Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Inspiration

Skincare fridges: Necessary beauty storage or a waste of space and money?

Kelly Kaliszewski
By

Skincare is a serious game. There are tons of skincare products out there, and it can be challenging to find the winning combo for your skin type. It can also be expensive — skincare products are one of the pricier self-care categories. Once you figure out what works for you, you definitely want to make those products last and get your money’s worth.

Part of making your makeup and skincare products last is organization and storing things properly. If you’re tackling the task of decluttering makeup and you’ve heard about keeping skincare products in a mini fridge, we have the info you need. We’re here to sort out whether or not you need to store beauty products in the fridge, which ones you should (and shouldn’t) store in the refrigerator, and the dos and don’ts of fridge storage for makeup. If you’re wondering whether you should buy that adorable makeup mini fridge or not, keep reading.

Various skincare products.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Do beauty products need to be stored in the fridge?

The short answer is no. Before a beauty product is put on the market, it goes through stability tests to ensure that it remains stable at room temperature. The products are also tested to ensure they won’t lose their quality and efficacy once opened.

There are, however, exceptions to this rule:

  • Some prescribed medicated creams and serums require refrigeration. So if you get a specific cream from your dermatologist, and they tell you to keep it in the fridge, you must do so.
  • There are also natural or organic products that may benefit from refrigeration. Still, they don’t need to be refrigerated like prescriptions — it will just make them last longer, which is a good thing if you spend a lot of money on these products.
Recommended Videos

So ultimately, whether or not your makeup and skincare products need to be refrigerated or not comes down to what kind of products you have.

Woman with towel on head and skin cream on face.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The dos and don’ts of fridge storage

When it comes to refrigerating beauty products, it’s essential to know the ingredients you’re dealing with.

  • As a general rule, products that contain only oils or butter and products that contain water but not preservatives should be refrigerated. This doesn’t mean these items will go bad if you don’t refrigerate them, but refrigerating them will extend their shelf-life.
  • If you choose to store products in the fridge, be sure to check them every month or so to ensure they aren’t growing mold or bacteria. You should also be aware that any product you refrigerate may change texture or consistency and, therefore, be more challenging to apply.
  • For masks and eye creams, it can be extra refreshing if you apply them cooled. The cooling effect can help constrict blood vessels and thus, reduce inflammation. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to store these products in the fridge.
  • On the other hand, makeup should not be stored in the refrigerator and is best at room temperature. But, if you have lipstick that has melted in your purse or car, throwing it in the fridge for a bit will solidify it again. This is also a brilliant hack for eye pencils — ten minutes in the fridge before sharpening, and you will have a sharp tip in no time.
  • Fragrances and nail polish are best at room temperature and should not be refrigerated.
  • If you’re storing skincare products in the same fridge that you store food in, designate a drawer or shelf for the products so there is no chance of cross-contamination.

Various skincare products.

So do you need a fridge for skincare products or not?

First of all, skincare fridges are adorable, and they are also super trendy right now. Both of these facts make it hard to resist dropping $40 – $100 on one. However, if you don’t have a bunch of prescription or organic skincare products, you don’t really need one.

Related

There are some refreshing reasons to apply chilled face masks or sprays, and most people love a cooled jade roller to the face when it’s hot out, or you’ve had a long night and look puffy. So, having cooled products for your face is sometimes necessary but often just a personal preference. Regardless of the reason, do it if you want to buy a mini fridge for your skincare products. At the very least, it will help you with decluttering your existing makeup storage.

Mini fridge with skincare products inside.

If you have tons of skincare products and makeup, you may need additional storage to declutter, and a mini fridge is perfect for just that. Though most people don’t have an absolute need for a refrigerator dedicated solely to skincare products, they can be nice to have. Some products when cooled feel better on your skin, while others will end up lasting longer if they are chilled. Whether you need one or want one, skincare fridges are useful, trendy, and super cute.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Kelly Kaliszewski
Kelly Kaliszewski
Contributor
Kelly's work has appeared in blogs and on websites. When she's not writing, she is playing with her two dogs, cooking, or…
5 easy ways to spruce up your living room for spring
The sun is shining and the birds are chirping. Here's how to bring that energy into your living room
Living room with warm yellow curtains

Spring is here, and we couldn't be more excited! This means temperatures starting to warm, birds chirping, flowers beginning to bloom, and spring cleaning. There are so many ways to introduce spring into your home, and — as a place where family and friends gather to watch movies, play games, and relax after a long day — the living room is the perfect place to start.

If you're thinking about updating your living room this spring, you may want to start by decluttering. It can help give you a sense of what to keep, donate, or throw away, and will help you see the space more clearly.

Read more
9 small apartment storage ideas that will make your home feel super expansive
Get creative with these storage space ideas
Underbed storage drawers

Apartment living has plenty of advantages, but when it comes to storage, your small space can lack in that department. When you’ve decorated every corner and you have limited square footage, where do you stash all of your clutter? You need strategic small apartment storage ideas that work for you, not against you; luckily, that's what we're here for.

If you’re looking for ways to maximize storage in a small apartment, you’ll need to get creative in each room. From taking your storage vertical to choosing pieces of furniture that multitask and adding shelving that can transform the room, here are nine genius ways to make the most of your storage solutions.
1. Transform your entryway

Read more
9 ingenious storage tricks for small bedrooms with no closets for anyone running out of storage space
Storage ideas to free up space in your bedrooms with no closets
Woman storing folded clothes

Bedrooms are not just places to sleep, even though that's their main intention. Bedrooms also store clothes, shoes, and other personal items that you don't keep in other rooms of your home. But what if you have a small bedroom without a closet? Where should all the stuff go without having a cluttered and disorganized room?

A cluttered room can cause unnecessary stress and an overall sense of discomfort, which is the last feeling you want from where you're supposed to rest. If you have small bedrooms with no closets in your home, don’t worry. We have nine brilliant storage ideas that are also stylish so you can declutter and relax.

Read more