We Need a Reality Check on Beauty Refills

Summary: Beauty brands are pushing "refillable" products to help the planet, but the reality isn't always so pretty. Experts say you might need to refill a container up to 50 times just to make up for the extra plastic used to make it! Many brands use a "bottle-in-a-bottle" design. Critics call this "greenwashing" because it actually creates more waste if you don't buy it again. Plus, if people don't love the formula, the unused refills just sit in warehouses and become trash.

However, some brands are doing it right. Beauty founder Josie Maran successfully switched to cute, lightweight pouches for her popular body butters. While better packaging helps, the absolute best way to save the planet (and your money) is simply to buy fewer beauty products.

For more details, see rssapp-allure-com at allure.com/story/truth-about-sustainability-of-beauty-refills (opens in new tab)