You might have made sustainable swaps like opting for a reusable water bottle or switching to Stasher bags, but what about cutting down on single-use packaging in your beauty routine and opting for refillable beauty products?
Instead of throwing out that empty jar of moisturizer, choosing a product that offers a refill pod, pouch or cartridge can help reduce waste over time. These refill components are often made of more recycle-friendly materials than the primary packaging, and tend to cost less too. This, of course, comes with a commitment to the product you initially purchased; you have to love it enough to refill it. But when you find those gems, it can be worth it to stock up.
What are the benefits of refillable beauty products?
According to Pact Collective, a nonprofit committed to reducing beauty waste, the cosmetics industry creates 120 billion units of packaging each year, with the majority of it ending up in landfills. Beauty recycling programs and eco-friendly product refills can help combat this. Instead of smaller, single-use packaging that has a shorter life span from shelf to garbage bin, shopping products that have refills available extend the functionality of the primary packaging. And oftentimes, recycling and refilling work in tandem, with refill containers coming in recyclable plastic, aluminum or glass.
The refillable components will look different for every product and brand, but they usually come in two formats: bulk, jumbo-size refills that save you from repurchasing smaller products over and over again or inner refill packaging (usually made of recyclable materials) that is inserted into reusable outer containers. Both methods reduce waste in the long run, but the responsibility is ultimately on the consumer to make sure the packaging ends up in the right place. We have a whole guide on how to recycle beauty empties to help you dispose of them responsibly.
So if you’re ready for some more sustainable swaps and open to the responsibility of refillable products, check out our favorite beauty refills across skin care, makeup, hair care, body care and fragrance. You might even spot some of your favorite brands in the list.
Best refillable beauty products
Refillable skin care
I've used jar after jar of the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream over the years (it's one of my holy grail products) because the gel-cream formula is amazing for combination skin. Now that there's a jumbo-size refill, I can stop buying new pots and simply reuse my existing one.
This lightweight moisturizer is another one of my favorites, as it doubles as a makeup primer, providing a plump, hydrated base for my makeup. It's super easy to pop the empty pot from the jar, recycle it and replace it with a refill pod.
This gel moisturizer is a derm-recommended product that is worth refilling. It's an ideal daytime moisturizer since it quenches skin without feeling heavy.
Those with dry or aging skin will benefit from this nourishing eye treatment. Formulated with a peptide that combats cellular senescence (aka aging at the cellular level), this eye cream firms and smoothes the delicate under-eye area.
Tower 28's Daily Rescue Facial Spray acts as a gentle disinfectant on the skin, nixing any blemish-causing bacteria. Using it as a daily face mist helps keep breakouts at bay — plus, it just feels refreshing.
A vegan, small-batch personal care brand with big ideas, Meow Meow Tweet’s bulk store allows shoppers to buy products in larger sizes that can then be mailed back to the brand when empty, like this gentle cleanser. Meow Meow Tweet will then sterilize and reuse the containers, keeping waste out of the environment.
Refillable makeup
Kjaer Weis' whole line of makeup and skin care comes in elegant, refillable packaging. Ashlee Piper — sustainability expert and author of "Give a Sh*t: Do Good. Live Better. Save the Planet."?— is a fan of its upscale feel, as am I. The sheer, tinted lip balm, which comes in five shades plus clear, feels as luxe as swiping on a fancy lipstick thanks to the sleek, shiny refillable tube. Just note that the case and refill are sold separately!
A French makeup brand that brings all of the allure of Parisian beauty to eco-friendly practices, La Bouche Rouge utilizes 100% refillable, recyclable and plastic-free packaging. This eye shadow palette comes in a durable recycled paper case, or you can transfer the pan to a reusable compact that comes with a beautiful leather case (available when purchased on La Bouche Rouge's website).
Compatible with several of Jane Iredale's products, you can choose to use your refillable compact to house the PurePressed Base, Bronzer or PureMatte Finishing Powder. Each refill comes in recyclable packaging, and the compact itself is made to last a lifetime.
"I've been a long-standing fan of Elate cosmetics," Piper shares. "It's vegan, cruelty-free and the products come in these lush refillable packages that are lovely." This brightening concealer can be added to a custom palette along with eye shadows and brow balms.
When you're ready to repurchase Beautycounter's cream blush (which you'll want to), these convenient refills will save you money while reducing fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions. The blush refills cost 33% less than the initial compact purchase, so it's a win-win for your wallet and the environment.
Available in 25 shades, the iconic Rouge Dior lipstick can be refilled with a new tube whenever you want to switch up the color or run out of your favorite one. The initial lipstick costs $49, and then you'll save $10 on each refill.
These high-performing pressed pigments will wow with their color payoff and responsible formulations (they're made with ethically sourced mica). The handy palette comes in a refillable silicone compact that is a nice alternative to the bamboo or paper you usually see from packaging.
Refillable hair care
A patented bottle makes it easy and mess-free to dispense the perfect amount of this refillable powdered shampoo. After pumping the product into your palm while in the shower, activate it with water to create a creamy lather. It feels and smells just as good as anything you'd get at the salon, with the added benefits of a less diluted formula and lower carbon impact than traditional shower products.
According to the brand, you don’t need conditioner after cleansing with its?New Wash, so you’ll be eliminating the packaging and footprint of an additional product.?The Deep version of the cleansing cream is made for oily and fine hair and features apple cider vinegar to clarify the scalp and hair.
Ouai's fan-favorite shampoos come in jumbo-size 32-ounce refill packs (that's over three times the size of the original bottle), so you can reduce your consumption of additional packaging over time.
Crown Affair's talc-free dry shampoo comes in a powder format that you brush and blend into the roots of the hair (a kabuki brush is included in the initial purchase). It absorbs oils with tapioca starch and persimmon powder, and is scented with bergamot, yuzu and lemongrass. The unique format minimizes the environmental impact associated with aerosol products and is easy to refill.
Refillable body care
This bestselling (and best-smelling) body lotion comes in a refill pod that helps reduce plastic waste. The brand offers refills on select fragrances, deodorants and bath products too.
Piper loves Plaine Products for hair and body care. All of the brand's products come in aluminum bottles that can be recycled at home, or the brand will cover the cost to ship a box full of its empty bottles back to the company for reuse. This body wash is gentle on the skin but has a beautiful scent.
New this spring, Josie Maran's silky body butter comes in generous 13.5-ounce refills that are so easy to use, you might as well keep it in the pouch. But if you want, the glass jar feels super luxe too.
Public Goods' minimalist products make it easy to revamp your whole bath and body routine for a reasonable price. The Body Wash is mild yet refreshing, with a clean, citrus scent.
Refillable fragrances
Glossier's pocket-size solid perfume makes it easy to freshen up your fragrance on the go. The warm skin scent is so intoxicating, you'll want to stock up on the refills.
This sweet and floral fragrance is a perfect springtime scent. With the 3.4-ounce refill, you get $150 worth of perfume for just $120.
Opting for an initial 1.6-ounce bottle of Prada Paradoxe plus the refill uses 40% less materials than three 1.6-ounce bottles, according to the brand. The fragrance itself is an ambery floral with notes of neroli, amber and vanilla.
