Skincare Fridge: Worth the Investment or Worthless?
Skincare fridges are one of those items that when I first saw one, I didn’t understand the point of it. Why do some skincare items need to be refrigerated anyway? Why can’t you just use the refrigerator in the kitchen for that stuff? It seems like it takes up a lot of counter space in the bathroom. What if you have a small bathroom? I had all these doubts about it and for how expensive it is, I was sure I wasn’t going to go get one for myself. Then I was gifted one and I don’t think I can go back? In this post, let’s talk about skincare fridges, what they’re used for, and if they’re worth the money.
What is a skincare fridge?
A skincare fridge is a miniature refrigerator that you can set on your bathroom counter or on your makeup table and stores skincare items, tools, and/or perfumes. There are many different brands that offer skincare fridges now and with the plethora of skincare fridges on the market, you can choose the style and color that fits with your decor.
How to choose a skincare fridge?
Which skincare fridge is right for you depends on a couple of different criteria that are based on where you’ll be putting your fridge and which and how many skincare items you’re planning to store in it. Overall, we can break down how to choose a skincare fridge into three categories: size, temperature, and pricepoint.
SIZE
Not all skincare fridges are made equally. Some mini-fridges are as big as 15 inches in height and some can be as small as 8 inches. Make sure to measure the dimensions of the space where you’ll be putting your mini-fridge to make sure you have enough room for your new appliance. Also, consider what kinds of skincare items you might want to put in your skincare fridge. How tall are these items and how many are you going to store? These all affect the dimensions of the fridge you end up choosing.
TEMPERATURE
Just like with sizes, skincare fridges come in a variety of cooling temperatures as well. The choice of which temperature skincare fridge you want depends on the kinds of items you want to store as well. Fragrances are recommended to be stored at around 60 degrees, for example. Many beauty manufacturers recommend storing beauty products between 45 and 50 degrees to reduce the risk of bacteria and mold growth and to keep active ingredients from degrading.
PRICEPOINT
Size can factor into how much a skincare fridge can cost. I have seen beauty fridges cost as much as $200 and as little as $35. Spending $200 is definitely not required when shopping for a skincare fridge and with so many out on the market now, you can pick and choose the skincare fridge that’s right for your budget. There can be features that bump up the price of a skincare fridge. For example, some come with a mirror on the door and some come with built-in Bluetooth speakers. Skincare fridges in different styles, like retro style fridges, can make a difference in price as well.
What to keep in a skincare fridge?
Ok, so knowing how to choose a fridge is all well and good but are they necessary for the efficacy of skincare items? Which items are better kept cold anyway? Do they work better if they're cold than if they're room temperature? Are there any items that I shouldn't keep in the fridge? Would those items get ruined if they are?
In practice, I’ve discovered that keeping certain skincare items in the fridge doesn’t increase their potency in any noticeable way, I do find that items applied cold feel a lot more soothing to the skin. Generally, what does work for my skin are ingredients that my skin loves and quality skincare in general. If you do decide that you want to get a skincare fridge, here are some considerations.
Can you keep toners in a skincare fridge?
Toners are great items to keep in a skincare fridge. When applied cold, toners can depuff and soothe the skin. Applying toners cold can also reduce redness in the skin.
Can you keep essences and ampoules in a skincare fridge?
It’s also a great idea to keep essences, serums, and ampoules in the skincare fridge. Along with the benefits of skin depuffing that cold products applied to the skin give, keeping these skincare items in the fridge may lengthen their shelf life and keep the active ingredients from deactivating.
What beauty tools can you keep in a skincare fridge?
The only beauty tools I keep in my skincare fridge are sheet masks. I love a nice and cool sheet mask. It feels soothing on the skin. I have a gua sha also but I don’t keep this skincare tool in my mini-fridge. In traditional Chinese medicine, cold tools are generally not used on the skin so I keep my gua sha at room temperature.
Should you keep perfumes in a skincare fridge?
I’ve learned fairly recently (after getting gifted a very nice fragrance) that perfumes are best stored chilled. The best place to store a fragrance is in a cool, dark place where the temperature is constant. A refrigerator is a great place to store perfumes and can help lengthen the life of the fragrance.
What not to keep in a skincare fridge?
As a general rule, I don’t keep oil-based and clay skincare items in my skincare fridge. Chilling these items can change the intended consistency of these skincare items. Face oils can solidify, for example.
Final thoughts on skincare fridges.
I personally really like my skincare fridge. I love the cooling effects my skincare items have on my skin. I live in Texas and that cooling effect is extremely appreciated on over 100-degree days. What I will say is that they’re not necessary. My skincare items don’t work better because they’ve been in the fridge. From what I’ve learned, there is no substitute for good skincare products and consistency.
