What skincare products should be refrigerated?

Welcome to Ask Curology, penned by one of our in-house medical providers in response to your questions about all things skincare. This week, we’re taking on a cool new trend in skincare: the beauty fridge. But is it a good idea to refrigerate your products? Here’s what you can (and can’t) keep in the fridge.

Dear Curology,

I love finding skincare organization inspo on Instagram and Pinterest, and one trend has caught my eye: skincare fridges. Honestly? I think they’re super cute. Something about hot pink mini-fridges sitting on my bathroom counter screams Barbie Dreamhouse to me. But of course, they’re not cheap! So I have to ask, is there some amazing benefit to using a mini-fridge for skincare, or is this trend pure aesthetics?

Signed,

Chilled Out

Dear Chilled Out,

Who doesn’t love the sight of a well-organized fridge! However, you definitely don’t need a skincare refrigerator. I’ll cut to the chase: there are no proven skin benefits to chilling your skincare products. And, other than being tiny and cute, a skincare fridge is no different from the fridge in your kitchen! Plus, many skincare products are meant to be stored at room temperature and shouldn’t be refrigerated.

That said, if you love keeping your skincare organized, I get the appeal. Some skincare products, like certain gels and creams, might feel soothing when cooled. So if you really want to use a skincare fridge, there are a few types of products you may be able to store there.

We recommend patients store their prescription topical medications (like your Curology cream) at room temperature. But it might be okay for some over-the-counter products to be stored in a fridge. Double-check your product labels — many products note that they’re not meant to be exposed to extreme temperatures.

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What can you keep in a skincare fridge?

Fresh skincare

Some fresh skincare lines make products with natural ingredients that are meant to be refrigerated or even frozen. Some people love using a soothing homemade aloe mask to help calm and hydrate their skin, and storing aloe in the fridge can make it last longer.

Just remember to be careful when following recipes for DIY home remedies. Before you put any new ingredients on your face, patch test (twice: once on the body and once on the face).

Eye creams

If you like the feeling of chilled eye cream, it’s probably fine to keep them in a skincare fridge. A cold compress on the eyes (like a DIY green tea eye mask) can also feel great and may help with puffiness. You can keep your compress of choice (such as a green tea bag or damp washcloth) in the refrigerator for a bit to give it a cooling sensation.

Hydrating masks

Many sheet masks, overnight masks, and other masks that target skin hydration can be kept in a fridge. Masks with cream or gel consistencies can feel refreshing when cooled. That said, clay masks will probably dry out if kept in a fridge, so keep those on the counter, even if they claim to be hydrating.

Jade rollers

A cool massage with a jade roller is perfectly fine and can feel very nice on your skin. Whether or not jade rollers are worth the investment, though, is a story for another blog post. That said, there’s certainly no harm in using a chilled jade roller on your face, and the sensation can be quite relaxing!

If you have any more questions get in touch with your Curology medical provider. If you’re not already a member, you can sign up for a free month of Curology (it just costs $4.95 + tax to cover the cost of shipping and handling). Members get paired with an in-house medical provider (like me!) for a custom skincare experience.

All my best,

Nicole Hangsterfer, PA-C

We’re here to share what we know — but don’t take it as medical advice. Talk to your medical provider if you have questions.

Written by

Nicole Hangsterfer, PA-C