Should you keep your skincare in the fridge? Experts warn it could damage your products

Did you know you shouldn’t keep these items in the fridge? (Picture: Metro/Getty) Metro journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission – learn more During a heatwave in the UK, we’re prepared to pretty much do anything to cool down. From cold showers five times a day, sleeping with an ice pack, face mist and fan, or even sleeping outside, we are very poorly equipped to deal with the heat. One of the most common things you hear in beauty, however, is to put your skincare in the fridge for an extra refreshing feel when you apply it as part of your routine. It’s definitely something I’ve done myself, regularly putting my favourite face mist next to my milk and cheese for a cool, icy hit throughout the day. However, I recently learned from Andrea Pfeffer, skin expert and founder of London clinic Salon C. Stellar, Andrea Pfeffer that you could actually be putting your skin health at risk by cooling your products down too much. ‘Unless a brand specifically tells you to refrigerate, the formula was never designed to live there. Products are stability tested at the conditions the manufacturer sets, typically around 25 degrees, so the cold can actually destabilise the formulation, dull its effectiveness and even cause ingredients to separate,’ she told Metro. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Despite how tempting it can be to stick every skincare product in the fridge for sweet relief from the heat, for Ikè Muotoh, founder of African botanical bodycare brand Dibia, his rule of thumb is, ‘If it’s a balm, facial oil, clay mask, or acid, don’t refrigerate it. On the flipside, I keep my gua sha tool in the fridge for a quick de-puffing treatment; it works wonders!’ Pfeffer’s approach, instead, is to feed the skin rather than freeze it by prioritising consistency in your routine or by tweaking it to include lightweight textures. Esse Probiotic Serum This lightweight probiotic serum is exactly the sort of product skin experts recommend during a heatwave, delivering hydration without the heaviness of a traditional moisturiser. Packed with pre-, pro- and postbiotics to support the skin barrier, it helps keep complexions calm, balanced and comfortable when soaring temperatures leave skin feeling stressed and dehydrated. Buy Now for £78 Raeso Morning Dew Vitamin C Serum 30ml This glow-giving Vitamin C serum is a smart addition to any summer skincare routine, helping to brighten dullness and tackle pigmentation without feeling heavy or greasy on the skin. The lightweight formula sinks in quickly, leaving your complexion looking fresh, radiant and suitably dewy, even when temperatures are soaring. Buy Now for £110 ‘When you’re sweating more, lighter textures are simply better tolerated, so for most skin I’d suggest a beautiful lightweight serum, something like Esse’s Probiotic Serum or RAESO’s Morning Dew Vitamin C. For Pfeffer, the only non-negotiable during a heatwave is applying, and reapplying, a broad-spectrum SPF – which means it protects skin from UVA and UVB rays. Medik8 Crystal Retinal Medik8's Crystal Retinal has earned cult status for good reason. Powered by retinaldehyde – a next-generation form of vitamin A – it works overtime to tackle fine lines, uneven skin tone and pigmentation, all while remaining surprisingly gentle on the skin. If you're serious about results-driven skincare, this is one product beauty editors and skin experts consistently rate as worth the investment. Buy Now from £50 If you’re a die-hard daily exfoliator, she recommends being cautious when temperatures are scorching and sticky: ‘Hot, sweaty skin is already working hard, and this isn’t the moment to challenge it.’ In your evening routine, where you might use a retinol – my all-time favourite is the Medik8 Crystal Retinal – stick to it. ‘Don’t retire your vitamin A for summer,’ are Pfeffer’s exact words. Instead, carry on as normal, as Vitamin A products, including retinol, are hard-working ingredients for pigmentation and supporting skin after sun exposure, so keep it on side. If, like me, you’re constantly sweating in the heatwave and struggle to stay cool, she recommends a well-formulated face mist, typically one rich in humectants and emollients for your handbag. Byoma Balancing Face Mist 100ml Byoma's Balancing Face Mist is one of those handbag heroes you'll find yourself reaching for constantly during a heatwave. Packed with barrier-supporting ceramides, soothing allantoin and probiotics, it delivers an instant hit of hydration while helping calm redness and irritation, making sweaty, stressed-out skin feel far more comfortable. Buy Now for £11.99 Byoma’s Balancing Face Mist is a great pick-me-up, formulated with allantoin, ceramides, and probiotics, and is not only refreshing but also soothing and hydrating for dehydrated skin, particularly if you’re prone to redness and inflammation. Dibia Sacred Radiance Body Oil 100ml Dibia's Sacred Radiance Body Oil is a luxurious lightweight blend that proves body oils aren't just for winter. Formulated with nourishing baobab, marula and manketti oils, it deeply hydrates and supports the skin barrier without leaving behind a sticky or greasy finish, making it ideal for heatwave-hit skin that's crying out for moisture. Buy Now for £45 In your skincare routine, Muotoh advises opting for lighter oils rather than creams to treat skin that lacks hydration. ‘Applied to damp skin after a cool shower, an oil penetrates and deeply nourishes the skin.’ He cites his Dibia Sacred Radiance Body Oil as an essential, thanks to the baobab, marula, and manketti oils in its formula, which are rich in essential fatty acids that support your skin’s natural barrier. Last but not least, if you’ve accidentally got sunburn or developed a heat rash, Pfeffer advises avoiding acids, Vitamin A, or fragrance, and instead cool the area with lukewarm or cool water and pat dry rather than rub. ‘Then keep things simple and barrier focused: a ceramide cream. What I’d skip is the classic bright green after sun gel loaded with fragrance and alcohol: it feels cooling for a moment, but the alcohol is drying exactly when your skin needs moisture most.’ Heliocare Aftersun UV Repair 250ml Heliocare's Aftersun UV Repair is the kind of skincare saviour you'll be grateful to have on standby after a little too much sun exposure. Packed with hydrating ingredients including panthenol, vitamin E and Pentavitin, it helps soothe, comfort and replenish parched skin, while the lightweight cream texture absorbs quickly without feeling heavy or sticky. Buy Now for £24.99 My go-to for immediate relief from too much sun is the Heliocare Aftersun UV Repair, a cocktail of vitamin E, panthenol, and pentavitin that treats the uncomfortable, tight feeling from sunburn and locks in hydration in a fast-absorbing, creamy texture. 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