Refills are one of the cornerstones of a circular beauty economy. But in an industry driven by newness and brand-agnostic approaches posing a challenge to brand loyalty, what are the realities of the format? While great in theory, unbought refills are ultimately contributing more waste while putting a strain on brand budgets. However, continuing with the current packaging model with its vast amounts of waste is also not sustainable.According to Spate’s Popularity Index (which combines data from Google Search and TikTok) across all industries, the refill trend declined by 37.3% compared to last year. When it came to online searches, the term grew by 11.1% but declined by 50.6% on TikTok. This data is for refills overall, not the beauty industry specifically. However, the data still indicates conflicting areas of adoption.BeautyMatter spoke to brand founders, retailers, and packaging suppliers to discover the challenges and potential of the format.Brand LoyaltyRefill pouches or value-sized containers to fill up smaller containers offer a discounted option on best-selling SKUs for loyal customers. Tata Harper, an EcoCert-certified brand that launched with sustainability-led packaging like glass bottles and minimal plastic from the onset, has over 60% of its customers only buying refills, its founder tells BeautyMatter. “In an industry often driven by the desire for newness, the success of refills is a refreshing shift towards sustainability and long-term value.”In 2020, for its 10-year anniversary, the brand launched its first refillable product with the Water Lock Moisturizer. Refill pods are also available for its Restorative Eye Crème and Illuminating Eye Crème.