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Mabel Lui

Wondering about that mini fridge you spotted on top of your friend’s vanity? No, it isn’t for storing snacks for those late-night food cravings – it’s for beauty products.
With so many influencers showing off chic mini fridges on Instagram lately, you might be wondering whether you should partake in the trend.
Aside from being a pleasing addition to your bedroom or bathroom, beauty fridges – as well as just regular kitchen fridges – keep your products cool and away from sunlight, which can aid their longevity and effectiveness.
There are also a number of short-term benefits of applying cold products to your skin, especially in the mornings.
But not all beauty products should be kept in the fridge, as cool temperatures can be detrimental to some formulations and ingredients.
Here are five types of products that you can keep in the fridge, and one that you shouldn’t.


Eye creams and moisturisers
If you’re familiar with the cold-spoon technique – depuffing eyes by pressing cold spoons on them – you’ll also enjoy using fridge-cold eye cream in the mornings.
Putting on cold cream in the eye area can constrict blood vessels and therefore minimise puffiness and any swelling that occurred while you were asleep.
The same goes for regular moisturisers, for which the cold temperature can enhance firming and reduce inflammation.
Sheet masks

Similarly, face masks can benefit from being stored in the fridge, as the resulting cooling effect can help soothe your skin, reduce redness and calm any irritation in the short-term.
Plus, the chilly sensation also makes the masking experience particularly refreshing – perfect for the morning or after a long day.
Clean formulas
Many all-natural, clean beauty products tend to forego preservatives in their formulations, but that means their shelf life may not be as long as those with chemical ingredients like parabens.
Storing clean formulas in the fridge can extend their longevity, as they won’t be as perishable if stored under consistent, cool temperatures.
Retinol and vitamin C products

Make sure to leave some space in your fridge for your retinol and vitamin C skincare, as these antioxidants can degrade much quicker and become unstable when exposed to heat and sunlight.
Storing these products in the fridge keeps the formulas stable and helps with preservation.
Facial rollers and other tools

While jade and rose quartz facial rollers and gua sha tools stay naturally cold, it doesn’t hurt to keep them in the fridge. Using these tools promotes lymphatic drainage, which guides the fluids in your face and can result in tighter-looking skin.
Acne medication
Since acne medications have specific chemical make-up, some benefit from being stored in the fridge.
“Certain prescription medications, such as compound medication that we as dermatologists use all the time for our patients, need to be kept in the fridge in order to be stable,” dermatologist Dr Martha Viera told the Byrdie website.
“Also, some products that can help with certain conditions such as rosacea, itching or sensitive skin can benefit from being used cold since it creates an anti-inflammatory and vasoconstrictive effect.”
Do your skincare products contain ‘good’ or ‘bad’ alcohol? Experts explain
Don’t refrigerate: Make-up
While you certainly can stick a melting lipstick in the fridge to resolidify its formula and bullet shape, make sure not to leave it – and other make-up products – in the fridge.
Oils and balms, which are present in many make-up formulas, can either separate or become too solid in the fridge, so storing them there won’t help with application or longevity.


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5 best beauty products to keep in a fridge, and 1 you definitely shouldn’t

The best beauty products to keep in a fridge include sheet masks, clean formulas and vitamin C products. Photo: Instagram / mae.it.glow

Masks like the Thirst Trap Cocoon Mask, available at Sephora, can benefit from being kept in the fridge as the cooling effect can help soothe skin, reduce redness and calm irritation in the short-term. Photo: Sephora

The antioxidants in retinol products like U Beauty’s Resurfacing Compound, available at Net-a-Porter, will degrade slower if cooled. Photo: Net-a-Porter

A Hayo’u gua sha device, available from Net-a-Porter. Photo: Net-a-Porter

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A woman applies a hair mask. Used after shampooing, they should be kept on your hair for a few minutes. They offer people with dry or damaged hair a temporary fix but are not for daily use, experts say. Photo: Shutterstock 

Scalp Revival Charcoal + Tea Tree Cooling Hydration Mask, available at Sephora.

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Symbols appear on the packaging of skincare products (above) but consumers may not know what they mean. We explain.

Period After Opening (PAO) indicates how long the formula will be good for after you open it.

A Leaping Bunny symbol certifies that no animal testing has been conducted in the development of the formula.

The Refer To Insert symbol is commonly found on products where there’s not enough space on packaging itself to explain everything.

The Green Dot tells you the product’s manufacturer pays a recycling organisation to supervise its packaging waste. 

A Mobius Loop is possibly the most recognisable of all the symbols.

An Ecocert stamp does tell you a product is made from ingredients derived mostly from renewable sources.

The Open Flame tells you a product should be kept away from fire.

The Peta Cruelty-Free Bunny means a formula is cruelty-free and made by businesses with an ban on animal testing.

The UVA symbol guarantees that a formula meets the minimum European standards of ultraviolet protection against skin cancer.

The Vegan Trademark can be seen on more than 60,000 products globally.

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Some beauty products such as eye creams, moisturisers, retinol and acne medication benefit from being kept at a constant cool temperature
But don’t immediately go and dump everything in your beauty fridge – make-up products, for example, with their oils and balms, should be kept out



Some beauty products such as eye creams, moisturisers, retinol and acne medication benefit from being kept at a constant cool temperature, but others definitely don’t.


Skincare