You may be well familiar with the common three R’s — reduce, reuse, recycle. We’ve shared the most eco-friendly products on the shelves, and even the know-how when it comes to repurposing skincare and recycling your empties, but when it comes to all things beauty, there’s a new eco-friendly initiative at play — refill.
Once you’ve emptied out a bottle of your favourite serum or just hit the pan on an eyeshadow palette, the most natural thing to do next would be to either chuck it in the trash and head to the store for a new one, or reuse the packaging (if possible).
What are refillable beauty products?
But lately, sustainable beauty has blossomed into a full-on movement that both the big names in beauty and small businesses have taken to incorporating into their products.
Instead of throwing out your palettes, lipsticks, and body care bottles once you’re done with them, why not purchase the refills and reuse the main packaging so there’s less waste?
As a bonus, more often than not, you can even save as much as S$10 or more when you purchase the refills instead of a brand new product.
Buy once and refill for life with these refillable beauty products that will reduce waste and help advance the green cause.
Refillable makeup products
Dior Rouge Dior Couture Finish Refillable Lipstick
Enriched with floral extract, this refillable lipstick offers 16-hour wear and is available in four couture finishes: satin, matte, metallic and velvet. Many reviewers rave about how flattering the colours are, its comfortable texture, and lightweight feel.
Retails for S$56 at Dior boutiques and counters, as well as Sephora. Refills are also available at Dior boutiques and counters. If you’re looking to buy it online, it’s going at S$40.50 on Selfridges.
Click on the links below to shop online.
Hourglass Confession™ Ultra Slim High Intensity Refillable Lipstick
Housed in an incredibly chic and beautiful gold tapered tube, this lipstick is designed for interchangeable use with the entire 30-shade collection of Confession™ Ultra Slim Lipstick Refills.
It boasts a creamy, saturated, long-wearing colour with a satin finish and won’t smudge or feather for a perfectly kissable pout.
Retails for S$60 on Sephora. Refills are going at S$38 on Sephora too. Click on the links below to shop.
Kjaer Weis Cream Foundation
An easily blendable base with a velvety, semi-matte finish, what’s not to love about this soft and buttery foundation?
The foundation is housed in a sleek, metallic compact that’s universally compatible with the brand’s cream products, including the Cream Blush, Cream Glow and Flush & Glow refills.
Retails for S$91.83 on Revolve. Refills are going at S$60.77 on Revolve too.
Click on the links below to shop.
Foundation | Refill | Compact
Shu Uemura Brow:Sword
This eyebrow pencil has a sharply angled tip but with a soft and smooth texture that allows for easy and precise application.
Its buildable pencil formula also makes it easy to achieve both a soft and natural brow or a bold brow on fleek.
While it’s certainly on the pricier end, you’ll be pleased to know that the refill costs just half the price of the original brow pencil. What a steal!
Retails for S$53 at Shu Uemura boutiques and counters, as well as on Sephora. Refills are going at S$28 at the same locations. Click on the links below to shop online.
Colourpop Create Your Own Palette
Customise your very own palette with Colourpop and choose from a whole rainbow of colours in matte, metallic, duochrome, and glitter finishes!
Keep to one colour scheme, mix things up and create a theme with your palette… it’s all up to you.
Retails for S$59.73 on Colourpop. Refills are going at S$5.97 on Colourpop.
Click on the links below to shop.
Shu Uemura Face Colour Blush
Add a pop of colour to your cheeks and enhance your complexion with this blusher that comes in 16 flattering shades, ranging from nudes, pinks, to even purples!
It’s also highly buildable, so you can start with a small dab of colour and work it up to your desired intensity.
The case retails for S$22 at Shu Uemura boutiques and counters. Refills are going at S$33 at Shu Uemura boutiques and counters, as well as Sephora.
Click on the links below to shop.
Make Up For Ever Matte Velvet Skin Blurring Powder Foundation
Banish blemishes with this next-generation mattifying powder.
The water-resistant foundation acts like a second skin, blurring imperfections for a complexion free from blemishes and visible pores. Better yet, the formula is breathable and non-comodegenic, so it won’t clog your skin.
Retails for S$72 on Sephora. Refills are going at S$43 on Sephora too.
Click on the links below to shop.
Refillable skincare products
Kora Organics Turmeric Glow Moisturizer
This newly launched moisturiser from Kora Organics (owned by supermodel Miranda Kerr) is formulated to target the appearance of pigmentation, dullness, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Enriched with Certified Organic Turmeric Extract, Licorice Extract, Marine Micro Algae and other powerful active ingredients, this also includes fermented probiotics to deliver anti-ageing benefits to your skin.
The moisturiser is even energised with Citrine, a stone believed to promote skin radiance and even skin tone, as well as Rose Quartz, a crystal believed to carry a soothing energy to encourage love and acceptance of ourselves and others.
The product is housed in a pod that you can refill once you’ve emptied it.
Retails for AUD $78. Refills are available at AUD $64. This is currently available on the Kora Organics website and will subsequently be available in Sephora Singapore.
Tata Harper Water Lock Moisturiser
One look at Tata Harper’s iconic green jars, and you instantly think of their clean, luxe skincare.
Available in a refillable pod form, this lightweight moisturiser contains orange blossom peptides to reinforce the skin barrier, boosting water retention and locking moisture into the skin, while pomegranate carbohydrate spheres absorb and trap water to provide sustained moisture.
Together, they form a flexible, breathable barrier for an instant and lasting smoothing effect and hydrated skin.
Retails for S$104 on Sephora. Refills are going at S$95 on Sephora too.
Click on the links below to shop.
Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor Invisible Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen Moisturiser
This 2-in-1 sunscreen moisturiser gives light-as-air, all-day hydration with SPF 30 protection.
Tinted pink, it applies and blends to practically nothing on all skin tones, and you won’t have to worry about pilling or chalkiness either.
P.S: The sunscreen formula was designed with care for coral reefs, and does not contain oxybenzone or octinoxate. Another win for this product in the sustainability department!
Retails for S$54 on Sephora. Refills are going at S$46 on Sephora too.
Click on the links below to shop.
Fenty Beauty Invisimatte Blotting Paper
Take it from Rihanna, who says that blotting is key to keeping your makeup looking fresh. Packaged in a super compact and chic case, this blotting paper lifts away shine while leaving your makeup perfectly intact.
The continuous pinky-nude scroll lets you choose your perfect-sized sheet every time, and the refillable lipstick-shaped compact is even small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.
Retails for S$26 on Sephora. Refills are going at S$14 on Sephora too.
Click on the links below to shop.
Dior L’Or de Vie La Crème
The perfect combination of comfort and age-defying efficacy, this ultra-luxurious emulsion melts into the skin and helps to illuminate the complexion while smoothing fine lines and reshaping facial contours.
Overtime, your skin will appear more resilient to both signs of aging and environmental stressors with firmness, elasticity and radiance appear restored, for visibly fresh and youthful.
Retails at Dior boutiques and counters. It also retails for S$630 on Selfridges. Refills are going at S$540 on Selfridges too.
Click on the links below to shop.
Refillable bodycare products
Beauty Counter The Clean Deo
This long-lasting, hardworking deodorant neutralises odour and absorbs sweat to keep you feeling and smelling fresh all day! It glides on smoothly without leaving white residue and comes in three yummy scents: tropical coconut, soft lavender, and clean rose.
And the refill? Simply tug on the cartridge and pop a new one in!
Retails for S$37 on Beauty Counter. Refills are going at S$24 on Beauty Counter. Click on the links below to shop.
Dove Refillable Deodorant 0% Aluminum
Care for both your underarms and the environment with the bodycare brand’s refillable deo.
The Airpod-esque stainless steel reusable case is designed to be used for life and can be paired with any of the fresh-smelling cucumber & green tea or coconut & pink jasmine deo sticks. There’s even one that’s formulated for sensitive skin.
Retails for S$20.14 on Amazon. Refills are going at S$13 on Target.
Click on the links below to shop.
L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil
This bestselling shower oil magically transforms into a milk upon contact with water, working into a soft and luxurious lather that gently cleanses, hydrates, and softens the skin. Not to mention, it smells heavenly and gives total spa-like vibes too.
Retails for S$62 on L’Occitane. Refills are going at S$54 on L’Occitane.
Click on the links below to shop.
Featured image taken from The Happy Sloths.
