Where do we stand on …

beauty fridges

Remember when we only used fridges to store and preserve food? Well, those days are as longforgotten as the last Ice Age. Social media is abuzz with images of elegantly organised, uber chiclooking tiny coolers, overflowing not with drinks, but skincare products. Here’s to the “beauty fridge”. Because, in 2019, appliances can be pretty, too.

These littlest white goods – which have the same dimensions as those workdesk minichillers that can take a couple of tinned G&TS – are all over Instagram (#shelfie, #Makeupfridge), and are surely coming to a dressing table near you soon.

It turns out that Granny was definitely on to something when she told you to store your lipstick in the freezer; sheet masks, facial massagers, eye creams, mists and preservative-free skincare products all benefit from being stored at temperatures that supercharge their soothing effect. According to Patricia Boland, lead product developer at Colorescience UK, “a beauty product that’s … refrigerated will be more effective at de-puffing and boosting the circulation, compared to a roomtemperature one”.

For years, skincare-savvy women have kept beauty products in the fridge, much to the annoyance of spouses fumbling for a beer. But with the rise of natural skincare brands such as Lush and Tara Harper, whose products are printed with an expiry date and usually free of chemical preservatives, skincare goods are increasingly destined for the fridge, not out of luxury, but necessity.

As cool and radiance-boosting as they are, not everything benefits from the chill: at lower temperatures, make-up, oils and balms can become too solid to apply.

Should you have spare space, we like Nordstom’s cow-print 7in-by9in Thermoelectric Mini Beauty Fridge (£36.47, shop. nordstrom.com). If not, the kitchen Bosch will probably do the job.