How to Store Skincare Products to Avoid Damage

Ever reached for your favorite moisturizer or foundation only to find a runny, curdled mess? Losing good skincare items can affect your daily routine and hit you right in the wallet, especially when you invest in quality products. Ensure they’re good to the last drop and never be left empty handed again. Banish bad habits you didn’t even know you had and follow these tips to keep your products in tip-top shape.

Location, location, location!

To ensure you get the most out of your product, pay careful attention to where you store it. While you may not give it much thought, the place your item spends the majority of time can have an impact on both shelf life and potency.

Many environmental factors such as exposure to air, heat, and light can speed up the breakdown of fundamental ingredients. Once those components fail to work, you may have a false sense of security if the product doesn’t show signs of deterioration. Applying say, a sunscreen that has been compromised, can result in a painful burn.

Stay Shady

Product stored in direct sunlight tend to deteriorate at a faster rate so keep your skincare items stored safely out of sight. This holds especially true for products stored in a clear container. Formulas kept in opaque or solid containers that light can’t penetrate are best.

Store your items inside a medicine cabinet, underneath a bathroom counter or in a drawer that stays relatively dark. Products that have unstable ingredients, such as Vitamin C, can very easily degrade in the sun. These powerhouse ingredients usually cost a pretty penny, so take care of them properly and they’ll take care of you.

Keepin’ It Cool

While some people prefer to keep their skin care products in the fridge or freezer, this isn’t a commonly recommended practice. The irregularities between going from room temperature while in use to frigid levels while in the fridge can accelerate degradation. Simply storing your items in a cool, dry place such as a cabinet will suffice. The exception to the rule would be for eye treatments. Refreshingly chilled eye cream will be a soothing treat to puffy, tired eyes. This is certainly nice in the warmer months; apply a thin layer of your favorite eye treatment after a long day of summer fun.

Steam Lovers Beware

There may be nothing quite as relaxing as a long steamy soak, but your skincare products certainly won’t thank you for it. While it may not be the most convenient, storing your skincare products outside of the bathroom may be best. Repeated exposure to steam can alter the formula and even breakdown key ingredients. If this is not possible for you, store them in an area behind closed doors (think spare space in a cabinet or storage above the toilet) to help reduce the exposure of steam.

Prevent good products from going bad and keep them on the straight and narrow with proper storage. You can maximize your results and get the most out of your skincare routine with properly cared for products. Happy storing!