Cosmetic packaging has as much, if not more, impact than the product it contains. Appropriate packaging is essential to ensure the preservation and safety of creams, shampoos, and soaps during transport and storage. What are the different types of cosmetic packaging? Are there eco-responsible alternatives? In this article, we delve into the challenges related to hygiene and beauty product packaging.

Packaging: a global issue

Packaging presents a problem in all sectors. Whether it's food trays, cardboard boxes for postal parcels, or detergent containers, we consume large quantities of packaging daily, sometimes without really being aware of it. Our attention is focused on product quality without always considering the quality of its container. However, packaging, like any manufactured object, has an impact at every stage of its life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials to its end-of-life, including manufacturing and transport.

Widespread sorting may give the impression that packaging has less and less impact. However, recycling is far from satisfactory. While the amount of waste produced worldwide continues to grow, only 9% of the 8.3 billion tons of plastic waste are recycled each year.

The latest ADEME report on recycling notes that in France, 64% of plastic waste comes from packaging. In 2018, 43% was incinerated to produce energy. Only 24% was actually recycled. Moreover, some of this recyclable waste is exported to the other side of the world, as it is more profitable than processing it in France. Some of it ends up illegally dumped in the environment, creating major pollution, particularly in Southeast Asia. Cosmetic packaging is not exempt from these problems.

Cosmetic packaging: current situation

The cosmetic industry uses various materials for packaging its hygiene and beauty products. Not all of them have the same impact. Here's an overview of the main types of cosmetic packaging.

Plastic packaging

Plastic is mainly used for packaging in conventional and organic cosmetics. Its main advantages are its lightness, robustness, and impermeability. It is also malleable, allowing for many formats (bottle, jar, vial, protective film), and very economical. But it is also the material that causes the most problems. Its main raw material is petroleum. The harmful consequences of its extraction and processing are no secret.

Plastic packaging also presents a danger in use by contaminating its contents. The more a plastic is recycled, the more toxic components it releases into the product it contains. This aberration should push us to exclude plastic in all its forms from food and cosmetic packaging. Moreover, at the end of its life, it is the most devastating waste for the environment and health. It invades all planetary ecosystems, from the 7th continent of plastic to the core of living cells.

Cardboard and paper packaging

Cardboard and paper are used as secondary packaging, especially in luxury cosmetics. They are increasingly used as primary packaging, particularly for soaps, shampoos, and other solid products. This lightweight, economical, renewable, and recyclable material seems like a good solution at first glance. However, its manufacturing requires a lot of water. Its very long renewal is only ensured for sustainably managed forests. When this is not the case, sourcing contributes to deforestation. Furthermore, cardboard packaging is often plastic-coated to make it more resistant and waterproof.

Glass packaging

Glass can also be perceived as a virtuous material. It is solid, reusable, and recyclable many times over. No migration occurs to the contained product. However, it also has significant disadvantages. Its manufacturing requires sand, the extraction of which strongly impacts the environment. It requires very high energy consumption, with a melting point of 1400°C. Being heavy, its transport emits more greenhouse gases. Finally, not all manufactured glass is sorted for recycling, representing a loss of raw material. Moreover, its degradation is extremely long when it is discarded in nature.

Aluminum containers

Lighter than glass, aluminum is also reputed to be infinitely recyclable. This idea, however, needs to be qualified, as a certain amount of material is lost with each cycle. Furthermore, it is a non-renewable material with limited global stocks. As with glass, packaging cannot be composed of a single material. It is often combined with plastic for lids or pumps.

Bio-based packaging

Bio-based materials are derived from various renewable plant raw materials (algae, sugar cane, corn, etc.). Innovative products, currently under development, are appearing in packaging. Not all are equal, and depending on their origin, they can pose certain problems. Corn cultivation for packaging competes with food crops. Moreover, it consumes a lot of water. The decomposition of bio-based materials is not always neutral either. Combined with other components, they become unsuitable for composting. Improvements are therefore desirable, particularly concerning the sourcing and transport of raw materials. Research is being carried out, notably by start-ups, to develop new solutions. There is resistance from industry and consumers for economic and logistical reasons. The additional cost of materials and the investments required for changes in production chains are passed on to the price of products. They represent a significant obstacle to the expansion of bio-based packaging.

Hygiene product packaging: a sustainable alternative

In line with its values, Margerie has partnered with a pioneer in the manufacture of bio-based packaging. These innovative packages are eco-designed and upcycled. They are made from a blend of biopolymers derived from organic materials such as sugar cane bagasse, a waste product from sugar manufacturing. Its mono-material pots are 100% bio-based from plant material without any plastic elements (lid, pump, spray, or seal). They can be reused and withstand washing at temperatures below 45°C, allowing for their re-use. At the end of their life cycle, they are compostable and biodegradable with no environmental toxicity. This solution currently represents the best bio-based alternative. Margerie is developing partnerships to minimize the impact of transporting raw materials for its packaging, as it does for all its ingredients.

Appropriate packaging is essential to ensure the durability and protection of hygiene products during their transport and storage. Cosmetic packaging poses a major challenge in terms of pollution and waste management. Its recycling is far from optimal, and a large proportion ends up in nature. Faced with this situation, Margerie is developing upcycled and sustainable packaging. It is committed to the composition of its containers as much as its contents for a 100% plant-based product. These packages are not only ecological but also functional and aesthetic, reflecting the brand's values.