To appeal to consumers looking for sustainable products, many cosmetic and personal care brands now offer refillable packaging. Refills are attractive: for their lower packaging cost, because they drive repeat purchases, and to communicate a sustainable image. Consumers have the benefits of cost savings and reduced waste. However, refills add complexity for brands, retailers and consumers alike.
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To appeal to consumers looking for sustainable products, many cosmetic and personal care brands now offer refillable packaging. Refills are attractive: for their lower packaging cost, because they drive repeat purchases, and to communicate a sustainable image. Consumers have the benefits of cost savings and reduced waste. However, refills add complexity for brands, retailers and consumers alike.
Refills offer average cost savings of 10% to 40%, depending on the product category. For example, Prada Paradoxe fragrance sells for $185 for a 90 mL bottle, while the 100 mL refill is $154, a savings of 25%.
In skin care, L’Occitane Almond Milk Concentrate Body Cream retails for $58 for a 6.9 oz (200 mL) glass bottle; L’Occitane also sells a 6.9 oz foil refill pack for $51, a 12% savings. Its Almond Shower Oil is $48 for 16.9 fl oz (500 mL), with an equal volume refill bottle for $43, a 10% savings. The refill bottle prominently displays “100% recycled and recyclable” on the front. Clearly L’Occitane wants to draw attention to the refill.
According to L’Occitane, the Almond Shower Oil is a best-selling product. It is an oil-to-cream formulation that is an oil in the bottle but transforms into a rich cream in the shower. Consumers reportedly love this – a small consumer test showed that 34 out of 39 volunteers (87%) thought that their skin was more nourished immediately after application.
Following we break down the ingredients used, claims made and consider the sustainability of the formula.
Formula Breakdown
L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil (Note: Smaller product size is shown, not the refill bottle).Image by esslemon at Adobe Stock
Grapeseed Oil
The first ingredient on the INCI ingredient list is grapeseed oil, which has a high polyunsaturated fatty acid content compared with other vegetable oils. Grapeseed oil is composed mainly of linoleic acid and oleic acid, which makes it similar in composition to flax seed oil, corn oil and walnut oil. Because of the oil composition, grapeseed oil has a very low melting point, which makes it feel very light on skin. However, it is vulnerable to oxidation. Grapeseed oil comes from the agricultural byproduct of grape seeds, so it is also a sustainable choice.
Emulsifying System
The next ingredients are the emulsifying system comprising: TIPA-laureth sulfate, a cleansing agent consisting of an ethoxylated sulfate salt of triisopropanolamine (TIPA); and laureth-3, a liquid nonionic emulsifier composed of ethoxylated lauryl alcohol.
Both are ethoxylated synthetic surfactants — although the lauryl fatty acid chain may be naturally derived. And as with all ethoxylated chemicals, there is the possibility for trace levels of 1,4-dioxane.
TIPA-laureth sulfate is an anionic surfactant. It can be potentially irritating to skin and eyes, and as a tertiary amine, if it contains any secondary amines as impurities, it may form nitrosamines.
However, potential impurities and irritation aside, this emulsifying system is very effective at building a rich cream with added water.
Emollient, Fragrance and Claims Ingredients
Other ingredients are likely present at lower levels. Caprylic/capric triglyceride is a common emollient. Fragrance appears early in the ingredient list, indicating it is likely present at > 1% — a high level for rinse-off products. The ingredients that follow are likely present for claims.
Tocopherol is an antioxidant related to vitamin E that helps stabilize the oxidation-sensitive unsaturated oils. Also listed are the fragrance ingredients limonene, coumarin and linalool — potential allergens that must be listed on the label according to EU cosmetic regulations and the Modernization of Cosmetic Regulations Act of 2022 (MoCRA), in the United States.
Additional Claims
Additional product claims, other than cleanses and softens, include immediately nourishes and imparts suppleness to skin, for which there is supporting consumer data with the 39 volunteers, and comforts. L’Occitane also claims the product is free of parabens, phthalates and silicones, none of which are on the INCI list.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Almond Shower Oil appears to be a good example of an oil-to-cream formula offering excellent sensory properties. It comes in sustainable packaging with a refill option.
However, the formula could be more sustainable, since it contains synthetic ingredients from nonrenewable feedstocks. L’Occitane could potentially make the product more sustainable and sensitive skin-friendly by finding alternative ingredients.
It also may contain undesirable impurities and known allergens; although in a rinse-off product, this may not be a big concern.
L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil (Note: Smaller product size is shown, not the refill bottle).Image by esslemon at Adobe Stock
L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil (Note: Smaller product size is shown, not the refill bottle).Image by esslemon at Adobe Stock
