Where do you store skincare products? A sunlit bathroom counter looks great in beauty shelfies, but the heat and humidity can break down creams and make skincare ingredients less effective. Learn about the best way (and place) to store your beauty stash.

Take everything except facial cleanser out of your bathroom

Bathrooms are full of bacteria, who love the moist environment created by damp surfaces and the steam from hot showers. If you store products on your bathroom counter, you transfer bacteria into the creams (and your face) each time you dip your fingers in the jar.

That’s why it’s better to take all your beauty products out of the bathroom. Just leave your facial cleanser, which has anti-bacterial ingredients anyway.

However, the humidity and heat will cause even cleansers to deteriorate over time. Finish your cleanser within 6 months after opening, and keep the lid tightly closed so water doesn’t get in — especially if you keep it in the shower.

Be extra careful with natural skincare products

Natural skincare tends to break down faster because it doesn’t have preservatives or uses extracts that oxidize, curdle or lose efficiency when exposed to light. You should store those in a cool, dark place (like a cabinet or drawer).

However, the best way to store skincare that’s 100% natural is in a refrigerator. You may even like the extra cooling effect, which feels refreshing and can help minimize pores and soothe redness and inflammation.

Prepare DIY treatments with sterile tools

Use up any homemade scrubs or masks within 1 to 2 days. If you want them to last longer, take extra precautions when you’re making them: wash mixing tools and containers in hot soapy water, use disposable gloves, and store away from sunlight.

Therese, who buys essential oils and mixes them into her clay masks, says she pre-mixes her oils but doesn’t add them to scrubs or masks until she’s ready to use them.

While she buys some essential oils in bulk, she always transfers them into smaller bottles so she doesn’t expose the entire batch to heat or sunlight.

Use a small spatula

Don’t dip your fingers into your cream jars! Scoop out the product with a small spatula or plastic spoon.

Store Vitamin C, retinol and probiotic products in the fridge

Some ingredients — like Vitamin C, retinol, and “live cultures” / probiotics) — oxidize faster when they are exposed to heat and light. The best skincare products come in dark or opaque bottles that block out the heat. However, in a hot climate like Singapore, it’s best to keep them either in the refrigerator or a dark, cool place like a cabinet or drawer. It won’t stop them from expiring, but it will make sure that their ingredients stay effective.

Don’t store oils in the refrigerator

Oil-based products like some serums or cleansers will get cloudy if you put them in the refrigerator. Just keep them out of direct sunlight.

“My bathroom shelf is right next to a window, and there was no space to put a cabinet,” says Samantha. “I attached a curtain rod and bought very thick fabric to block out the sun. I also store my beauty samples and expensive masks in a wooden box, so they don’t spoil even if it’s very hot.”