Necessity Or Luxury? What Is A Skin Care Fridge And How Is It Used?

You may have noticed an abundance of pastel-hued, miniature fridges appearing across your Instagram, Pinterest, or magazine pages. Take a peek inside and they’re crammed with all sorts of luscious beauty products. But, is a skin care fridge necessary – or is it just a rather cute indulgence? 

Why Everyone Is Obsessed With Beauty Fridges’ For Skin-Care Products

There’s no denying that at the very least, skin care fridges are an adorable designer  accent for any bathroom or bedroom. 

They also serve a purpose, giving you somewhere to store your favorite beauty products. If you’ve ever tried to cram all your skincare products into a tiny bathroom cabinet, you’ll certainly understand. Plus, during the summer months, there’s nothing worse than melty lipstick and eyeliner.

A skincare fridge also won’t break the bank, with a variety of price points, some as low as $40.¹ But are they truly an essential for the beauty enthusiast? Or are they just a gimmick on social media beauty accounts?

Do You Really Need A Beauty Fridge? 

As enchanting as these wee beauty fridges are, most experts agree that they’re delightful but not essential items.

As it turns out, colder temperatures really don’t make the vast majority of makeup and skincare products more effective. When products are invented, they need to go through rigorous testing to show that they’re stable at room temperature. So, it’s a rare product that must be kept in the refrigerator. Those rare products tend to be things like prescription creams which are medications – not beauty products.²

The exception to this appears to be some newer products that claim to be natural and which have gone against using preservatives. This means they’re not stable products and can oxidize and spoil quickly in a warm room.³

But across the board, most products that people have in their homes require a cool place out of direct sunlight, but not refrigeration.

Everything You Need To Know About Beauty Fridges

Now, if you’ve already had your heart stolen by a gorgeous little beauty fridge, certain products will definitely enjoy the cool environment. 

Let’s take a look.

What Skincare To Keep In The Fridge?

Though the following products don’t need to be kept in a fridge, they certainly don’t mind the cold.

• Eye Creams and Gels

When you put cold cucumber slices on your eyelids to help reduce puffiness, it’s actually the cold that’s doing the work. The cold constricts blood vessels, which turns may help with swelling.⁴

So, cold eye creams and gels formulated to reduce puffiness can provide double duty if they’re also chilled in the fridge. 

• Korean-style Face Masks
  

Many people already keep Korean-style face masks in the fridge because they love the feel of the cool gel against their skin. This can also help to calm skin, like a cucumber can. So, a designated skincare fridge may save you from having to stash your favorite masks between the eggs and the cold cuts.
A chilled mask also feels great if you get a little too much sun exposure.

•  Vitamin C Serums 

Specific ingredients are more prone to the oxidation process and need a cool, dark place to extend their shelf life. Vitamin C is one of them.⁵ So, it doesn’t hurt to keep your vitamin C serum in the fridge – in fact, it’s a good idea. 

• Specific Cooling Products

Aloe vera products feel fantastic when they’re cold. So do other cooling ingredients intended to c>alm sunburn or sensitive skin. During the summer months, cold serums can also be awesome in a hot climate.⁶

•  Lipstick

Lipstick isn’t intended to be kept in the fridge. However, if you’re battling a hot summer, cold lipstick may help ensure that new hibiscus shade doesn’t melt into a waxy puddle the minute it touches your lips.

Likewise, if you’d like to keep a favorite, discontinued shade around longer, it may last longer when kept in the fridge.⁷

• Nail Polish

Thick nail polish is a friend to no one. And sometimes, it’s the heat that can cause polish to thicken. It can even change the shade of your favorite lacquer.⁸

So, keeping your polish in the fridge during the warmer months may help it to stay thin and spreadable.

• Perfume

Perfume has long been kept in the fridge by fragrance aficionados. But is it necessary?

It’s true that sunlight and heat may break down fragrances. So, if you’ve been keeping your perfume bottle on display in the bathroom, this isn’t the most ideal spot. The humidity can also deteriorate it faster.

Perfume is best kept at room temperature in a cool, dark place – ideally in a cupboard or a drawer. A fridge won’t hurt it, but it isn’t required.⁹

• Face mist

A cooling face mist on a dry, hot day is twice as good if the bottle’s been chilled in the fridge. 

Types Of Beauty Fridges

If you’ve decided that you’re a beauty fridge convert, there’s a great deal to choose from at many price points. 
Most beauty fridges have similar contents inside – several little shelves and perhaps a basket on the door for small utensils. But there are also some unique things that set them apart.

If you have some beautiful bottles to display, you may love a beauty fridge with a glass door – or perhaps a ritzy marble door, or one that looks like it’s been pulled from a 50s diner.

Some come with little handles so you can tote them around with you. While others include colored markers, so you can scrawl little messages across the fridge door. If you’re a music lover, a good choice might be one with a built-in Bluetooth speaker. 

The Beauty Fridge: A Toy Box For Grown Ups?

Is a skincare fridge necessary? The answer is probably “no,” But that doesn’t mean you can’t get one and have great fun using it. Everyone needs a little extravagance in their lives from time to time. 
A beauty fridge may be the ultimate luxury for anyone obsessed with beauty products. It’s basically a little toy box for grown-ups, filled with all their favorite things – masks and serums and perfumes. Oh my.

Learn More:

 

Sources:
1. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/anti-aging/g30933556/best-skincare-fridges/
2. https://www.elle.com/beauty/makeup-skin-care/a28498361/beauty-fridge-refrigerate-skincare-products/
3. https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/news/a29242/beauty-products-you-should-keep-in-your-refrigerator/
4. https://www.allure.com/story/what-do-cucumbers-do-for-your-eyes
5. https://www.vogue.com/article/where-to-store-beauty-products-medicine-cabinet-refrigerator
6. https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/hair/news/a39941/how-to-store-beauty-products/
7. https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/news/a29242/beauty-products-you-should-keep-in-your-refrigerator/
8. https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/news/a29242/beauty-products-you-should-keep-in-your-refrigerator/
9. https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/fragrance/news/a41568/how-to-store-your-fragrances/