Is It Okay to Keep Your Cosmetics in the Fridge?

Many experts warn against stashing pampering essentials in the refrigerator, yet people still do it. Here's what you should and shouldn't put in there.

Some people really like keeping their beauty products in the fridge. Carly Cardellino, Cosmopolitan.com's beauty editor, swears by it (her grandma gave her that advice, which is usually a pretty solid reason). The common belief is that keeping cosmetics cool can prolong their shelf lives.

But does it work? Not really, according to most of the experts we spoke with. Instead, they advise being cautious about refrigerating your beauty essentials and to do it only for certain things. Our own Good Housekeeping Research Institute (GHRI) Beauty Lab is definitely not keen on the idea. Here's what the experts said about different types of products.

Makeup

"Cosmetics are meant to be stored at room temperature," says David C. Steinberg, founder of Steinberg & Associates, a consulting company for the personal care industry. If you're keeping your lipstick and blush in the fridge, you're doing it at your own risk, he says, especially since a lot of makeup hasn't been tested for whether it can withstand cold temperatures and then return to normal.

Moisturizers, lotions, and eye creams

"You could keep lotions in there, but summer is the only time that makes sense," says GHRI Senior Product Analyst Mary Clarke. "The only other thing I sometimes keep in the fridge is eye cream. When I feel like my eyes are puffy, it's nice to have cold eye cream on them." Cosmetic chemist Susan Raffy agrees: "Moisturizers, eye creams, treatment serums, and toners are all cosmetic products that might have a nice sensory feel or cooling effect if they are stored in the refrigerator."

Keeping your creams chilled could even help take away puffiness and boost circulation to the skin, according to Dr. Susan Smith Jones, president of L.A. consulting firm Health Unlimited. "If there's room, it's good to have a mini refrigerator in the bathroom to keep lotions and creams."

Nail polish

It's best to store your nail polish at room temperature, rather than in the fridge. Yes, chilling your polish can prolong its shelf life but there's a catch: "With cold temperatures in the fridge, the viscosity of the polish will increase, which might prolong the stability of the polish over time so it doesn't phase-separate," says Dr. Birnur K. Aral, GHRI Director of Health, Beauty, and Environmental Sciences. You can fix this "phase separation" (clumpiness) by shaking the polish, but you'll still have to wait till the polish reaches room temperature again for it to spread evenly on your nail.

Perfume

For the longest shelf life, Raffy suggests storing your scents at moderate room temperature below 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Steinberg adds that a fragrance, if refrigerated, can actually lose some of its smell.

Natural hair products

With food products that double as beauty treatments, you have a little more leeway (just do not use them for both purposes). "Extra-virgin olive oil makes a great hair mask, and should always be kept in the refrigerator so it won't go rancid," says Smith Jones. "Coconut oil is great for the skin and hair, too, and you can keep it in the refrigerator and use as a conditioner or hair mask."

Some warnings:

1. Refrigeration does not equal preservation.

"Consumers should not confuse refrigeration with preservation," says Raffy. "If a cosmetic product does not contain preservatives, it is still unlikely to have a very long shelf life." And be aware that refrigeration doesn't completely kill off bacteria — it just slows them down. If a product gets contaminated, you also might not be able to see the bacteria, but it's still harmful to your eyes and skin.

2. Keep your kids safe.

If you keep any beauty or personal care products in the fridge, "Make sure your children don't get to them," says Steinberg, adding that this can be tricky since cosmetics don't have childproof openings. And if you are going to do it, he thinks your best bet is to "buy a separate refrigerator and put a lock on it." We say: If you keep anything that's not food in your fridge, make sure it's well-sealed, not only for safety, but for sanitary purposes.

TELL US: Do you keep any of your beauty products in the fridge?

Ref:http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/makeup/tips/a19025/beauty-products-in-the-fridge/

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10 things to consider before storing your skincare in the fridge!

To chill or not to chill is the question.

22 October 2015 by Simone Wu

#1 Stick to Water-based Products
If you are not sure what your skincare contains, then it is best not to store it in the fridge – unless directed by the product usage.

According to the lecturers of Diploma in Perfumery and Cosmetic Science at the School of Chemical and Life Sciences in Singapore Polytechnic, most water-based skincare can be stored in the refrigerator. These can include lotions, serums, toners and moisturisers.

Oil-based liquid skincare formulas might turn cloudy, so avoid storing skincare products like most face serums, which have both water and oil components.

Lau Min-Tsek, managing director of Little Pharmaceutical Suppliers, and pharmacist and director at The Skin Pharmacy explains: “Storing such skincare in the fridge can cause the water and oil elements to separate. When that happens, there is a chance that the formula would not return its original state, and thus, your skincare product is ruined.”

Also, items like clay masks tend to harden when refrigerated, adds SK-II trainer, Cindy Cheong.

#2 Good for Easily Irritated Skin
If your skin tends to get red or itchy, apply refrigerated skincare products as the cool sensation can help calm inflamed skin, says Teri Tay, education manager of Dermalogica Singapore.

#3 Cooler Doesn’t Mean Better
The stability and efficiency of skincare products are tested by cosmetic manufacturers according to climate conditions stated by the World Health Organisation.

This means that products bought locally will be able to perform at their best in room temperature – unless otherwise stated.

#4 Effect on Product Freshness
Storing skincare products at low temperature helps slow down bacteria growth and can prevent product degradation, explain the Perfumery and Cosmetic Science lecturers from Singapore Polytechnic.

If you are using preservative-free skincare, refrigerating them can prevent bacteria from multiplying, adds Dr. Low Chai Ling, medical director of The Sloane Clinic.

It is best to follow the expiry date printed on all cosmetic products, though ingredients like vitamin C could be better protected against oxidation in the fridge, says Teri.

#5 Longer Shelf Life
Water-based skincare products can be chilled in the fridge at around 4 degree Celsius to extend the product life span, say the Perfumery and Cosmetic Science lecturers from Singapore Polytechnic.

#6 Fridge Size Matters
As fridges come in all shapes and sizes, the temperature can range from 2 to 10 degree C in different parts of the non-freezer compartment, and this temperature unpredictability can affect the same skincare products differently, says Min-Tsek.

If you are keen to chill your skincare, look for a smaller refrigerator to reduce the probability of irregular temperature.

#7 Keep Away from Food Items
For skincare products that are suitable to be chilled, the golden rule is to keep them in a separate mini fridge just for cosmetics.

If you must store your skincare products in the fridge together with food items, keep skincare in airtight containers in different compartments to prevent cross contamination of bacteria, explains Min-Tsek.

Cindy suggests that you can also store them in zip-lock bags.

#8 Hard to Apply
Skincare lotions and creams stored at lower temperature tend to thicken, making it harder to spread the product over skin, explain the Perfumery and Cosmetic Science lecturers from Singapore Polytechnic.

#9 Reduced Micocirculation
Chilled skincare products can help tighten pores temporarily. However, the low temperature may also constrict capillaries and slow down microcirculation, says Teri.

#10 The Golden Rule
Skincare products are best kept away from sunlight in cool, dry areas, says Adeline Wee, Estee Lauder's assistant PR manager.

If the product can be kept in room temperature, you do not need to keep it in the fridge unless otherwise stated, adds Min-Tsek.

Ref:http://www.herworldplus.com/solutions/beauty-style/10-things-consider-storing-your-skincare-fridge

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Experts reveal the beauty products you should be storing in the FRIDGE (and it includes lipstick and your perfume)

You may splurge hundreds of pounds on potent lotions and potions in the hope that they'll knock years off your face, but you could be wasting your money.

Indeed, according to dermatologists, if you don't keep certain cosmetics in the fridge, they might prove completely ineffective.

As Kambiz Golchin explains: 'When it comes to making cosmetics last longer, lower temperatures are generally better. That's because chemical reactions occur faster at higher temperatures.

'Makeup and moisturisers in particular are prone to oxidation reactions since they contain oils that can turn rancid. Keeping them in the fridge can slow down that process.'

According to dermatologists, if you don't keep certain cosmetics in the fridge, they might be completely ineffective. Here's the ones you should

So which ones should you keep cool?

Here, he, along with Jan R. Behrens, founder of True North skincare, reveal all.

DO store eye creams and eye gels in the fridge: Not only will they keep longer but the coolness will help reduce any puffiness around the eye area. Cold constricts the blood vessels, which will reduce swelling. It is perfect for use first thing in the morning when your eyes are a little puffy.

WHAT TO STORE IN THE FRIDGE...

Eye cream

SPF

Gel moisturisers

Anything with Vitamin C

Lipstick

Fragrance

DON'T store any oils in the fridge: The colder temperature can make the oils lose consistency and even thicken, which can ruin them. These are best kept at room temperature.

Always keep your SPF and sun protection in the fridge: Being kept in a warm environment will make it less effective meaning it wont protect your skin as well the next time you use it.

DO keep gels in the fridge: Moisturisers with a gel-type consistency benefit from being kept in the fridge but only in the summer when the general air temperature is warmer. Moisturisers, serums, and toners all have a nice cooling feeling if they have been stored in the fridge.

Fragrance: Perfumes also last longer when stored at cool temperatures. Fragrances contain hundreds of ingredients, and some of those ingredients can go bad over time. Storing them in the fridge can slow down chemical reactions and keep the perfume perky.

Anything with Vitamin C: If any of your products contain Vitamin C, refrigerate them. Vitamin C targets dull skin to create a radiant complexion, promoting skin elasticity and protecting the skin from environmental stressors.

Refrigerating this type of treatment serum, will keep the vitamins from breaking down or oxygenising which would potentially change the formula.Protecting the purity and efficacy of the active ingredients in the products once it is opened is very important.

DO keep moisturisers cool: Anyone who has red skin (erythema or rosacea) should chill all moisturisers – both day and night, including SPF (even those with Titanium Dioxide). Doing so will help calm the skin instantly when applied. It’s like having a cold compress on the skin.

DO refrigerate lipstick: Over time, heat is going to cause that lipstick to break down and melt. If you have a very favorite shade you want to stock up on, keeping it chilled is the best possible way to make sure it goes the distance, especially when on holiday in hot climates.

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