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The best skincare fridges for keeping your face masks as cool as a cucumber
These cute coolers will take pride of place on your dressing table
Skincare fridges may seem like a nice-to-have rather than a beauty must-have, but they could be more useful than you think – especially if you want to extend the lifespan of your serums and creams or add extra cooling effects to your de-puffing treatments and soothing face masks.
It's no surprise that the trendy appliance is popular on social media, with snaps of the cute pastel coolers and their super-organised, skincare-filled shelves drawing thousands of likes from beauty buffs. But the best beauty fridges do more than just look good on the ‘gram.
“Certain beauty products benefit from being chilled in the fridge as the cold temperatures slow the breakdown of active ingredients and extend their shelf-life,” says Florence Reeves-White, the GHI’s senior beauty writer. “Plus, cooler products feel nice on the skin and can help reduce puffiness.”
Chilling your skincare isn’t essential though, and while these fridges may look adorable with all the beauty products lined up inside, they don’t do much more than a normal, regular-sized fridge. So, to separate the reality from the social media spin, we enlisted some of our GHI beauty experts to each try out a skincare fridge at home to see if they’re worth the investment.
These are the models we tested at a glance but keep scrolling to read our full reviews.
What skincare is best kept in the fridge?
Skincare products such as retinols and vitamin C and hyaluronic acid serums, which contain active ingredients, can benefit from being refrigerated to help maintain their potency for longer. Some people may also prefer to put face masks, eye masks and cryogenic skincare tools such as jade rollers, in the fridge, as they can offer a cooling sensation on the skin, helping to reduce redness and puffiness. That said, it’s not essential to keep any of them in the fridge.
If you do want to keep your skincare cool, these are the products that can be stored in the fridge:
- Face masks
- Vitamin C serums
- Retinol
- Gua sha, face rollers and cryotherapy tools
- Sheet masks
- Face mists
- Eye serums
What beauty products shouldn't go in the fridge?
On the other hand, oil-based products such as facial oils, some makeup, and clay masks shouldn’t be put in the fridge – instead, opt for a good makeup organiser and follow our tips on how to style your dressing table to keep them tidy.
These are the products to keep out of your fridge:
- Face oils
- Hair oils
- Some makeup e.g. oil-based foundations
- Clay masks
- Cream moisturisers
- Perfume
How we tried out beauty fridges
There's really no one better qualified to give us their thoughts on skincare fridges than Good Housekeeping's very own beauty buffs, so we asked Senior Beauty Writer Florence Reeves-White, Lifestyle Writer Maddie Evans, and the GHI’s Beauty & Grooming Tester Denny Daily to try them for us.
Each was given a mini fridge to take home, stock up and use over a four-week period. They noted how easy it was to set up, what they thought of the design, and how much space it took up on their dressing table.
They also fed back on how much space there was inside and how easy it was to organise their products, as well as rating any extra features such as removable draws, shelving and internal lights. Finally, they assessed how well it chilled their products and, importantly, whether it improved the feel and finish of their skincare.
This miniature fridge claims to be the ultimate beauty accessory, with a four-litre capacity for storing all your lotions and potions. It includes one internal shelf and a door shelf for smaller products such as sheet masks.
It comes in a choice of cool white or a pretty pastel pink colourway too. Not only will it keep your products cool (its minimum temperature is four degrees) but it can also circulate warm air if you’d prefer to use it for face cloths and warming eye masks.
Florence's verdict
“I've kept my teeth whitening gels and cryotherapy tools in the door of my fridge for a few years now with no problem, but to be honest, I always wished I could store them a little further away from my fruit & veg.
“Although it's not too different to a normal mini fridge, the tiny shelf meant it was easy to fit my lotions and potions. The fridge cooled down quickly when plugged into the wall and it wasn't too bulky or noisy to store in the bedroom either.
“It didn't have a light inside, which was annoying in the dark, but it did the job and could store everything I needed – and as a beauty writer I have a lot of products. It's also ideal for storing a Diet Coke next to your work-from-home set-up.”
Key specifications
| Capacity | Four litres |
|---|---|
| Minimum temperature | Four degrees |
| Maximum temperature | 62 degrees |
| Dimensions | H25.1 x W17.8 x D22.9cm |
| Noise level | 30dB |
With a 1950s-inspired design, this retro cooler will certainly make a statement on your dressing table. It’s lightweight (at just 2kg), and comes with a foldable carry handle – a useful extra if you ever want to use it as a mini fridge on holiday or a camping trip.
Like the Beauty Bay fridge above, it has a four-litre capacity (enough space for six drink cans) and can also keep items warm.
Maddie's verdict
“This mini beauty fridge has been a game-changer for my skincare routine! I keep all sorts of products inside, such as sheet face masks, moisturisers and lip balms. It gives the products a lovely cooling effect, which is great in the mornings when I need a bit of de-puffing – I highly recommend putting some eye patches in; these PIXI ones specifically.
“In terms of size, it’s nice and compact. I keep mine on a shelf, but it wouldn’t take up too much space on a dressing table. It has a convenient handle on the top if you need to move it around too.
“Inside, there’s a removable and adjustable shelf and there’s also a shelf inside the door, which is where I put my smaller products such as my lip balm and jade roller.
“There’s no fear of leaving it open by accident either, as it makes a clicking noise when you shut it. Just note, it does make a slight humming noise, so it may not be ideal for light sleepers if it’s kept in the bedroom. I didn’t notice it after a while though – it was like white noise.”
Key specifications
| Capacity | Four litres |
|---|---|
| Minimum temperature | Up to 20 degrees below ambient temperature |
| Maximum temperature | 65 degrees |
| Dimensions | H25.2 x W18 x D24cm |
| Noise level | 37dB |
With rose gold hinges and handles, this stylish mini fridge will bring a touch of glamour to any bedroom. It includes a removable shelf and a handy built-in door basket, which means there’s space for a range of beauty products.
There’s also low temperature protection to stop it dipping below -2 degrees, and an option to heat up products if you fancy warming your face towels.
Denny's verdict
“I was pleasantly surprised by how quiet this beauty fridge was as I expected something much louder. It’s also roomy inside, allowing you to store a good number of items, and the additional shelf space is a nice bonus, although the door felt quite stiff at times.
“While it was lovely to have my sheet masks and eye creams chilled, it didn't noticeably enhance their performance (sadly, my mask didn't provide extra radiance). However, the Stylpro beauty fridge is still a neat gadget with some practical benefits.”
Key specifications
| Capacity | Four litres |
|---|---|
| Minimum temperature | Up to 20 degrees below room temperature |
| Maximum temperature | 48 degrees |
| Dimensions | H29.5 x W28.5 x D20cm |
| Noise level | 35dB |
Shop more skincare fridges
If you're looking to buy a beauty fridge, but the ones we've tried out don't suit your needs or budget, there are lots of models on the market. Our shopping editor has picked out a few other options that would look great on your vanity table.
One for the ultra MUAs, this stylish beauty fridge boasts a 10-litre capacity so you’ll never be short on space. There are two removable shelves and extra storage on the side of the door for all your masks and treatments. Plus, the sleek black front will look chic in any bedroom setting. Note, this fridge has a US two-pin plug.
Key specifications
| Capacity | 10 litres |
|---|---|
| Minimum temperature | 4.4 degrees |
| Maximum temperature | 15.5 degrees |
| Dimensions | H37.5 x L27 x D33cm |
| Noise level | Unspecified |
Equipped with a brushless fan system that keeps noise to a minimum, Subcold’s skincare fridge will make a neat edition to your vanity table. It only weighs 3kg and comes with a carry handle for easy transportation. Opt between a cool three degrees or warming 65 degrees (controlled at the touch of a button) for the ultimate spa day.
Key specifications
| Capacity | Six litres |
|---|---|
| Minimum temperature | 18 degrees below ambient temperature |
| Maximum temperature | 45-65 degrees |
| Dimensions | H30.8 x W20.8 x D27.3cm |
| Noise level | 30dB |
While this skincare fridge doesn’t offer a warming function like some of the other models on our list, it does boast an LED mirror with three levels of brightness – a welcome addition for when you’re doing your full skincare routine.
Key specifications
| Capacity | Four litres |
|---|---|
| Minimum temperature | 20 degrees below ambient temperature |
| Maximum temperature | 10 degrees below ambient temperature |
| Dimensions | H25cm |
| Noise level | Unspecified |
Just like the fridge above, this one also comes with an adjustable LED mirror on the door – ideal for doing your makeup in the morning. There isn’t any storage space in the door, but the fridge does have a six-litre capacity, which should be large enough for all your lotions and potions.
Key specifications
| Capacity | Six litres |
|---|---|
| Minimum temperature | 20 degrees below ambient temperature |
| Maximum temperature | 15 degrees below ambient temperature |
| Dimensions | H35.6 x W19.4 x D24.3cm |
| Noise level | 38dB |
The final verdict on skincare fridges
Beauty fridges are a fun addition to your dressing table, especially if you have plenty of skincare and beauty products. However, they certainly aren’t an essential.
That said, our beauty team enjoyed the feel of their products once they’d been chilled and appreciated having them close to hand rather than having to wander downstairs to find them in among the groceries.
While they may not make a massive difference to the quality of your products, they’re a nice to have at an affordable price. We also think they'd make a cool gift for any beauty buffs in your life.
Megan is the Good Housekeeping Institute’s senior homes and lifestyle writer. She loves diving into the latest product releases to find the very best buys on the market and has written hundreds of product reviews on everything from the best vacuum cleaners and coffee machines to the best ice cream makers and robot window cleaners.
When she’s not writing about the newest gadgets and gizmos for your home and garden, you’ll find her running every distance from 5km to 100km or relaxing at home with her cat – there really is no in between.
Megan has an MA in Magazine Journalism and has previously written for Stylist, Glamour, Women's Health, TimeOut, SquareMeal, and YOU magazine. You can find Megan on Instagram @meganlouisegeall.
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