Rebrand Skincare: the Easiest Routine + Why These Are the Best Refills
These days, a lot of beauty brands try to fluff up their sustainability credentials by offering “refillable” skincare products. But how much do these designs actually reduce wasteful overpackaging and plastic use? Often, they’re not as good as they could be. But some brands do a far better job – and Rebrand Skincare is the best I’ve found. (More on the packaging issue below, but let’s talk about Rebrand first.)
If you’re looking for a straightforward, simple, one-track skincare routine with multiple ways to refill your containers, Rebrand Skincare is the perfect solution.
Rebrand is a very small, very minimalistic sustainable skincare company with excellent refill systems (both at-home and in-store!) that prevent the majority of packaging waste.
Right now, they make just five products, and I’ve been testing all of them for several months. (As usual, I also farmed them out to my husband and mom for extra perspectives.) There’s one option for each skincare step, no fragrances or scents of any kind, and no fluff.
For some reason, Rebrand reminds me of Earth Harbor — another sustainable skincare brand I’ve used for years — but with the opposite kind of personality. Rebrand is Bauhaus minimalism to Earth Harbor’s bohemian maximalism. So if you’re interested in lots of options, fruity, herbal scents, and a mermaid vibe, check out my Earth Harbor review (coming soon!). If you’re definitely not into those things, stay right here.
(And if you’ve already read too much, the easiest-to-love products from Rebrand are definitely the moisturizer and brightening serum. No hassle, they just work.)
If you try them, use my code TILTEDMAP for 15% off your first order.
Where did this brand come from?
Rebrand is a new kid on the block – fully launched in 2023 and growing slowly on purpose, to maintain the quality and high-standards that I’ve found make them different.
Similar to Earth Harbor, and several other skincare brands I’ve reviewed, the founder of Rebrand Skincare is a chemist with years of beauty industry experience.
Her name is Aubri Thompson, and she wanted to create sustainable skincare that would actually perform better than the old-school, home-made style, zero-waste-shop/ health food store options that were pretty much all that was available a few years ago. She wanted premium skincare, just without the waste.
That’s a mission I strongly identify with as someone with no interest in sustainability ideas like DIY-ing my own deodorant in my kitchen.
Rebrand uses ingredients that are all vegan, biodegradable, and carefully sourced to be safe for humans and environment, along with refillable product packaging that’s truly special.
The Best Refillable Skincare Packaging?
It’s fair to say that the sustainable packaging design Aubri came up with for Rebrand is the best I’ve seen – and it preserves the only old-school zero-waste product feature that I actually like: You can refill the bottles in certain zero-waste stores.
If you don’t live near one of those shops, or prefer your shopping digital, don’t worry. Refills are also available online in 100% recyclable aluminum packages that hold two refills each (and cost 25% less than the original packaging). So keep your frosted glass bottles and dropper lids.
It’s SO rare for a brand to have both! I really can’t overstate this. Offering both in-store and online refill options makes Rebrand one of the most thoughtful, efficient, least wasteful systems I’ve found for skincare refills.
PIC – refills in a shop?
What makes their at-home refill packaging so good?
Aluminum is light-weight (which means less shipping emissions than glass), infinitely recyclable, and – importantly – accepted for recycling almost everywhere. (That’s definitely not the case for plastic or even glass, as anyone who’s lived in rural America knows.)
And not all mailed-to-your-door refills are created equally. If you look up the refillable skincare section on Sephora, for example, you’ll see that almost every product there is a refill cartridge made of hard plastic. It’s probably less plastic than rebuying the original packaging – so that’s a good thing. But it could be a lot better.
Even theoretically more sustainable shops like Credo mostly offer the same unimpressive refill options for beauty and skincare packaging.
That’s why I can confidently call Rebrand’s system the best refillable skincare packaging I’ve found, as of 2024. (And I’ve been doing this for a long time – since 2020.)
Shop Online or In-Store: Because Having Choices Matters
The fact that Rebrand actually bothers to make it efficient and very low-waste for BOTH people who want to shop in-store AND people who want to shop online deserves major credit. Not many brands bother.
For example:
Shout outs to by Humankind and Activist Skincare– two excellent companies.
By Humankind has the closest I’ve found to Rebrand’s online method with oversized, aluminum refills – minus the in-store refill option. I’ve been ordering refills of their hand sanitizer and floss for years, and recommend them to everyone.
Activist Skincare also makes great face products with in-store refill options, as well as online refills (although they do use a tiny bit of plastic). I love this refillable serum they make for acne.
See what I mean? These are two of the best sustainable toiletry brands out there, and yet neither is doing everything Rebrand does to makes refills as sustainable and as accessible as possible.
Still, buying products that won’t work for you isn’t a sustainable solution to overconsumption (even if they’re refillable). So let’s dive into my review of all of Rebrand’s products, so you can figure out which ones might work best for you!
Rebrand Skincare Product Reviews
Dream Cleanser – lovely but not for everyone
This refillable cleanser is not the first Rebrand product I’d recommend to most people. If you’re a skincare junkie, it’s lovely. But if you’re used to normal soap, this feels very different.
In fact, it really felt like nothing at first: Almost no lather, and it almost disappears on your skin when you rub it in — which is what it feels like on the skin – like you’re rubbing it in, not lathering up and scrubbing.
(The consistency reminds me of my refillable Blueland face wash, but just a little bit thinner. The Blueland option is much easier.)
But after a few uses, I really started liking this milky formula. It’s a gentle, everyday cleanser – not aggressive or stripping at all. My combination skin feels soft after using it, but definitely needs moisturizer after washing it off.
And it really melts away makeup with no effort, including my refillable, water-resistant mascara. (I haven’t tested it on waterproof mascara because – good to know! – waterproof mascara usually contains PFAS, the same cancer-causing “forever chemicals” in Teflon pans, and definitely not something I want near my eyeballs.)
Bottom Line on Dream Cleanser:
If you want a very gentle, refillable cleanser, and enjoy cleansers with a milky texture, this is a great option.
But I think it’s good to note that this is the kind of product that you might only like if you really like skincare products. It’s not an obvious choice for someone who wants a cleanser that feels more traditional – with heavier lather and maybe a cucumber scent, you know what I mean?
And that’s interesting, because every other product from Rebrand is just the opposite – approachable, easy to use, and good for everyone.
Looking for something different? Here are several of the best plastic-free face wash options I’ve compared (bars, gels, oils, powders – there’s something for everyone).
Power Serum – Vitamin C and more
I love this stuff. This brightening serum has a thicker, gel-like consistency – it’s not thin and watery like many serums are. (But it doesn’t feel tacky, greasy or sticky either – not at all. It’s really the perfect consistency.)
And for anyone with sensitive skin, it’s definitely worth a look. (Just look at the reviews from other Rebrand customers – tons of them mention very sensitive skin that reacts angrily to other serums.)
It’s very lightweight (doesn’t get sweated off in summer), and absorbs quickly. To me, it doesn’t feel very moisturizing – it definitely isn’t the kind of serum that can replace my face cream. But that’s fine; it’s designed to deliver Vitamin C, fruit extracts including pomegranate enzymes and other active ingredients before being sealed in by a moisturizer.
I’ve been using this on half of my face and another brightening serum on the other half for about three weeks now, and I can actually see a difference in how much better the Rebrand side of my face looks – lightening of minor acne scars and hyperpigmentation, smoother, brighter skin and even tighter pores.
Here’s my before & after
(Same outdoor light at the same time, no makeup, no Photoshop.)
Plus, it’s really reasonably priced – the double refill costs less than a single bottle of most high-quality serums like this.
And don’t forget – you’ll save 15% off your first order with the discount code TILTEDMAP .
Day & Night Cream
This refillable moisturizer is a surprising crown-pleaser, although when I first opened it, I said it looked like and had the consistency of a jar of paste. (A reference I’m not even old enough to be able to make, technically?) It looks like Elmer’s white glue, but it definitely doesn’t feel like it.
After my first few days of use, I was convinced that it wouldn’t ever really rub in. But eventually, I realized a few things:
- I was using too much. A little goes a long way, and when it leaves a white film on my face, it’s because I’m over-doing it.
- It still does absorb after a few minutes, even when I use too much.
- No matter how much I apply, it doesn’t feel like a really heavy level of moisture. (Often, a serum and face cream are plenty for my skin, but I sometimes like using the face oil on top of this, too. More on that below.)
- It’s NEVER greasy. It’s great to put on under my sunscreen in the morning.
Thoughts from the Peanut Gallery
My mom though, who’s 75 and has always had very dry skin, really likes this one (rare) and didn’t have any complaints about absorption or hydration level. In fact, on the day I left her house on my most recent visit, she “borrowed” half of my jar and poured it into another container.
IF YOU’RE A LAZY DUDE LOOKING FOR SKINCARE, READ THIS:
My husband, meanwhile, had no strong feedback (“yeah, it’s good”) which is actually really good feedback, because when he doesn’t like the products I make him test, he gets very descriptive. (“I hate it. It’s like I’m putting plaster on my face,” was what I recently heard about another test product that I quite liked. So dramatic.)
It has no color or scent for him to hate either, and very genderless packaging.
He doesn’t necessarily use moisturizer unless I remind him, so we definitely can’t say he has dry skin. And yet he didn’t say it made his face greasy, which is pretty common feedback from him.
So is it possible that Rebrand has created a moisturizer that everyone likes? From mature, super-dry, face-cream-hungry skin, to lazy, low-maintenance man skin, and even me, in-between? I think it might be.
Super Oil – Organic Face Oil
I have tried so many face oils and not really liked any – until this one, which is a mix of 100% organic camellia, argan, jojoba and rosehip oils.
It’s thick, and initially feels dense and heavy on my skin. (But never greasy or sticky.)
The first time I used it over the Day & Night Cream, the face oil caused the cream to pill, like it was too much for my skin to absorb all at once. I just thought that next time, I would need to wait a minute or two after applying the cream.
But then a few minutes later (while lying in bed typing these words on my phone) I touched my face and realized that the pilled texture had disappeared and my face just felt really soft and well moisturized. I would almost say oily, but it wasn’t quite that. It was more of a rich, hydrated feeling.
(I do prefer to wait a bit after using this over the Rebrand moisturizer because I don’t love that pilling feeling. But even when I’m in a rush, I’ve now realized that the pilling goes away and everything absorbs after a minute.)
Since then, I’ve found this face oil to be a really nice treat on top of other skincare products at night, and a nice way to add a few drops of moisture during the day if my skin feels really dry. It definitely does not make me break out (as other face oils have).
I also love slathering it on before a flight to keep my skin feeling soft all the way through a travel day.
[Stay tuned for a blog post about what I pack to make long flights comfortable – coming soon! And check out my guide to plastic-free toiletries for travel.]
Dewy Balm – for Lips & More
This product was hard to put my finger on. A colorless, odorless, invisible lip or anywhere balm that at first feels like nothing. I kept rubbing more of it on to try to figure out what it was supposed to feel like, but eventually I realized it was just the lack of any stickiness, heaviness and flavor that are so hard to avoid in lip products.
The gloss level is not zero, but very subtle. (“Dewy” really is a better description than “glossy.”) But it does make my lips feel soft and moisturized. Sometimes I’ll swab a bit on my knuckles or even under my eyes when one of those spots is feeling dry. It’s a great little multipurpose hydrator to have in my bag.
As far as plastic-free lip balms options go, I’ve tested lots that come in cardboard tubes (even one with sunscreen!). I’ve used many of those for years and not had any of the issues that people always bring up when I show them – don’t the tubes just fall apart? No, they really don’t.
But if you do want something sturdier, this very slim glass dish with an aluminum lid is a great option that will stand up to abuse, and looks great. Or, just skip the heavy glass and buy the double-sized refill in 100% aluminum. (Which also costs 25% less.)
Either way, you’ll save 15% on your first order with the code TILTEDMAP .
Rebrand Skincare Refill Shop Locations
Right now, Rebrand Skincare is available in about 70 zero-waste shops in the US – almost all in California and on the East Coast. And they only ship to the US.
(The company is from the San Francisco Bay Area, and products are all made locally in San Jose, Hayward and Richmond. AKA, the SF Bay area.)
(Psst… Do you want to carry these products in your shop? Here’s where you can order Rebrand wholesale.)
There are no stockists in Canada or other countries yet – but I’ll update this if that changes. In the meantime, Dew Mighty is one of my favorite refillable skincare brands (see below) that does ship to Canada and most of the world. (The discount code TILTEDMAP works there, too.)
And if you’re in the UK, definitely check out SBTRCT, as I mention below. (Here’s my SBTRCT review and discount code. Long story short: They’re excellent.)
Refillable Skincare Alternatives
The only better way to do skincare refills is the solid skincare products from Dew Mighty (my ride-or-die for travel skincare) and SBTRCT (a small UK brand that I would absolutely use more of – if it were easier to get my hands on). Both make excellent, solid skincare products in beautifully designed, reusable packaging, and refills in plain paper that can be composted or recycled.
What makes solid skincare best?
Well, by virtue of being solid, they’re not shipping any water to you. It’s a slight advantage for sustainability – but really both options are so much better than “skincare as usual” that switching to any of the above would make a big impact. Choose the one that sounds like it’ll work best for you, long-term.
[Check out my SBTRCT review and details on Dew Mighty here.]
Activist Skincare (another small California skincare company) does something similar, with refill packets that are extremely lightweight. (Yes, they’re made of plastic, but they use impressively little of it. For details on the impact, here’s my Activist Skincare review.)
Rebrand’s packaging system is definitely better than Earth Harbor’s refill system (ordering new glass bottles but reusing the dropper lids). But Earth Harbor makes a huge range of products. So if neither Rebrand nor the brands above have the active ingredients you want, definitely check out my Earth Harbor review (coming soon) to see if they have what you’re looking for. They still offer more sustainable packaging than the majority of skincare products.
If you try Rebrand, use the discount code TILTEDMAP for 15% off your first order.
[And see my master list of discount codes for savings on all of these, and many more sustainable brands!]
