This place is SO COOL. - Sulforaphane jars for broccoli sprouts? - Amber glass to protect foods and lotions from sunlight UV damage? - Beeswax wraps to use instead of microplastic-creating saran wrap? - Rose body butter? - The only place I've ever seen to carry chaga mushroom powder in bulk? - Beautiful glass in all sizes and designed for all functions? - natural loofas and face sponges to use instead of plastic foundation blenders? - mouthwash tablets? - travel size (AKA cute size)? - eucalyptus oil for your very own personal home spa? - linen sandwich bags? (omg) YESSSSSSS. Every city I go to, I visit their zero waste stores - largely because they stock the best new organic cosmetics entering any global market. And yet, even after traveling, the most elite sustainability options can all be found here at home in the Bay. Honestly this might be one of the most chic and comprehensive zero waste stores in the world. Top 3 at least! read more

Re-Up Refill Shop - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Oakland, California

Absolutely LOVE the idea of this store and was excited to start shopping here. It offers many basics including food and non-food items. I did buy some liquid hand soap that smells really good! My issue is with the prices. You would think that buying essentially "bulk" product without containers would be cheaper, but no. My hand soap refill cost more than the original soap I had bought in the dispenser. Even still, I later wanted to go back to refill my laundry detergent to avoid buying another giant plastic tub, but, come to find out it costs over 3x more (!!) than just repurchasing the tub. I feel I could justify a small price increase to help the environment and support a small business, but I just can't justify paying 300%. Really sad because I really want to support zero waste, but, life is already so expensive. If they could find a way to lower prices, I'd become a regular. read more

This store sells a good selection of toiletry (shampoo, soaps), kitchen (cooking oils) and household cleaning needs by the ounce, for you to refill your reusable containers. There's also a small selection of dry goods like grains and beans for the pantry too. Definitely check this place out and support local businesses like this that are doing their part to provide refills for household needs, to help the environment and help us eliminate container waste by reusing those containers. Business hours are Weekdays 11am to 7pm, Weekends 11am to 6pm. read more

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Always come here for my eggs and bronners. The staff is so knowledgeable and helpful--love to live somewhere that has such a great resource like this! Makes sustainability so much easier read more

I've supported Re-up since they were in West Oakland, operating out of a shipping container. I'm am completely behind the idea of zero-waste goods--way too much plastic in the waste stream! But yesterday, we filled up our 3-qt laundry soap bottle, and our small oxygen bleach powder. WITH our discount for the size of the soap, total was well over $50. Can't do this anymore. It sucks that zero waste is for the wealthy. read more

Re-Up Refill Shop - 100 oz laundry soap, 3.5 lb Oxy - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Oakland, California

I'm so happy a refill store like Re-Up exists in the neighborhood! As someone who cares deeply about the environment, it's important to me to reduce single-use plastic and packaging waste and this store makes it so much easier to live out those values. I regularly stock up on herbs, spices, and cooking oils here, and every visit leaves me feeling inspired to do more. I've even made small but meaningful changes, like switching to tablet mouthwash -- something I might not have considered if I hadn't discovered it at Re-Up! If more of us shopped this way, just imagine how much plastic we could keep out of the environment! Please come here to shop! I want this store to exist forever! read more

I finally took the plunge and converted to refilling my everyday liquids like body wash, shampoo, laundry detergent and hand soap. The store is so clean and inviting. The owner is so kind and hospitable . I went in with my whole family and they are totally converts. Looking forward to reducing my carbon footprint and buying less from Amazon for years to come. read more

Re-Up Refill Shop - Finally made it in! - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Oakland, California

Love at first shop! I've been going to rainbow in SF for years, and figured i'll check out this zero waste store when I was in the east bay. They're like a 10th the size of rainbow but have some great stuff. I was delighted to find blueland products here (they're the first pilot shop for them) buyable loose. Toilet tabs, dishwasher tabs, compostable sonicare brush heads from ME mother earth as well! I was skeptical of toothpaste tabs they carried, which in the past I've found to be ineffective, but the purple mint ones they had smelled very fresh so I snagged a few, and they turned out to be refreshing and did the job well! Kombucha and iced coffee on tap too, crossing my fingers for them to open up shop in SF at some point! read more

Well-stocked and fairly affordable (5/5 Green Stars) The Re-Up Refill Shop, based in Oakland, California, offers zero-waste solutions for most of the stuff that you might need for your home. It opened in April 2020, just as the Covid lockdown began, so it escaped my notice at first. (Also, it initially opened in West Oakland and then later moved to Rockridge, a neighborhood closer to me.) I'm sure the timing was tough on business but things seem to be to taking off now that the students are back in town. It may be just my echo chamber speaking but I think there are at least a few people who are sick of all the packaging waste that was generated during lockdown. Perhaps the pendulum will swing the other way now... It's frustrating to see stores that focus on ethical goods (minimal waste, vegan food, fair trade items) open up and then eventually close down. I think a good part of it is that we develop habits of shopping in larger stores that eventually become locked in. Well, hopefully the end of lockdown will help us unlock that habit and create new ones The other issue is that many of the items at these stores simply cost more than we are willing to pay. I found that most of the things I bought at the Re-Up Refill Shop were reasonably priced, with some exceptions. I think it's worth considering that good low-waste stores like Re-Up don't just stock bulk items, they select items that meet certain ethical criteria. I'm giving the Re-up Refill shop 5 out of 5 Green Stars for social and environmental impact. Here's a list of Re-Up's own set of standards: We prioritize local We prioritize circular (our vendors take back their containers, washing and reusing them) We prioritize minority-owned businesses We prioritize b corps & businesses invested in their workers and community We prioritize package free & plastic free We prioritize high quality products that work well We always choose non-toxic for all our cleaning products and certified organic for all our food products. The Re-Up Refills website provides a short profile on many of the brands that are stocked in the store. For example, here's the description of Sappo Hill Soap: Sappo Hill remains true to their old fashioned master soapmaking values, using cold-process methods to make plant-based castile soaps. Sappo Hill's Soap is all natural, animal free, cruelty-free, and uses only organic ingredients. Each soap is hand-crafted, wire-cut, air-dried, and aged to create a long-lasting hardworking soap; kettle made and cut by hand daily in Ashland, Oregon. The Re-Up Refills founders have worked in waste reduction projects for more than a decade, including ecological farms and an eco-hauling company. read more

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The main goal today was to refill my Dr Bronner's peppermint soaps and break the ice into bulk shopping. Only one out of the 10 friends I talked to had ever done it before. Most had some inkling of what it was but some had never heard of the concept. This shop opened on College Avenue near me a while ago, but it wasn't until I saw Dr. Bronner on their newsletter that it was time for me to pay a visit. I got there right around opening time at 11 AM on a Sunday and there were already quite a few people mulling about filling their bottles. A dad was teaching his two sons of how to refill items and save the environment. I had popped in Friday just to get a lay of the land, and nobody was there at closing besides the worker. She gave me a list of all the items that they offered and told me I can bring my empty containers to weigh, refill, and then they would charge just for the amount that was filled. You can even bring a container that is not totally empty to refill. That's what the weight machine is for! At the weighing machine, there are instructions, and you can write the initial weight on the container itself or on a little piece of tape that they offer or write it down on your phone to save on supplies. It is all a little overwhelming, confusing and intimidating when you first walk in and have no clue what's going on. Luckily, there are many instructions but also the easiest is just to ask! They are happy to help you especially if it's your first time. You might want to choose one of the quieter times if you need a lot of help as Sunday morning there was only one cashier and he was quite busy. He was flipping between the two registers so that everybody could be processed quickly. I refilled my two Dr. Bronner's containers and also got a jar of sauerkraut and sheep yogurt from the refrigerator. These come prepackaged and you pay a deposit for the jars that can be returned and get your money back later. I was thinking of getting the facial cleanser as well but I didn't have the right container and I didn't want to buy their pre-bottled one. If you don't have containers with you, you can also buy containers from them. There are all kinds of things that you can refill and purchase from coffee to eggs to bath products to cooking oil to nuts to toilet paper. They have a coffee grinding machine and a nut butter grinder. It is a credit card only situation, especially after the rampant break-ins around the Oakland area. Their glass door was still broken from the last break in. You can ask for a loyalty card and they will stamp it every time you visit and check out for a free bar of soap after 5 visits and a discount after 10 visits. There are shopping baskets which you can put in carts if you don't want to carry your items while you are browsing. I usually do not shop in person thanks to the convenience of online shopping but this location is walkable for me and I love the concept of bulk shopping and saving on packaging. That is my number one pet peeve about online shopping - so much plastic and paper waste. The price was about the same as buying Dr. Bronner online for delivery and I got a 10% additional discount for bulk refilling 51 ounces. I'm not sure where the bulk refund kicks in. 50 ounces? I am on re-up's mailing list and follow their social media, where they also announce when they have demonstrations from different vendors at their location. They REALLY need to do a lot of education for the public judging from just my small sampling of a friends that I asked about their knowledge of refill shopping! Their space is clean and well organized, but packed with items so it could take you sometime to look at everything. If you can't find something you need, just ask, it'll be quicker! Good first experience and I look forward to returning when I'm getting low on products! read more

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Love the concept of this store! It's exactly what I've been looking for. A lot of places have items in bulk, but Re-Up goes the extra mile- they have containers and encourage you to bring in plastic vessels you already have to fill up in. Lots of neat stuff inside. It's def a lot to process at first and it took a few visits before I found my groove. They offer a full checklist or double check their website. I've tried the bar soaps, deodorant and toothpaste. I've reupped on peanut butter, popcorn, granola, olive oil, tea, hand soap and detergent. Process for bringing your own containers is weighing it in store and then writing the weight on tape. Refill and workers will weigh and subtract out the tare weight at checkout. They have a lot of different products and I appreciate that they source locally. I've also found some nice gifts here. Excited to be using less plastic in my life! I do wish they had a loyalty program. Pro tip: sign up for their mailing list and get 10% off your first order! read more

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I felt like a kid in a candy store! I'm on a journey to cut out the big plastics in our household, soaps and detergents being the biggest culprits. Re-Up has everything you'll need to make a gentle conversion to a life of re-use and re-fill. We decided to try the kitchen dishsoap bar, which is a pretty big departure from liquid soap. I'm excited to try it! I've heard bar soaps last so much longer (and it says a little goes a long way, so I'm looking forward to some fun gooey soap during the next dishwashing cycle). Also couldn't help it, but bought some olive oil because it comes from a local farm and I love fresh olive oil. Its a very well organized store and they use their space wisely. Lots to explore, lots to think about and reconsider when you're there. Go! Have fun! Explore! read more

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Re-Up Refill shop has settled into its new location on College Ave. It's spacious, clean, and feels good to be in! I can't speak to their last location because I never visited, but this one was already popular with customers during the hour or so that I wandered around and filled up my jars. They have services where you can order online and pick up, free bike delivery, or DIY fill in the shop - here's how I did it (DIY): -I brought an assortment of clean jars from home (formerly Panera salad dressing, spaghetti sauce, cold brew) -weighed my jars at one of two weigh stations and marked their empty weight with tape (so they can subtract it and charge you accurately for the amount of product you purchase) -filled my jars with products of choice. -I bought a couple products pre-filled in their pretty amber jars because I didn't want to deal with the mess of filling certain products - olive oil and honey. Plus they have pour spouts that you can purchase for the olive oil jar for just a couple dollars. So easy! -you can use their jars and containers and pay the deposit, bring back to refill or return for your deposit, I believe (I was planning on keeping them to refill) Everything is very thought out and thorough here. Clean rags for refill messes, dirty rag bins, hand sanitizer everywhere, clean funnels to use, ingredients listed on the items amongst other facts (I.e. "women-owned" or "biodegradable"). They even have a clipboard for suggestions of products the community would like. I would love to eventually see a sample process where we can sample, try, or smell products before filling a jar. Also a rewards membership or point system for return customers as an incentive to keep coming back and refilling. read more

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No more one-use plastic!!!! Fantastic!!! Thank you Re-Up Refill Shop! Simply bring your own containers and weigh them before filling them up. read more

My son and I love coming here to refill our honey jar. Great selection, friendly and helpful staff, and the store is always clean. read more

Re-Up Refill Shop - Local honey on tap. - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Oakland, California

I wanted to give a shout-out to Re-Up's bulk food section. Over time, I have noticed that their bulk foods are consistently outstanding. For example, the raisins are just right, not too sweet. The consistency of the coconut sugar is top-notch. The English breakfast tea is the best I've tasted this side of the Atlantic. The oat groats are bright and tasty. The jelly beans are fruity and extra special. Re-Up is now my go-to bulk foods store. Someone there is an amazing curator of bulk foods, long may they live. read more

I love this shop for the quality and quantity of items they sell, but what I really appreciate is the attention they've given to solving the common problems that people have re-filling elsewhere. For example: Problem: Re-filling containers can get messy Solution: Re-up has funnels, and stations with rags in case you spill (and bins for used rags). Problem: Waiting to have an employee weigh your containers is tedious and time-consuming. Going through complicated systems of weighing, entering codes, and printing labels is a nightmare (looking at you, Food Mill) Solution: There are two weighing stations where you can quickly weigh and label your containers, with a variety of writing tools and tape, if needed. If you use one of their containers, they already know what it weighs!) Problem: Sometimes, despite many years of collecting way too many jars and bottles, you still don't have the one you need for a particular item. Solution: Re-up stocks a variety of containers in different sizes. And paper bags, if you must- but seriously, just buy some cloth bags. Problem: Items like shampoo, conditioner, lotion can take forever to pump into a bottle. Solution: They keep these items on a heater so that they flow more easily. And some items like dish soap have electric pumps! Problem: Stores like Berkeley Bowl only stock their bulk bins with conventional items, and put all their organics in plastic bags. Solution: Everything at Re-up is as organic as possible. Problem: It can be really overwhelming to come into a store like this for the first time, especially if you're not used to refilling. Solution: The employees are extremely supportive. Every time I'm there I overhear them gently easing new folks into the process of shopping there. They're always ready to help you find something, or solve a problem. I'm hoping that some day they move into a bigger space so they can stock even more items! read more

My babies and I come here at least twice a month whenever my husband has open houses in the area. Super thankful for a business like this that helps me do my part to reduce my waste and toxic exposure. The employees are always friendly and the business practices fair customer practices. For instance, we live in Antioch so when we come to the area, we bring what we have to be refilled regardless of if it's empty or not. They have scales for you to measure your items and they'll deduct that from what you refill which is super convenient. We get everything from toothpaste, kids bubble bath, laundry detergent, dish soap, mouthwash, hand soap, peanut butter, spices, polenta, and more. Love this place and super grateful for it. read more

A great shop that has changed how I manage home supplies. Getting started is easy, takes a little upfront effort to figure out a system for your needs... but after that, it's as easy as keeping a list of items you refill and checking them once a month or so. I've bought large containers for things like laundry soap and the like, and really only re-up twice a year or so. Other things like the dish soap bar have changed how I do dishes (for the better in many ways). Once you have your system, it's minimal effort and I've noticeably cut down on recycling to mostly just food packaging. Now I need to re-examine my system since I read below that you get a discount above 50oz. read more

A neighbor told me about this place and I finally had the time to stop by. I don't need a lot of spices which would go bad quickly. By coming here I can purchase spices based on how much I need without waste! I can even reuse my precious containers! I will have to wait until my cleaning products run out so I get some here. read more

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Great place. Easy to use refill store. I always find new things to try so I bring extra bottles. Great quality for everything I have purchased. read more

Re-up is the best. Their selection of food and household goods allows you to reduce waste (especially plastics) without compromise. In fact, the quality of products is even higher than what I was getting before. Although all the products are great, my absolute favorite is the fresh ground peanut and almond butter. It's hard to go back to typical store bought nut butter once you've had nut butter which was fresh ground that same day from high quality peanuts and almonds. The staff is friendly and helpful, the shop is clean and the music playing in the shop always seems to be just what I want to hear. I always look forwards to my trips to re-up and using/eating what I buy there. read more

I got some olive oil and I had to buy the bottle the first time as I'm sure everyone does. It's a bit of a scam, this whole no waste thing because every first time shopper buys a bottle. The oil was really good, so the next time I was in the area getting my hair cut, I made a point to refill the bottle. But guess what? Closed, not open until 11 am. You know what shops don't open until 11 am? Stores that don't care about its customers or about going out of business. So now I have to go back to Trader Joes and buy substandard olive oil and throw the bottle away. So much for zero waste. A message to the owners: if you're not going to open until 11 am, don't cry about going out of business when it inevitably happens. This is what happens when businesses are run by hippies and millenials. read more

The store is very nice, well-stocked and clean, and I love the idea of reducing plastic waste. That said, I wish reducing plastic waste didn't have to be so expensive. I was at the shop recently at bought clover honey and almond oil in my own reusable, medium-sized containers, as well as a hair conditioner bar. Three items for $45!?! This has been a theme in every reuse store I have visited and I hope in the future that they become places that more than just the privileged can shop at. read more

I love this store! It's fantastic to have a place where you can re-use and re-fill your old containers. I'm buying all my cooking oil, laundry detergent, dish liquid, shampoo and conditioner there. They also have a section for bulk food items like flour, etc. I hope they expand so I can stop buying plastic altogether. I highly recommend a visit! read more

I love Re-Up Refill Shop! The selection is fantastic and prices are comparable to a chain grocery store. I've bought everything from yummy yogurt dipped pretzels to laundry detergent sheets to glass cleaner to maple syrup to toothpaste tabs. The staff are really helpful and friendly. I love the mission and that I get to put some of our empty jars to use and reduce my plastic waste. Highly recommend checking this place out! read more

First trip was 5 stars. I told the person working it was my 1st time which made me anxious and she was so nice and so helpful. 2nd time was a little busier (1st time I was briefly the only person in the store). 2nd time someone pretty rudely explained to me why they didn't carry mustard. I wasn't rude. No need for the abrasivesness. Sorry if you were having a stressful day but I guess I won't go on a Friday again if that person will be working. read more

This feedback is purely about the staff. I was there earlier today for the first time and was standing at the counter waiting to pay and was blatantly ignored by the two staff members who were at the counter. One was eating and seemed distracted by something else, looking over my head. The other staff member only proceeded to help me after he realized that I was still standing in front of him. Neither of them were friendly in the slightest and I left feeling unwelcome. The store itself is lovely - well organized and well stocked. As a new customer though, I hesitate to come back. I hope store leadership are able to take this feedback into account because it would be a shame to have customers turned off due to the bad attitudes of their staff members. read more

Really nicely organized store with great options for low and zero waste living. Prices are reasonable and the staff is knowledgeable and approachable. read more

This store will refill containers for most of the products you use so you don't have to throw them away! Hand, laundry or dish soap. Shampoo, conditioner, oils, bulk foods and many more items. Some of the items are concentrated like the laundry soap, a little goes a long way. Think about the amount of plastic pollution that you could prevent. You just weigh your containers, weigh again after refill and pay for the difference. read more

Re-Up Refill Shop - Hours, phone and address - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Oakland, California

I only wish I knew about them sooner! I started refilling when they were in west Oakland and have been a loyal customer ever since. The concept is brilliant, environmental and economical. Re-Up makes refilling necessities really easy and has a great variety of eco-conscious items for kitchen, bath, laundry, hygiene, eating and drinking. For those who think it's pricy, and I don't, think about this: consumers spend a large portion of purchases on packaging, then throw it away. It's a waste of money and environmental resources. I, personally, could care less what brand of laundry detergent I use as long as it cleans well and is safe for the environment; and that goes for my dish soap, olive oil, honey, and more! Like others, I've had to find my groove but I now have a basket I keep at home with mason jars and a list. I go about once month (from Alameda) to stock up and take my empty and partially full jars to fill. The store is really appealing - bright, well organized, and the owners seem very intentional about what they sell. Everything is sourced locally, which reduces greenhouse gases and supports local businesses. Wish there were more Re-Ups out there. read more

First time going today, and 100% will be going back. On similar journey with others here to be cognizant of unnecessary single-use plastics and packaging. Heading into this store will make it much easier for you. I'm also a quite thrifty and the food items I purchased are very similarly priced to how much you'd pay in Safeway for pre-packaged goods. read more

Re-up has saved me so much in time, money and not being as wasteful. Their new location is great because now I get the satisfaction of refilling my own containers. The products they carry are top notch and have not disappointed! read more

Love this place. Great layout, never too crowded. Shopping here is a wonderful way of cutting down on packaging. Bulk dry foods, liquids, oils, cleaning supplies and much, much more. Highly recommended! read more

So glad to have this store in the neighborhood -- it makes it so easy to avoid generating more disposable waste. I haven't bought a new container of shampoo or conditioner for years now and regularly stop by to refill pantry items. Plus their selection is so good I frequently leave with one more thing than I came in for! read more

This place is the best! They have EVERYTHING I would want to refill- from household supplies, beauty supplies, cooking oils, loose leaf teas, granola, trail mix, grains, legumes, dried fruit, candy... and you can see the list of all their offerings on their website. Super easy to refill your own containers and be part of the solution to single-use plastic. Also, all their products are organic and I believe I save money by going here instead of the grocery store! You gotta check it out! read more

Great, reliable place to get household staples with a good variety of options in each category. Very easy and intuitive system, never too crowded. read more

excellent selection, spacious storefront, fresh whole dairy goods, and even kombucha on tap!

Great place! I use their 64 oz jugs and jars to fill up on olive oil, sunflower oil, laundry powder, dish powder, liquid dish concentrate, and lots of other odds and ends. There's a 10% discount on items over 50oz, which is easy to do on the regularly used items. Love their shampoo, conditioner, soap bars, maple syrup, honey. They've got all the fixings you need too- pour spouts, funnels, rags to clean up any spills. Very kind and helpful staff, and always some friendly helpful fellow customers too. Don't be shy, come on in and try something new! read more

Prices are a bit higher but I am happy to support them for providing a great service. I do what I can to reduce packaging. Happy they moved to College Ave! read more