Sustainability is a buzz word lighting up the beauty community right now, but this is a trend that’s all positive. As people are taking a closer look at their consumption habits, I think many of us are becoming more aware of how much waste we create as a byproduct of our beauty routines. At the same time, change can be daunting, and there’s a misconception that sustainable = expensive. However, I’ve recently implemented a few sustainable beauty swaps that are not only approachable, but can actually save you money in the long run.
Keep reading to discover easy changes you can make in your beauty routine to reduce waste and save money. Remember, small changes can make a big impact. It’s not about overhauling your entire routine, but doing what you can— it all makes a difference!
1. Reusable Cotton Rounds
Using single use cotton rounds? In 2025? You’re literally throwing money away. So many skin care brands offer machine-washable alternatives that can replace disposable cotton rounds for skin care steps like makeup removal or applying toner.
My favorites are from Paula’s Choice, which come in a pack of 10 for $15. These are thick reusable skin care pads made from cotton and bamboo that are sewn well and hold up to washing and drying. I throw them in the weekly laundry and they’re good to go again!
2. Reusable Beauty Swabs
I hadn’t realized how many single use cotton swabs I used for my makeup routine until I tried out reusable beauty swabs. These come in handy when cleaning up makeup smudges or for touchups.
Beauty Swabs are small microfiber pads that you can clean just as easily as makeup brushes for repeat use. I often use them with micellar water to spot-correct makeup mistakes like smudged lipstick, or removing rogue mascara transfer.
3. Refillable Skin Care
Did you know that some of the most popular drugstore skin care brands offer refills on their best selling products? Not only does this allow you to reuse the plastic bottle you already have at home, but you often get more product for less money! For example, the $15 Neutrogena Hydro Boost Cleansing Gel refill comes with enough product inside to refill the $12 bottle twice, saving you a ton in the long run, and 80%+ of plastic.
Another example: the La Roche-Posay Hydrating Gentle Cleanser refill bag comes with the same amount as the full size bottle, but costs $3 less. If you already have your empty bottle— or any empty bottle, really!— you can save each time you repurchase.
Other popular drugstore skin care products I’ve spotted refills for include the CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, Aveeno Calm + Restore Facial Cleanser for Sensitive Skin, and the Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash.
4. Refillable Hair Care
I’ll admit that most hair care brands that offer product refills are in the luxury category, though I have found one that I think brings the best value: Small Wonder. The Small Wonder Signature Shampoo is $38 a bottle, with refills for $30, but can last you 50-80 washes due to the powder formula. That’s right— there’s no water in the bottle! You’re only paying for the concentrated, professional grade ingredients, without dilution or filler.
You activate the shampoo with the water from your shower, and it starts to lather and cleanse just like a liquid. This delivers super shiny, soft and voluminous hair, plus a ton of definition for my curls and waves.
The sturdy Wonder Bottles are designed to be refilled and used again and again, and the refills pour in easily to top you off. Check it out and get 15% off through my link. You can buy a set of one bottle + one refill for $48!
5. Refillable Makeup
As much as I love gorgeous makeup packaging, we can save a ton of waste by adopting a few refillable products in our routine. Refillable makeup typically comes in reusable components that let you swap out products once finished.
Two of my favorite brands that offer refillable makeup are Subtl Beauty and Salt New York.
Subtl Beauty is focused on travel-friendly, minimal makeup routines. All of their products twist together in to a small tower (they call them Staks), to create a super portable collection that can help you achieve a full face. After your first purchase, which includes the outer packaging, you can buy refills which are $2 less. I’ve been using my Subtl Stak a lot recently, especially while traveling as it helps me cut down on bulk in my beauty bag. Check out how I designed my Subtl Stak in my full review here.
Salt New York only sells products in “refill” style, arriving in a fully recyclable envelope and housed in a magnetic pan that you can place in your own palette, or one of theirs. I personally own two of their The Quad zipper cases and their bamboo Single Compact case. Salt New York is a complexion-focused brand, offering foundation, concealer, bronzer, highlighter and a lip & cheek combo that are designed to look like your skin, but better.
6. Zero Waste Shampoo & Conditioner
Solid shampoo and conditioner bars are becoming more popular for producing zero waste as you finish them. Typically packaged in cardboard or compostable boxes, the product only comes as the bar itself without any outer casing.
While past experiences with shampoo bars made me feel like they weren’t designed for my hair type, the new ones from Kitsch show me how far solid formulas have come. These actually lather up to create fluffy suds that make it easy to spread through my thick hair.
Each bar can last up to 100 washes, saving two bottles of liquid shampoo or conditioner. Vegan, cruelty free and Leaping Bunny certified, their solid formulas are phenomenal balanced and safe for color-treated hair. They are also 4ocean Certified— for every shampoo or conditioner bar sold, 4ocean pulls the equivalent of one conditioner bottle’s worth of plastic from the world’s oceans, rivers and coastlines.
You can buy the shampoo and conditioner bars individually to mix and match, or buy one of their combo sets to save a little extra. They’re available on the Kitsch website, Target, and Amazon.
Have you found ways to be more sustainable in your beauty routine?
– Miranda
