,” explains Altés. Therefore, in products with antioxidant actives, vitamins, or biotechnological ingredients, “reducing or substituting material must be done with particular caution.”
The biggest technical bottleneck today lies in airless packaging and in multi-layer sachets. “They are formats that perform important functions of protection, preservation, dosing, or product safety, but pose significant challenges from a recyclability standpoint,” acknowledges Natura Bissé’s leadership, which is working on joint solutions with its suppliers and the trade association STANPA.
Material innovation advances to solve these seemingly impossible equations. Guerlain has devised the combination of PA11 with porcelain to make the jar of its Orchidée Impériale Black cream recyclable. Moreover, they have gone further with the refill of that same line: “We have developed the first cellulose refill in the cosmetics industry, for which a patent has been filed. Produced from sugarcane bagasse residues and certified bamboo, this refill is mostly recyclable through paper streams,” explains Coletti.
Refill is no longer an option
If there is a cross-cutting movement, it is this one. “Rechargeable formats are no longer an option. The main bottles are designed as eternal jewels, and perfume is sold in lightweight refills,” states Martín. Guerlain has made it a strategic pillar: “Reuse and the possibility of refilling are key priorities, as they allow customers to keep their jars and bottles for as long as possible,” says Coletti. The Orchidée Impériale and Abeille Royale lines have been refillable since 2023, and their three makeup icons — Rouge G, KissKiss, and Terracotta powders — have existed in refill format since then. And they are thriving in sales.
The numbers back the bet. “Choosing a 150 ml refill of Burberry Goddess Eau de Parfum alongside the original 50 ml bottle can reduce packaging weight by up to 68%,” wrote Shimei Fan, Chief Scientific and Sustainability Officer of Coty, on her social networks until this summer.
Minimalism as the new luxury
Premium design experts believe that this rationalization of packaging does not erase the desire that surrounds luxury. “We do not see sobriety as a loss of presence, but as an evolution of luxury,” Jaquotot defends. “In the end, desire is not lost; it shifts toward a more contemporary, more sensory, and less obvious perception of luxury, where what matters is not how much you show, but how you do it.”
Altés agrees: “Moving toward more sustainable packaging does not mean giving up a premium experience, but redefining it from a more precise, functional, and conscious design.”
In the niche realm, some brands have turned this philosophy into a hallmark. Jorge Martín cites Beau Domaine, “circular economy cosmetics with refillable packaging, recycled glass, and oak wood caps recovered from their own barrels.”
Luxury is not about the weight of the bottle
The final word belongs to the customer, and their yardstick has changed. “The modern consumer no longer measures luxury by the weight of the glass. They value industrial, contemporary, and purist aesthetics,” Martín observes. “Sustainability no longer sells by itself, but its absence can destroy sales.”
