Orijinal launches a solution for endless reuse of nail polish bottles

Born in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Orijinal stands out for its natural care varnishes containing a patented active ingredient based on French celery and an organic pomegranate extract. Aware of the environmental impact of nail varnishes, Cheryl Gava, the brand founder, has imagined a solution allowing the glass bottles of her nail polishes to be reused over and over again, when they are returned by consumers. Each time a new product is received, consumers can return a bottle when it is empty.

Express cleaning

The concept is quite simple. All consumers have to do is order a first nail polish on the brand’s e-shop, then use it until they run out - a detail that is important. Indeed, Orijinal specifies it only recovers “used bottles”, which actually means “empty bottles”. From the second order, consumers can indicate that they wish to return their old bottle, which will allow them to receive the new product together with a postage-paid label to return the empty primary container.

To make reuse possible, the brand has invested in a cleaning process derived from the food industry, which allows the bottles to be cleaned in just 16 minutes using a procedure that is “as eco-responsible as possible”, specifies Orijinal.

However, the solution only works if consumers really reduce waste, that is to say if they (really) use their nail varnish to the last drop. A practice that still seems uncommon in real life. Therefore, in order to motivate as many people as possible to change their habits, the brand is offering a voucher for each five bottles returned.

But that’s not all! The wooden cap can be separated from the plastic applicator brush to be reused too. If it is damaged, the consumer can ask to receive a new one for the same price.

End of life of varnishes

Nail polishes pose specific problems at the end of their life. The French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME) recommends "throwing the glass bottle in the bin or container intended for recyclable glass packaging," which will generally allow it to be recycled, and "throwing the brush and its cap in the household waste bin.” Orijinal therefore offers an alternative to the thermal recycling of glass, which is energy-intensive but remains common in France.

On the other hand, if the bottle is not empty, ADEME recommends to dispose it in a recycling centre that accepts this specific type of product.