InStyle posted the article "You Need a “Skincare Fridge” — and 1,700 People Give This One Five Stars" featuring Dr. Purvisha Patel.
The article includes Dr. Patel's reasoning on why keeping skincare products cool is beneficial, including helping keep the product active longer after opening.
Storing certain skincare products at a cooler temperature than the average room can be super beneficial. “A designated skincare fridge is a great way to keep your products active for a longer period of time after opening. Cooling the products helps inhibit bacterial and fungal growth once the product has been contaminated with fingers,” says board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare, Dr. Purvisha Patel. “Once products get exposed to air, they also get oxidized — refrigerating slows down the oxidation process and keeps [them] from becoming inactive.”
According to Dr. Patel, water-based serums, lotions, and gels do especially well when refrigerated. “Cooling can also make products soothe [the skin] and feel better when using, especially on those with sensitive skin,” she adds. Other beauty products that can benefit from being stored in a fridge include vitamin C serums, retinoids, face masks (except clay-based ones), and basically anything with aloe vera as an ingredient. Even beauty products like nail polishes and perfumes can be preserved better in a fridge.
The difference between storing skincare products in a fridge like the Amazon-loved Cooluli microfridgethis link opens in a new tab, as opposed to your regular kitchen refrigerator, is that the temperature you use to keep food cold can actually be too low for beauty products. If the temperature gets too low, they could end up freezing, which causes active ingredients in the products to break down. The Cooluli fridge’s temperature is just cool enough for a small batch of beauty items, but not as cold as your kitchen fridge.