Fragrance Fountains Coming To A Department Store Near You

Designer perfumes, while lovely, are not the most practical or eco-friendly of beauty products. Encased in intricate flaçons and swaddled in ornate boxes, they make us feel luxurious, but they aren't doing Mother Nature (or our bank accounts) any favors each time we re-stock.

Well, all that's about to change thanks to Thierry Mugler. The brand is bringing its unique Source "fragrance fountain" to a department store near you. Already a megahit in France, the Source allows customers to bring in their used-up bottles of Angel or Alien and have an attendant refill them on the spot for a discounted price — ultimately allowing you to reduce waste and save money.

"For us, it makes sense sense to avoid wasting," says Lionel Uzan, Mugler's marketing senior vice president in the U.S. "We made the [Alien and Angel] bottles very precious — they are not disposable, and we never envisioned them that way. We save so much glass [with the Source]. As of today, there's a bottle being refilled every seven minutes worldwide."

According to Uzan, the Source has been perfected over the last 20 years in Paris so that its launch in the U.S. brings the very best, most convenient iteration. Now, department-store employees can refill bottles for customers and also create custom samples right in front of potential new customers.

The Source is rolling out nationwide to retailers this month, and to celebrate, the brand is offering a special promotion. To help educate new customers and existing customers on the concept of refilling their perfume bottles, over the next four weeks the brand is giving away empty bottles of Angel and Alien and then filling them for you at the Source for the refill price. Since the price of the refill is is a good $30 or more cheaper than buying a new bottle, it's a great way for both new and dedicated Thierry Mugler fragrance lovers to get their Angel or Alien fix at a great price.

Thierry Mugler Angel Shooting Star Refillable Eau de Parfum, $120, available at Macy's.