Airless Packaging Delivers Aesthetics & Functionality

Airless packaging not only protects a formula, but it often looks luxe. Once associated primarily with prestige skincare serums and creams, airless bottles and jars are now used for a wider range of products, including hybrid skincare-makeup infused formulas, hair care, body care, and more.

As beauty formulas become more sophisticated, many brands now consider airless packaging essential rather than optional. Products formulated with sensitive actives, lower preservative levels, antioxidants, and other ingredients often require extra protection from oxygen exposure and contamination to maintain potency and stability.

Demand continues to grow. The global market for airless packaging was valued at nearly $9 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $16.4 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 6.97%, according to Fortune Business Insights. The report states that bottles and jars dominate the market, accounting for nearly 74% of all airless packaging formats.

“The rapidly growing demand for cosmetic products such as serums, skincare creams, moisturizers, and foundations is driving the need for effective packaging solutions that can protect the product inside,” the report states. 

Protecting Advanced Formulas

According to Erin Harmon, Marketing Director, Aptar Beauty North America, demand for airless packaging continues to grow. “We are seeing a significant increase in demand for airless packaging across all brand segments, with particularly strong adoption among clean beauty, dermo-cosmetics, and OTC products,” Harmon says.

The rising popularity of clean beauty and formulas with fewer preservatives continually fuels the demand for airless packaging. “More brands are leveraging airless packaging for sensitive-skin formulations that contain fewer preservatives because these products are more vulnerable to oxidation and microbial contamination,” Harmon explains. “Airless systems are increasingly essential rather than optional,” she notes.

Harmon says newer-generation UV filters and highly active skincare ingredients are also drivers behind the use of airless packaging. “Conventional airless packaging is widely used for encapsulated or oxidation-prone actives such as retinol, vitamin C, and select plant-based ingredients including resveratrol, matcha, and astaxanthin,” she explains. “These actives are highly valued for their brightening, antioxidant, and anti-aging benefits, but they require careful formulation and airless packaging to preserve potency.”

Yonwoo/PKG Group’s team sees a similar demand from brands developing science-backed skincare formulas. “As science-backed skincare formulas become more complex and fragile, airless packaging is increasingly essential to protect against oxidation and contamination while preserving potency, freshness, and efficacy over time,” says Kristen Cohen, Senior Manager of Marketing at Yonwoo/PKG Group. 

The company says it has also seen increased demand for dual-dispensing packages designed to separate formulas until the moment of use. “We offer a variety of components built to dispense two formulas,” says Cohen. Yonwoo/PKG offers an extensive line of airless packaging solutions that are recycle-ready. “We take pride in being able to work with brands to help bring their vision to market,” says Cohen.

Airless Packaging Gets More Luxe

Today’s airless packaging is designed to do more than preserve formulas. Suppliers say beauty brands increasingly want packaging that combines functionality with elevated aesthetics and premium customization. 

Lumson offers one of the industry’s broadest airless packaging portfolios. The supplier’s pouch-based airless systems are built to fully protect even the most sensitive ingredients, including low-preservative formulas. “Our airless systems guarantee the highest level of protection to ensure a formula’s integrity. Our pouch technology protects a formula from oxygen exposure and other external agents,” says Cécile Pompili, Strategic Marketing Manager at Lumson.

Lumson’s airless bottles and jars come in glass and various materials, including plastic, paper, and aluminum. The company’s XTAG is a luxurious refillable glass airless package.

Decorations include 3D effects, inner and external lacquering, pearl and metallic shades, and semi-transparent colors. 

 Aptar offers airless packaging solutions for larger-sized products, and they’re ideal for luxe personal care brands. Aptar’s PET Future Airless is available in a 400ml PET bottle. Jointly developed, the airless package uses Aptar’s Future pump with Pinar Beauty Pack’s patented airless bottle-in-bottle. “It’s the first airless packaging solution available in a large size that’s both recyclable and e-commerce capable,” says Harmon. 

The feature that makes it “e-commerce capable” is its locking and anti-leak mechanism. “It incorporates a locking/unlocking ring combined with a 360-degree free-spinning actuator. This helps minimize breakage in transit,” says Harmon.

Meeting Premium Positioning & Sustainability Goals

Berlin Packaging offers a wide variety of airless packaging solutions. The supplier says brands are seeking airless packaging that reflects both premium positioning and sustainability goals. “Our advanced airless technology protects formulations from contamination, preserves active-ingredient stability, enables precise dosing, and minimizes product waste,” says Celeste Osborne, Senior Manager at Berlin Packaging.

Berlin offers its Airglass airless bottle and jar collections, featuring refillable options and ergonomic designs. Slim and standard silhouettes are available, as well as travel sizes. The company also offers an Airtight Refill collection that can be made with PCR PET. 

The team at Berlin recently created a refillable Airglass package for skincare brand IRÄYE.  “We transformed one of our exclusive Airglass designs into a beautiful bespoke solution for IRÄYE, with soft, rounded lines, neutral matte tones, and premium finishes,” says Osbourne. “The sophisticated aesthetic reflects the brand’s philosophy of blending natural ingredients with cutting-edge science. The refillable glass packaging extends the products’ life cycle, reduces waste, and the design embodies the brand’s dedication to a sustainable beauty model,” she explains. 

Clarins’ Innovative Airless Packages

Prestige brands are increasingly turning to airless systems not only for protection, but also for elevated consumer experiences. Clarins recently launched its Double Serum Foundation in a custom dual-chamber package developed with Aptar. The system dispenses skincare and makeup formulas simultaneously while keeping the ingredients separated until the moment of application. 

Clarins Total Eye Lift Eye Cream is based on Aptar’s Gaïa airless solution. “It is fully custom-engineered to meet Clarins’ goals for an innovative and sustainable package without compromising on aesthetics or performance,” says Harmon. The bottle has a sleek metal outer case that pairs with recyclable plastic refills.

“GAIA sets a new standard in high-end airless packaging. This breakthrough innovation is protected by two patents—an intuitive push-and-pull refill mechanism inspired by the simplicity of a ballpoint pen, and a double tamper-seal system that ensures optimal formula protection,” says Harmon. 

Aptar also offers its NEOMIX Dual-Chamber Airless, an ideal solution for fresh-mix formulas. It’s a patented dual-chamber airless package with two components—a main bottle and a separate airless cartridge to insert into the main bottle. “This innovative system simultaneously delivers the precise amount of product from each chamber with an 80/20 mixing ratio, enabling a last-minute blend of two formulas that remain completely separate inside the bottle,” explains Harmon.  

Sustainability Remains a Focus

As airless packaging grows in popularity, suppliers continue working to solve one of the category’s biggest challenges—recyclability. 

Because airless systems often require multiple components and complex dispensing mechanisms, suppliers say sustainability innovation has become a major focus.

“By nature, this type of packaging relies heavily on plastic and multiple components, which stands in contrast to the industry’s push to reduce single-use plastic,” says Lumson’s Pompili.

To address this issue, Lumson recently introduced FREE, a metal-free airless pump designed for recyclability within the polypropylene stream when paired with compatible PP components. This pump ensures long-term dosage accuracy and performs as well as standard metal-spring pumps, the company says. “When combined with an airless PP bottle and a PP/EVOH pouch, this is a comprehensive solution that guarantees maximum formula protection and is also fully recyclable within the polypropylene stream,” Pompili says. 

Mono-Material Packaging is Increasingly Important

Pack Tech says mono-material and all-plastic solutions represent one of the industry’s most important recent advancements. “We’ve seen numerous advancements; I would say the main one has been the evolution of mono-material and all-plastic solutions,” says Nathan Dimanche, Lead Generation Manager at Pack Tech.

Pack Tech offers DOSA, one of its best-selling airless bottles. It is a mono-material design, made from polypropylene (PP). It’s available in sizes ranging from 30- to 150ml. Pack Tech’s plastic airless jar, NELLA, comes in 30- or 50ml sizes. 

The company also offers airless packaging produced with Ocean Waste Plastic (OWP), its proprietary PCR resin made from plastic collected from oceans and rivers. “With PPWR coming up in Europe, we’re expecting further advancements in the making of complex airless solutions—to make them simpler and mono-material,” says Dimanche.

Suppliers agree that brands are increasingly requesting eco-friendly airless packaging solutions, especially refillable formats. According to Cohen, Yonwoo/PKG now offers refillable airless systems that allow consumers to replace only the inner bottle while reusing the outer package. “The EZ Airless line allows consumers to reuse the outer structure, while unscrewing the inner PP bottle for an easy transition to a fresh refill,” Cohen says.

Refillable Packaging Continues to Evolve

While refillable airless packaging is gaining momentum, suppliers say consumer habits and usability challenges still remain barriers to widespread adoption. “Traditionally, refill options are non-intuitive and take too many steps,” Cohen explains. 

Pack Tech’s Dimanche agrees, saying convenience remains critical. “Consumers often want the easiest experience, and any friction becomes unpleasant,” he explains.  

The company says logistics also remain a challenge for refill systems at retail. Both brands and retailers must manage both refill units and standard packaging formats. 

Suppliers believe refillable airless systems will continue evolving as brands seek ways to reduce packaging waste without sacrificing aesthetics or performance. 

Airless Jars Slowly Gain Ground 

Packaging suppliers say there is a subtle shift in the types of airless packaging brands are requesting. Airless bottles are already mainstream, but airless jars are emerging more gradually. Airless jars often have pump dispensers built into the lid. The user presses down to dispense the product upward onto their fingers.

The demand for airless jars is increasing, although consumer habits may be slowing broader adoption. “Traditional jars have been around for a long time. With that comes routine and habit, which is tough to disturb,” says Pack Tech’s Dimanche. The company notes that many consumers are accustomed to dipping their fingers directly into jars, despite the hygienic advantages airless systems can offer. 

Still, suppliers expect airless jars to continue gaining traction as prestige skincare brands increasingly focus on formula protection, hygiene, and controlled dispensing. 

What Lies Ahead?

Airless packaging is a popular choice for beauty brands, even when a formula doesn’t require it. “Bottles with airless pumps are satisfying to use, offer dispensing control, and waste less product,” says Dimanche. “But many of the newest formulations do fare better in airless packaging,” he says. 

More brands are using innovative ingredients, especially in skincare. As skincare formulas continue to advance, airless packaging will no doubt remain one of beauty’s fastest-growing packaging categories.