Should You Be Refrigerating Your Beauty Products?

There’s seemingly no end to the number of beauty products and tools we’ve convinced ourselves we can’t live without. Our bathroom cabinets, drawers, and makeup bags are packed with all the items we need to look our absolute very best. Now, that might just include a mini refrigerator. Yes, we said refrigerator.

The #beautyfridge has been a growing trend for a little while now and we’re starting to feel like we are missing out by storing our products at room temperature. Just scroll through Instagram and have a look at all the adorable mini fridges packed with product and you’ll see what we mean. But the question remains: is refrigerating beauty products really necessary?

In short, the answer is a solid, “it depends.” Certain products can definitely benefit (aka: last longer) from being refrigerated. Natural products that don’t have chemical preservatives do well when they’re kept cool, as do products with retinol or vitamin C (they’re more sensitive to heat and light). Nail polishes last longer (without clumping or separating) and perfumes actually retain their scent longer when they’re stored cold.

And, as dermatologist Dr. Jessica Wu told Racked last year, “Water-based toners and mists also take to the fridge…keeping them cool in the refrigerator can also help cool down the skin and relieve inflammation, rosacea, or itching.” Eye creams kept in the fridge can potentially help reduce puffiness even more, since the cold helps constrict blood flow. Think about it: when you’ve got an injury, you use an ice pack to relieve swelling. Same concept. Ish.

Creams and oils, however, do better when stored at room temperature. The cold can actually have the opposite effect on these products, causing them to thicken or harden (no, thanks). So if you do end up snagging a beauty fridge for yourself, be mindful of what you put in it. You know, same as the one in the kitchen.

Would you invest in a beauty fridge? Show us yours on Instagram @lulus using #lovelulus!

xo