Vault

Max value reached

Adding this item would put you over your total vault limit of $250. please review your cart to stay under the limit.

Get MORE from your products by knowing how to store them!

16 August, 2017 - 07:57pm by - First Lady | 28 Comments

Poll posted by BR Natalie

A few years ago we published this article on Product expiration dates.  It's one of our most-read articles to date.  From the comments we received it seems we were pretty even-stevens on those who follow the expiry dates and those who didn't. 

One way to ensure you get the most out of your beauty products is to store them correctly - exposure to air, light, temperature changes and moisture can all shorten the life span of our products.  The biggest and easiest change you can make to your beauty storage is to follow one simple rule.  

Now.  Repeat the golden rule of beauty product storage after me:

Bathrooms are not for beauty products.  

The humidity and constant temperature changes alone do not a stable environment make.  And what do product formulas need to stay tip-top?  Stability.  

1.  Beauty products do not like moisture.

Now don't get us wrong - we want our products to be moisturising.  We don't want them to be impacted by excess moisture.  Not only does unwanted moisture change a product's consistency, it also increases the likelihood of bacteria growing.

Your pot of eye cream?  Well firstly, pots are the least sanitary dispensing format, but when kept in a bathroom the probability of icky bacteria breeding increases.  

Do your powder products seem to get cakey quickly?  Add moisture to powder and what do you get?  Cake.  Powder products absolutely should not be kept in the bathroom.  EVER.

Even 'bathroom' products shouldn't really be kept in the moist bathroom area.  Take those salt and sugar scrubs we're all addicted too.  Add more moisture and what happens?  The key ingredients dissolve!  Ergo.  A less scrubby scrub.

 

2.  Nor do products like temperature changes.

Take your favourite anti-ageing moisturiser for example.  All of those powerful active ingredients need a stable environment, rises and falls in temperature will compromise the actives and if don't take care of your actives and they won't be active anymore!  

Now your everyday hair care and body washes, thing you're using often, can stay in the shower, but products you're using less often,like a hair masque, or intensive body lotion, should be kept somewhere cool - changes in temperature can impact the emulsion of the product.

Oils, oil based products, silicone based primers and liquid foundations should most definitely be stored in a consistently cool place. Think inside a cupboard, but not near an external wall.  Why?  Well changes in temperature  dry products out, and cause the oils to split in the formula. 

 

3. Nor do products like light. 

So forget arranging your collection neatly on your dressing table and put it in a drawer.  And look - for once I'm leading by example.  In these drawers hides my makeup.  

Clear containers, especially for things like eyeshadows, lipsticks and other products where shade is important, are frankly the worst packaging fail ever.  The UV rays of sunlight will over time change the pigment.

Products containing UV protection / SPF, should absolutely be kept in the dark. Why?  Well the bit that protects you, the UVA absorbers, work regardless of whether the product is applied to your skin.  So basically, if SPF is exposed to sunlight, it will absorb the energy, using up the protection factors in the product.

4. Fragrance and Paraben and preservative free products will last longer if you store them in the fridge.

If you're buying products sans preservative, or tend to buy a lot of 'natural' products, remember they have a shelf life a lot shorter than usual - so not only do these need to be out of the bathroom, you'll want to put them somewhere where they'll last longer.  The fridge!

Fragrance will also last longer in the fridge - those hundreds of specially chosen ingredients in every bottle are so susceptable to light and temperature, the best place for it is somewhere cold and dark.

You can also keep things like lipsticks and balm products in the fridge during the summer months to maintain their consistency; and some products like eye cream can also be kept in the fridge for a better performance - the coolness constricts blood vessels, reducing puffiness.  It's the same with anti-redness products!

image: BR member Amyxxoo

Remember - only when stored correctly will a product actually make it to its expiration date.  So do yourself a favour and stop using your bathroom to store your cosmetics, skin care and fragrance.

So - where do you keep your beauty products?  Do you throw caution to the wind and have your pretties on display in the bathroom, or are they safely tucked in a drawer, fridge or cupboard?  Get chatting below!

back

Comments

Please sign in or register to add a comment.

25th August, 2017

I keep my beauty products in the bathroom and out in the open for easy access :( Now I need to find space to store them

22nd August, 2017

I always keep my products in a cool dry place. And the only products in my bathroom are shampoos, conditioners and cleansers etc

22nd August, 2017

Ha! This has completely blown my mind like wide open!! I am now going to move all fragrances in the fridge when I get home! I do know that my nail polishes last longer in the fridge too fyi. Lucky for me when we moved houses just recently with the dairy season change, I got a whole room for makeup. I used to store them in the bathroom but not anymore woohoo. I will make sure that they are not in direct light too. Interesting article thanks so much x

21st August, 2017

Whoops I'm gonna clean out my bathroom I keep most of my skin care in there eeeeee

20th August, 2017

My brushes are in a box that are then stored in the drawers and I am very particular about how cosmetic and accessories are stored. I don't like if they are lying outside and getting dust on them because then that will go on the face. Your article is very helpful and I think it doesn't take long to stack them the perfect way and it just need one thing...a start and if you are set the first time you are set for ever. Very helpful.

19th August, 2017

Good article. I follow most of this already so am feeling proud. I always felt a bit envious about those pretty light filled makeup display units all over insta and pinterest but now I know I am doing the right thing. However I will be putting my eye cream in the fridge when I get home!

18th August, 2017

I keep my skincare in the bathroom drawer, I keep my make up in drawers in my bedroom. We have a temperature control thingy so it is always a constant temp.

18th August, 2017

Clearly I need to kick my husband's undies out to a new location, so I can have yet another drawer haha!

17th August, 2017

That's good to know. I don't keep mine in the bathroom, but I am guilty of leaving them out where the sunlight hits. Time to move them

17th August, 2017

The fridge one and bathroom part was useful to me I knew products do not like light. Good article

17th August, 2017

I have a scotch chest in the bedroom, so I use three of the four little drawers, plus the larger deep drawer. The deep drawer stores all my palettes and bottles that need to stand up. the smaller drawers are broken down to powers, blushes, eyeshadows, mascara, eyeliners, lipsticks, glosses, lip liners and anything else I need.

Husband did have a moment of weakness last week and offered to buy me an Alex, but we then realised we had nowhere to actually put one :(

17th August, 2017

These are great tips. I need to organise my dresser.

17th August, 2017

This is why I don't understand beauty bloggers on you tube for instance that have their perfumes especially in direct sun when they are known to go off this way. I knew bout not having them in the bathroom..

17th August, 2017

I keep my perfumes and makeup bag in the wardrobe, and bring it to the bathroom in the morning. I'd better move my liquid eyeliners though, they are in a jar on the bathroom window sill... I love the idea of the wee draws to keep makeup in, I just have to keep it away from little hands too!!

17th August, 2017

This is interesting! Might try the eye cream in a fridge idea

SooziesWorld
17th August, 2017

What's an Alex?

alikat
17th August, 2017

@worldofsooziewong the iconic Alex drawers from Ikea!

First Lady
20th August, 2017

Put them in the bathroom hahahaha.

Sophia
23rd August, 2017

Ohhh good idea haha

WELCOME TO NZ'S BIGGEST BEAUTY GUIDE!

READ AND WRITE REVIEWS ON YOUR FAVOURITE (or not so favourite!) PRODUCTS!

Sign up to receive our newsletter and stay up to date with all of the latest happenings here at Beauty Review!

You'll be the first to know about Trial Teams, Vault restocks and Giveaways.

We promise never to spam you - only to share the best in NZ beauty!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE MAILING LIST!