If your social media algorithms have picked up on your interest in skin care and beauty products, you’re probably familiar with the trend of skin care fridges. They’re tiny countertop refrigerators that are specifically designed for skin care products, keeping your staples cool and refreshing. But is this one of those trends that’s just a fad or is there actually a reason behind it? Should you be refrigerating your skin care products?
Why Have Skin Care Fridges Become Popular
Skin care fridges have hit the beauty influencer scene pretty hard. It seems like every big name in the aesthetics arena has them. And I can’t deny that they’re adorable, designed to look like tiny refrigerators that come in every color of the rainbow so they can complement your bathroom look. Proponents of them say that they make your skin care products feel more refreshing to use and that they help ingredients stay fresh longer, allowing your skin care products to last longer at their peak effectiveness. But does the science agree?
The Short Answer: Should You Refrigerate Your Skin Care Products?
The short answer is no, it’s not necessarily better to refrigerate your skin care products. Evidence doesn’t support the idea that it will make skin care products last longer, although it probably won’t make them break down faster either. It might make you enjoy some of your skin care products more, particularly products that you want to be cool and refreshing like a soothing face mask, but the short answer is that if you’re not refrigerating your skin care products, you’re not making your products degrade any faster.
Do Skin Care Products Last Longer When Refrigerated?
Skin care products are extraordinarily varied with a wide range of ingredients, but typically no, refrigeration doesn’t make products or their ingredients last longer or maintain their effectiveness better. In fact, skin care products are tested heavily to find out their shelf life and it’s based on room temperature storage, so your products are specifically formulated to be stored at room temperature.
Does Refrigeration Hurt Your Skin Care Products?
If you did equip your bathroom with a skin care fridge, or if you want to get one, the good news is that it probably won’t hurt your skin care products, it just won’t help them either. Refrigeration might change the consistency a bit, which might make it more difficult to use, but it won’t make the ingredients less effective in most cases. Still, it’s generally better to follow the instructions on the packaging, which usually recommend storing your products between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
There are some exceptions, though. Particularly, oils don’t do well in colder temperatures, so avoid putting any facial oils, oil-based moisturizers, or other oil-based products in your skin care fridge. You also shouldn’t refrigerate products made with clay, like a clay mask.
Which Skin Care Products Should You Refrigerate?
Skin care products don’t typically need refrigeration, but there are certain products that you might enjoy better if they’re refrigerated. For example, there are some cooling masks and other cooling products that are designed to work by refrigerating them first. You might also enjoy refrigerating products that you’re using to calm inflammation or irritation, because they can be soothing and refreshing when they’re cool.
You might also enjoy that cooling effect with:
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Aloe vera
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Facial mists
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Facial rollers
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Gua sha tools
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Toners
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Under-eye masks
Keep in mind, though, that it’s just a matter of personal preference and enjoyment. The refrigeration won’t keep the products fresh for longer.
Side Note: Avoid the Heat Too
We’ve been focusing on whether you need to cool your skin care products, but I think it’s worth mentioning that, even though cooler isn’t necessarily better for skin care, you do need to keep your products out of the heat too. Unless the packaging directs you otherwise, you should store skin care products at room temperature between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. You should also keep them out of direct sunlight, because the sun’s warmth can overheat them and break down their ingredients faster.
Managing Your Skin Care Products to Their Full Potential
The good news is that overall, skin care products are pretty low-maintenance. Avoid extreme temperatures and you’re pretty well set. But it’s always a good idea to read the packaging when you get a new product and make sure you look for any specific care instructions. Pay special attention to the expiration as well, which will have a picture of a little open container and then a number of months, written like “12M” for 12 months or “18M” for 18 months.
Beyond that, though, your skin care products will generally live happily on your bathroom shelf or in your bathroom drawers, no fridge required.
