YSL Beauty’s Ourika gardens: A Model for Sustainable Beauty and Women’s ‌Empowerment

Updated June ⁣16,‌ 2025
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YSL Beauty is doubling down ​on sustainability and community empowerment, starting with its Ourika Community Gardens in Morocco. The gardens, nestled in the Atlas Mountains, not only supply key ingredients but also⁣ provide financial independence for local women.

L’Oréal Group, YSL Beauty’s parent company, ‍is launching the #JoinTheRefillMovement campaign to coincide with World refill Day on June 16. The initiative aims‍ to educate consumers ‌about refill‍ options from brands like Lancôme,YSL Beauty,Prada and Kérastase. The company says that while 78% of consumers want sustainable products, many ⁢are unaware of available options.

Caroline Nègre, International Sustainability and Scientific Director at L’Oréal, emphasizes the impact of refilling. She notes ⁣that refilling YSL Beauty’s Libre‌ L’Eau ‍Nue fragrance‍ reduces glass use by 50%.

the Ourika Community ​Gardens, established in 2014, are central to YSL Beauty’s ⁢sustainability efforts.Nègre says the project began ‍with a research trip to source saffron, revealing that local women handpicked the threads‍ for only two​ weeks each year. The goal became to provide more consistent ⁣work ‌and income.

Today, the two-hectare gardens serve as a laboratory for⁤ cultivation, botanical research,‌ and human empowerment. ​The gardens provide​ cuttings to wider⁣ communities, allowing ‍them to grow ⁤crops and sell ⁤them⁢ back to the brand.

“when you give trees to a village that’s huge. it means money, food and independence,” Nègre​ said.

The‌ Ourika Community Gardens are home⁣ to⁣ approximately 300 species, including ⁤iris, jasmine, cacti, pomegranate, and figs.​ Ingredients from the gardens are used in all of YSL Beauty’s product⁤ lines, totaling over 35 million products.

A⁢ Beauty Laboratory in the Ourika Valley

The gardens’ unique microclimate allows for experimentation with various species. Nègre explains that they can observe how plants react to‌ the​ environment, ​conduct small-scale productions, and then scale successful techniques to other communities.

Regenerative techniques, such as⁢ planting specific crops to nourish‌ the soil or mixing species for mutual benefit, are employed. The impact is carefully studied and shared with other programs.

The extreme environmental conditions also cause plants⁢ to produce defensive molecules, resulting in a higher concentration⁣ of active ⁣ingredients.

Scent Creation and Extraction of Beauty Ingredients

YSL Beauty utilizes “headspace” extraction⁤ technology to capture fragrance molecules, such as ‍those from jasmine and⁣ tuberose. This technology was crucial in creating Free water, YSL Beauty’s first oil-based and alcohol-free perfume.

Carlos Benaim, the IFF perfumer behind the Libre franchise, explained that the absence⁣ of alcohol ⁢required enhancing the orange blossom heart note.​ Headspace extraction allowed for ‌the analysis and isolation of specific molecules to achieve the desired fragrance.

Dua Lipa, YSL Beauty’s ⁣global ambassador, is the face of the campaign for Naked water. The brand is competing in​ a crowded Gen Z beauty market,where authenticity and values are key.

Nègre emphasizes that YSL Beauty’s commitment‌ to women’s empowerment, exemplified by the Abuse Is Not Love campaign, and sustainability were ingrained in the brand long ​before the Ourika Gardens project.

Yves Saint Laurent,founder of Saint Laurent,created le Smoking in 1966,giving women the same freedom of movement as men. YSL Beauty continues this ​heritage by applying these values to the beauty industry.

What’s next

YSL Beauty plans ​to ⁣expand its sustainability initiatives and further empower local communities through the Ourika Community Gardens project, focusing on regenerative agriculture and innovative ingredient sourcing.