KIEHL’S MISSION RENEWAL
Our imperfect journey to drive a more circular economy.
OUR BEST-SELLERS, NOW REFILLABLE
Ultra Facial Cream
Our #1 face cream uniquely formulated for all skin types, with over 3000 5-Star Reviews!
Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream
A shine-reducing, cooling gel moisturizer for oily skin and normal skin types.
Amino Acid Shampoo
A mild shampoo with Coconut Oil and Amino Acids that cleanses and softens hair.
Creme de Corps
A rich, non-greasy body lotion with Cocoa Butter and Beta-Carotene.
OUR MISSION IN PROGRESS
Scroll through to see the progress we made in 2024
DON'T REBUY, JUST REFILL
Our refill pouches use between 61-94% less plastic compared to when packaging the same product in jars/bottles. The result? Kiehl's minimized its plastic use by 414 tonnes to cover 2025 production through refill formats. That's equivalent to the weight of 6M 50ml jars****
THE HAND OF EVEREST
In 1988, Klehl's sponsored the first ascent expedition on Mount Everest's East Face without supplemental oxygen.
Today, Kiehl's returns to Everest in partnership with Nepal-based NGO, Sagarmatha Next, and Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee's Carry Me Back initiative to support the removal of 22 tonnes of waste of proper recycling
- taking some of the items to create "Hand of Everest," an Installation en route to Base Camp to remind hikers to limit the footprint they leave behind.
POST-CONSUMER RECYCLED PACKAGING
34% of our packaging comes from post-consumer recycled plastic*
LIGHTWEIGHTING OUR JARS
In 2024, we designed our 125ml jar with -40% less plastic compared to the previous version. Our 2024 production with our lightweighted jar allowed us to use 123 tons less plastic compared to if we had used the design produced in 2023, allowing us to deliver the same number of milliliters you love, with less packaging***
RECYCLE & BE REWARDED
In 2024, Kiehl's collected 1,791,000 empty products in-store through Recycle & Be Rewarded*
INGREDIENTS
71% of our ingredients now derive from plant or mineral ingredients*
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BIODEGRADABLE FORMULAS
The average biodegradability of our formulas is 82%, with rinse-off products averaging 91%*
POWERED BY RENEWABLE ENERGY
98% of our products are manufactured in facilities using 99% renewable energy**
*Operated sites, excluding safety and security installations
KIEHL'S SKIN PROS
In 2024, Kiehl's provided 28,460 hours of training and professional development to store employees.
SO, WHAT IS "CIRCULARITY"?
Today, the way we make products is linear. We take materials and resources, create products and then eventually throw them away as waste.
In a circular economy, we mimic nature's way of doing things by focusing on how we use resources and manufacture products, and by having a plan for the materials and packaging afterwards to help reduce waste from being created in the first place.
RECYCLE & BE REWARDED
Since 2009, Kiehl's has collected empty products in-store through Recycle and Be Rewarded. Our aim is to collect 15 million more by 2030. Join us in action by dropping off your cleaned, empty products at your local store and receive complimentary samples and rewards!
What we collect:
- Plastic, metal & paper bottles
- Plastic & aluminum squeezable tubes
- Ceramic & porcelain containers
- Colored glass bottles & jars (varies heavily by location; check locally)
- Caps & closures
- Pumps & dispensers
- Droppers & applicators
- Compacts & palettes
- Lipstick/lip gloss tubes & applicators
- Mascara tubes & wands
- Plastic pencil components for eye/lip liner & brow pencils
- Toothpaste tubes & dental floss containers
- Silicone containers
- Pouches
- Sachets
- Supplement bottles smaller than a yogurt cup or 2'x 2°
We unfortunately cannot accept the following items:
- Rigid plastic containers #1, #2 and #5 (when larger than a yogurt cup or 2°x2' - caps can stay on if the main packaging is curbside recyclable)
- Stainless steel or aluminum (when larger than a yogurt cup or 2' x 2)
- Clear or frosted glass jars and bottles (varies heavily by location; check locally)
- Cardboard & paper
Additionally, we cannot accept miscellaneous items, such as:
- Dental floss
- Aerosol cans*
- Sponges & brushes
- Single-use wipes
- Plastic & foil safety seals
- Nail polish & remover*
- Toothbrushes
- Prescription pill bottles (check local recycler guidelines)
*Products considered hazardous materials such as aerosol products, nail polish and nail polish remover should be disposed of through proper hazmat disposal. Check for your local hazmat disposal options.
JOIN US IN ACTION
SHOP MORE RESPONSABLE WITH KIEHL'S
We've tagged your favorite products with sustainability and formula attributes. See the full definitions and learn about other common terms we use to talk about the more sustainable characteristics of our products.
GET SKIN SMART
Let's eliminate unnecessary waste by personalizing what your skin needs. Get expert skincare advice online or in-store.
MORE SUSTAINABLE ON SOCIAL
POST MORE RESPONSIBLY
Did you know that if the internet were a country, it’d be the 5th largest polluter? Simply put, any content we engage with translates to energy consumption ultimately contributing to Carbon emissions. The good news? There are simple steps we can all take to help reduce emissions.
MAKE EVERY SECOND COUNT
Lights, camera, action! Shorten your online videos to lower carbon emissions. Videos 60 sec. long use 2x the energy as ones that are 30 sec. What's more, shorter-format clips help drive engagement.
OPTIMIZE YOUR CONTENT
Most content is viewed on smartphones, where higher resolution adds no real value...but does increase data use and carbon emissions. Stick to efficient formats like 720p - the lower res lessens your environmental footprint without sacrificing performance.
SPREAD THE WORD
Let's make the message go viral! Let your followers know they can act sustainably, too, with these simple tips:
1 .Choose Wi-Fi over cellar data. On average, using
4G/ 5G consumes 3.5x more energy than Wi-Fi.
2.Match the resolution to the viewing device. Higher res isn't necessary for smartphones that only require 720p.
