Mini skincare fridges and cosmetic coolers are all the rage on Instagram. Beauty fans and makeup artists are discovering the benefits of refrigerating their products, from longer shelf lives to an oh-so-nice chilling sensation on their face.
Do you need a beauty fridge in your life? Here’s the real deal behind the trend … and why a mini cosmetics fridge may be just what you need!
What is a Mini Skin Care Beauty Fridge?
A mini beauty fridge is a compact cooler designed for skincare products, makeup, and other cosmetics. It’s designed for people who want to safely store and chill their products, such as cooling down your eye cream to make it more effective.
Many makeup fridges also come with a warmer setting so you can heat your hair oil treatments, face masks, and other products that work better warm.
Unlike the standard refrigerator in your kitchen, beauty fridges aren’t quite as cold, and the internal temperature is more even.
By contrast, a regular fridge has various zones. Storing your products in a colder zone could lead them to freeze or congeal. Plus, they’ll have to compete with your snacks for space!
How Does Keeping Makeup Products in A Beauty Fridge Affect Longevity for Your Cosmetics?
Exposure to oxygen and bacterial growth are the top two reasons that skincare and cosmetics products spoil.
You’ve likely seen in the effects in old lotions or foundations: when they turn orange or appear thick and chunky (i.e. curdle), they’ve been oxidized. This is the result of a chemical reaction when the ingredients react with oxygen molecules. Oxidation changes the color of cosmetics (which makes them useless) and makes your skincare products ineffective.
While oxidation is inevitable, you can slow the process by (a) making sure the cap is on tightly and (b) refrigerating your products. Keeping your products cold also inhibits bacterial growth.
Obviously, putting contaminated cosmetics on your face is not healthy! Bacteria and fungi love warm, damp environments, which is why it’s never good idea to keep your products in the bathroom. They will last long and stay cleaner in a cool, dry environment such as a mini beauty fridge.
What Is the Point of a Skincare Fridge?
A skincare fridge has does more than keep your products sanitary and long-lasting. Chilling your products has other benefits as well. For example, many skincare products work better when cold.
Think about how cold treatments can de-puff your eyes and reduce inflammation. This means that a chilled eye cream is much more effective at getting rid of those dark circles and under-eye bags!
You may be wondering: why not just keep your cosmetics in your regular fridge, what is the benefit of skin care fridge?
In simple words, using a skincare fridge helps in slowing down the degradation process and increase products longevity due to controlled temperature that normal fridges do not offer.
Additionally, it helps to:
Chill your cosmetics to the right temperature
First of all, mini beauty fridges are not as cold as the fridge in your kitchen. Food fridges are as cold as possible without freezing — typically about 1.7 – 3.3°C (35° – 38°F).
This might be a bit too cold for some of your products and cause them to thicken or feel unpleasantly icy. A cosmetics cooler does just that: it cools your products to no lower than 3°C (35°F).
Many beauty fridges also have a warm setting so you can heat up hair oil treatments, clay masks, etc. Your kitchen fridge can’t do that!
Minimize bacterial and fungal growth
Did you know that fungal spores can circulate within a fridge? That’s why having spoiled produce in your fridge can cause nearby food to get moldy. If you’re keeping your cosmetics in the fridge, that’s a recipe for ickiness. Keep your products safe
And as we mentioned, colder environments inhibit bacterial growth. It’s easy for bacteria from your hands to accidentally get into your products. If you store them in a hot, steamy environment, they’ll multiply quickly — leading to acne and irritation. Play it safe by keeping your products in a mini beauty fridge!
So, does a skincare fridge make a difference?
Yes, these fridges are great for your expensive skin care and most of its users have shown their appreciation for it.
What to Put in Skin Care fridge?
Almost any product that is liquid- or gel-based can be kept in a cosmetics cooler. Avoid storing oil-based products in your mini beauty fridge, because they can congeal or get chunky (which is not pleasant). You should also keep any powder-based cosmetics or those with high wax content (e.g. lipsticks, certain foundations or concealers) at room temperature in a dry area.
What to keep in your mini beauty fridge
- Moisturizers
- Eye creams
- Toners
- Facial mists e.g. rosewater
- Serums
- Sheet masks
- Any pencils (eyeliners, lipliners, eyebrow pencils)
- Jade roller
- Facial ice globes
- Nail polish — chilling your nail polish can help prevent it from flaking!
- Balms (as long as they’re not oil-based)
- Any organic or DIY products
What not to keep in your mini beauty fridge
- Lipsticks
- Oil-based products (primers, face or hair oils)
- Foundation or concealer sticks
- SPF sunscreen
- Any pressed-powder cosmetics (e.g. eyeshadow palettes, setting powder)
General Benefits of a Skin Care Fridge for Professionals
Sanitary, Safe Product Storage
If you’re a professional makeup artist or beauty blogger, you know the importance of keeping your products safe and clean. A mini beauty fridge is more than a cute Instagram accessory: it’s an investment in your craft. By having a dedicated space for skincare products, you can ensure that they last longer and are more effective for yourself and your clients.
Ideal for Travel
Cosmetics coolers are usually travel-friendly, so you can protect your products while en route to your studio or clients’ homes. It doesn’t take long for balms, pencils, and moisturizers to melt or spoil when exposed to light and heat. With a beauty fridge, you can plug the cooler into your car’s power adapter and keep your products chilled as you travel.
Professional and Attractive Presentation
MUAs and beauty bloggers both need to demonstrate their detailed care for their craft. It doesn’t look very professional if you’re pulling cosmetics and skincare products out of a cluttered, dirty bin — or if the products and their containers are stained or melty. A beauty fridge is not only a dedicated storage solution for your cosmetics, but also an attractive place to collect your prized products. Your clients and viewers will love seeing that!
Ready to Get Your Own Skincare Fridge?
Whether you’re an amateur beauty fan or a seasoned pro, a mini beauty fridge is a fantastic addition to your studio or glam room. Shop Lumina Pro now and get your very own cosmetics fridge, featuring both chiller and warmer settings.
