Just like you wouldn’t store your milk on the counter, you shouldn’t store certain beauty products in your bathroom cabinets.
But which ones actually need to be chilled? Debra Jaliman, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist in NYC and author of Skin Rules: Trade Secrets From a Top Dermatologist, explains what you should refrigerate.
1. Eye cream or gel
A lot of people wake up with puffy eyes because fluid can pool in the trough of your under-eye area while you sleep, especially if you’ve had a salty dinner. To deflate your under-eye bags more quickly in the morning, store your eye cream or gel in the refrigerator. Cold constricts blood vessels, thereby reducing swelling.
2. Anti-itch cream
The body can’t sense itchiness and cold at the same time, so if your skin is itching from a bug bite and you apply something cold to it, your body will feel the cooling sensation over the itching.
3. Sunscreen
Post-summer, if you have a partially used or unopened bottle of either cream or spray sunscreen that you’d like to save, pop it in the fridge. A warm environment will lessen the effectiveness of the SPF, meaning it won’t protect your skin as well, if at all, the next time you use it.
4. Nail polish
Sunlight and heat can cause the formula to become thick and sometimes alter the color. Keeping your polish in the fridge helps the paint stay thin so it goes on evenly while also preserving its true color.
5. Fragrance
If you keep your fragrance on your dresser and it’s exposed to too much light and heat, the chemicals will start to break down and cause your once-amazing-smelling perfume to smell completely different.
6. Anti-acne products
If your dermatologist gives you a prescription for any anti-acne medicine, like Clindamycin or Tri-luma, check the label to see if it says to store it in the fridge. The formula won’t be as effective if it’s improperly stored.
7. Lipstick
The lipstick you’re using every day doesn’t need to be chilled, but if your favorite shade is being discontinued and you want to stock up, they’ll last longer if stored in the fridge. Otherwise, the heat could cause the chemicals to break down and decompose over time, leaving you with a shade that doesn’t look like the one you purchased.
8. Liquid makeup
This includes everything from foundation to mascara to liquid eyeliner. These products have an expiration date once you open then. To make them last as long as possible, toss them in the fridge. The same goes for products you want to store unopened for an extended period of time.
8. Aloe
Chances are, you’re using aloe because you have a sunburn. If you keep it cold, once you apply it to your burn, your skin won’t be able to sense the terrible burning/itching/uncomfortable feeling that comes along with scorching your skin.
9. Natural beauty products
Since products that claim to be organic and natural don’t contain the preservatives, parabens, sulfates, etc., that other products do to make them last longer, you have to keep them in the fridge so they don’t spoil. This not only lengthens their shelf life, it keeps bacteria from blooming.
