The Art of Lasting Beauty:
A Century of Shiseido’s Refill Culture

INDEX

Beyond Sustainability: What Consumers Truly Want from Cosmetics Today

As eco-friendly products become everyday essentials, refills are becoming the norm in cosmetics. Today, Shiseido offers refillable containers across 37 brands and 1,014 SKUs globally (as of 2025).

Yet, since cosmetics are part of our daily routines, their value goes beyond eco-friendliness. Kobashi, who leads packaging research and development at the GIC, shares his perspective on what cosmetic containers truly require.

Refills are not a compromise between sustainability and aesthetics, but the seamless integration of both. This is no new concept; Shiseido’s 100-year refill history has always been rooted in the art of cherishing beauty over time.

A Century of Refills: Designed to Be Loved Over Generations

In recent years, refills have become widely recognized for their environment value. Yet, Shiseido’s refill journey dates back to 1926—long before “sustainability” became a global buzzword—with the launch of a revolutionary cosmetic compact.

Refillable designs soon expanded to makeup and skincare, evolving alongside changing lifestyles. Reflecting on this legacy, Kobashi notes what has changed—and what remains unchanged.

Kobashi: "A guiding principle at Shiseido Group is to 'Keep changing to remain true to ourselves.' While materials and manufacturing technologies have evolved to meet the demands of each era, our wish for consumers to cherish their favorite products over time has never changed."

The container is crafted to be a cherished keepsake, while the refill takes on functionality and eco-consciousness. By defining these distinct roles, Shiseido seamlessly balances aesthetics with lasting value.

Born a century ago, refills were never just an eco-friendly mechanism—they were designed to cultivate a culture of cherishing beauty over time. That philosophy lives on today, continuously　evolving for a new era.

Craftsmanship Defined by Premium / Sustainability

Rooted in a century-long tradition of cherishing beauty over generations, Shiseido captures its dual focus on elevated design and environmental care through “Premium / Sustainability.” This approach reflects the company’s commitment to circular manufacturing, a core materiality.

The goal is not a refill chosen solely for the environment, but one embraced because people love using it. When a deeply satisfying experience naturally leads to a sustainable choice, it creates the positive cycle Shiseido strives for.

Kobashi: "Until now, refills relied on environmental awareness or a reluctance to be wasteful. Yet Japanese craftsmanship inherently honors the artisan’s passion and aesthetic in every detail. By obsessing over those details—from design harmony to the tactile click of a refill—we want to create an experience that moves people the moment they hold it, making everyday use a true joy."

Craftsmanship Tailored by Brand: Harmonizing Emotional Value and Sustainability

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to Shiseido’s vision of “Premium / Sustainability.” Refill designs and user experiences dynamically evolve to honor each brand identity and the value consumers seek.

HAKU: Intuitive, Effortless Refilling

For the brightening serum by HAKU, the priority was seamless usability —ensuring anyone can replace the refill intuitively and with complete confidence, even on their first try.

Erasing the slightest hesitation during replacement, this subtle attention to detail allows the fingertips to understand without reading instructions—supporting consumers' daily skincare routines with comfort.

Clé de Peau Beauté La Crème: Embedding Technology Within the Brand Identity

For Clé de Peau Beauté’s iconic La Crème, Shiseido delivered a refillable design while protecting the brand's uncompromising aesthetic.

Kobashi: "Harmonizing luxury with sustainability at a level expected of Clé de Peau Beauté was a major engineering challenge. Precisely because it is an iconic item, we wanted to demonstrate Shiseido's unwavering commitment toward craftsmanship without compromise."

Kobashi: "Cosmetic containers are not meant to flaunt technology. To preserve the brand identity, engineering must sometimes be subtly embedded and tucked away gracefully. Elevating usability within that constraint is exceptionally challenging. We strive for an entirely natural presence—seamlessly weaving technology into the container's sculpting so that the refill mechanism remains imperceptible."

IPSA ME: Transforming Softness into Affection

IPSA ME adopts LiquiForm®, an innovative technology that simultaneously molds and fills the bottle, reducing plastic use by 56% and CO2 emissions by 48%. It is an unprecedented approach that uses a soft refill container directly as a dispenser bottle.

What was initially a concern—the bottle's softness—became its greatest appeal, providing tactile comfort and turning every use into a deeper emotional attachment.

Kobashi: "If we can elevate the refill itself into a rewarding experience rather than just a replacement step, more consumers will naturally embrace it. While each brand interprets this differently, our shared goal is clear: uniting beauty and sustainability to create refills chosen simply because people love using them."

Conversely, the more seamlessly a refill blends into a brand identity, the harder it is for consumers to notice it is refillable. Expressing this subtle value while protecting brand prestige represents the next horizon of refill design—one that encompasses thoughtful communication.

Toward the Next 100 Years: Making Beauty a Sustainable Choice

Beginning nearly a century ago, Shiseido’s refills have evolved across generations. This journey has never been solely about footprint reduction. For 100 years, Shiseido has cultivated a positive cycle—where cherishing a beloved product over time, and savoring its comfort, naturally becomes a choice that protects the future.

At the same time, consumer values and lifestyles will keep shifting. That is precisely why Kobashi believes refills must continuously evolve with the times.

Kobashi: "Rather than choosing a product solely because it is sustainable, we aim for a reality where consumers choose it because they love the product or the experience feels wonderful—and that choice, in turn, benefits the environment."

Achieving this requires more than just new technology. It demands drawing on accumulated expertise while staying close to consumer values to create meaningful new experiences.

Kobashi: "By integrating new perspectives with our accumulated technology and insights, I believe refills have immense room to evolve. We will continue creating value that serves as a seamless, intuitive choice for our consumers."

A century of history is both a milestone and a fresh beginning. Drawn by beauty and tactile delight, consumers naturally embrace refills —a collective habit that enriches lives while safeguarding the future.

Grounded in the technology and philosophy cultivated over 100 years, Shiseido will continue setting a new standard: one where beauty and sustainability effortlessly coexist.