As environmental expectations rise across the beauty sector, packaging waste remains a persistent challenge. According to a 2023 report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), containers and packaging make up over 28% of total U.S. municipal solid waste, much of it from products that are not easily recyclable.
In the beauty industry specifically, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has noted that over 120 billion units of packaging are produced globally each year, much of which is not recycled due to complexity or contamination.
In this context, Sephora is expanding its sustainability efforts through a range of initiatives that address packaging waste, product design, and consumer behavior.
Beauty (Re)Purposed expansion
Sephora’s Beauty (Re)Purposed program, launched in partnership with Pact Collective, rolled out to all North American stores in May 2023 following a pilot in 2022. The initiative allows consumers to drop off hard-to-recycle beauty packaging—regardless of brand or purchase location—at Sephora stores.
“Curbside recycling programs can be confusing and the beauty & wellness industry’s packaging mostly ends up in landfills because it is either too small, too flexible, or made of too many materials to be traditionally recycled,” said Carley Klekas, Director, Global Product Sustainability at Sephora.
“Bringing awareness to this issue at scale and educating consumers on how to properly dispose of their empty packaging will help us close the loop on the beauty industry’s hard-to-recycle packaging.”
To date, Sephora has collected over 68,800 pounds of packaging waste through the program, she confirmed, which is equivalent to approximately 1.37 million lipstick tubes.
Refillables gain momentum but education remains key
In response to growing consumer interest in refillable beauty products, Sephora has increased its assortment across skin care, fragrance, makeup, and hair care. “In just the past year, we went from having about 45 brands who offered refills to now more than 70, including seven of the top ten skin care brands,” said Klekas.
Still, Sephora sees the continued opportunity to raise awareness. “We’re often analyzing our assortment to find where it may make sense to recommend a brand look into adding a refill option,” she said. “This could include easy-to-follow visual guides on how to use specific refill packaging or information on the reduced amount of plastic being used by purchasing a refill versus a fully packaged version.”
Price incentives are also part of the strategy. “Numerous refill products have a slightly lower price point than their fully packaged versions,” Klekas added, noting that Sephora’s Auto-Replenish feature provides a further 5% savings on refills.
Planet aware seal reinforces product standards
Sephora currently recognizes 43 brands under its Planet Aware seal, which was designed to help customers identify products that meet defined sustainability benchmarks. According to Klekas, the seal is built on “a common point of view, shared frameworks, and speak[s] a common language when it comes to more sustainable beauty at Sephora.”
To qualify, brands must meet 32 mandatory criteria across four pillars: ingredient sourcing and formulation, sustainable packaging, corporate environmental commitments, and consumer transparency.
Consumer engagement through challenges
Sephora is also leveraging its Beauty Insider loyalty program to drive sustainable actions. The 2023 Responsible Beauty Challenge engaged nearly one million participants through gamified activities, such as “Drop Off Your Beauty Empties” and “Skip a Bag.”
“These types of challenges create a sense of accomplishment and foster deeper emotional connections with our Beauty Insider members,” Klekas said. The result was a nearly 9% increase in participation in the Beauty (Re)Purposed program over two months.
The upcoming “Try It All 2025” challenge will continue this trend, with another focus on skipping a bag in-store.
Collaboration to advance industry standards
Sephora’s Together for Tomorrow platform, launched in 2024, supports brand education on sustainability through webinars, guides, and expert-led sessions. Topics include ingredients, packaging, sampling, and transparency.
“Our aim is help push the industry forward and create a baseline education on sustainability principles for all,” said Klekas. She added that collaboration with non-profits and suppliers, including Pact Collective, has been key to Sephora’s progress. “Sustainability efforts cannot be done in a silo.”
Looking ahead: Goals aligned with LIFE 360
Sephora’s long-term sustainability strategy is aligned with the LVMH LIFE 360 Plan, focusing on three key areas: reducing waste, promoting more responsible products, and lowering energy consumption and emissions.
“The Beauty (Re)Purposed program, Planet Aware at Sephora seal and Together for Tomorrow program are just a few examples of working toward the goals of these pillars,” Klekas concluded.