L’Oréal and Aster Pharmacy partner to make sustainable beauty more accessible

The beauty industry across the GCC is taking another step towards more sustainable practices, with L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty and Aster Pharmacy joining forces to make refillable skincare products more accessible to consumers in the UAE.

The partnership was signed by Laurent Duffier, CEO of L’Oréal Middle East, and N.S. Balasubramanian, CEO of Aster Pharmacy, last week at Aster Pharmacy at The Pointe in Dubai Marina, bringing together the beauty company and pharmacy retailer to encourage more environmentally conscious shopping habits.

The agreement will focus on increasing the visibility and availability of refillable products from three major brands under the L’Oréal umbrella: La Roche-Posay, Vichy and CeraVe. By offering consumers the option to replenish products rather than purchase entirely new packs, the initiative aims to make more responsible shopping choices part of everyday skincare routines.

Duffier said partnerships with retailers were essential to turning global sustainability commitments into practical choices for consumers. “Retail partnerships bring that work directly into people’s everyday lives. We can design a refill, but if it is hard to find or confusing to use, we have not made the choice easy,” he said.

With Aster, the focus will be on making refillable products more visible, improving stock planning across the retailer's top 10 stores through next year. The partnership also includes a target for 75 per cent of point-of-sale materials to be eco-designed by 2027.

There is an appetite for environmentally friendly products. According to YouGov data cited by L’Oréal, 66 per cent of UAE consumers say they prefer brands that prioritise sustainability. However, translating that preference into everyday purchasing decisions requires making alternatives convenient and easy to understand. “We hope refilling becomes a simple question people ask when a product runs out: ‘Can I refill this?’ That does not require someone to change their whole routine. It gives them another option within it,” Duffier said.

The roll-out will take place progressively across Aster's top 10 UAE stores, prioritising locations with high customer footfall and visibility, including Dubai Mall and The Pointe. Improved in-store displays and guidance from beauty advisors will help customers identify suitable refill options and understand how they work.

Sanaa Bougazzoul, General Manager of L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty Middle East, said the aim was to make the shopping experience clearer and more straightforward. “The starting point is a familiar moment: ‘I have finished a product that works for me – what do I buy next?’ We want a suitable refill to be easier to see and understand at that moment,” she said.

L’Oréal's beauty advisors will work alongside Aster's teams to explain the different refill formats and help customers choose products suited to their existing routines. Better forecasting and stock planning will also help minimise product waste.

For Bougazzoul, educating consumers is just as important as making the products available. “The quality of the conversation matters as much as the visibility of the product. Customers may ask: ‘Which refill goes with my product? How do I use it? What packaging am I saving?’ Our role is to help advisors answer those questions clearly,” she said.

The partnership also has a social responsibility element through La Roche-Posay's Fight with Care programme, which supports people affected by cancer.

L’Oréal already works with Al Jalila Foundation in the UAE, providing skincare and make-up workshops, product donations and guidance for people experiencing skin-related effects of cancer treatment.

Bougazzoul said Aster offered an opportunity to extend this work into the communities its pharmacies serve, although specific activities are still being developed. “People come into pharmacies not only to buy products, but also to seek guidance and reassurance. That makes Aster a relevant partner as we explore how Fight with Care can support people affected by cancer,” she said.

L’Oréal for the Future

The collaboration forms part of L’Oréal's wider L’Oréal for the Future programme, which looks at sustainability across different stages of a product's journey, from transportation and packaging to accessibility.

In the UAE, the company has worked with Mohebi Logistics on electric deliveries and Aramex on biodiesel transport solutions. It has also donated 30 Lancôme HAPTA devices to Al Noor Training Centre to support more accessible beauty for people with limited hand and arm mobility.

Duffier said the company's approach was to work with local partners to make its commitments relevant to consumers in the region.

As the beauty industry continues to explore ways to reduce packaging waste and encourage more responsible consumption, the partnership between L’Oréal and Aster highlights the importance of making sustainable alternatives not only available, but also practical, affordable and easy to understand.