9 Tips on Storage and Preservation of Homemade Cosmetics

Making beauty products at home is a wise idea because we will not be adding any harmful chemicals or toxins to the products. However, many women face a problem with homemade cosmetics or beauty products. Such products have a very short shelf life because of which we cannot store them for long. But you need not worry about it anymore because we’ve come up with this blog on homemade cosmetics storage tips for you!

Using native ingredients in beauty creams and lotions has been going on for thousands of years. Get to know some international beauty products with native ingredients.

Now, are you ready to look at the DIY beauty product preservation tips? We are!

Effective Preservation Methods for Homemade Cosmetics

1. Refrigerate Products

Most beauty products need to be kept in a cool and dry place, where bacteria cannot breed, and there is no better place than the refrigerator. Most cosmetics last the longest when kept in the fridge. Refrigeration is one of our tips for keeping homemade skincare products safe and making them last longer.

2. Avoid Storing in the Bathroom

While making our own beauty products can be handy, it reduces the shelf life of the products. Storing them in bathrooms further reduces the shelf life. Bathrooms are often damp and the temperatures vary due to heat and steam released by hot showers.

These conditions encourage the growth of bacteria that can ruin your homemade products. So keep them away from your bathroom if you wish to use them longer. Keeping products in a dry place can restrict the growth of bacteria. That is why we say it’s one of the most effective ways of storing homemade cosmetics safely.

3. Refrain from Using Your Hands While Transferring

There may be occasions when you must transfer your homemade skincare products from one container to another. While doing this, refrain from using your hands. Hands may contain germs and other bacteria that may spread to the beauty product and spoil it. Since the homemade beauty product shelf life is already less than that of the ones we purchase in stores, you don’t want to minimize the shelf life further by using your hands. Therefore, it is always better to handle the products using spoons or spatulas made especially for the purpose.

If you do have to use your hands, ensure they are clean and wiped dry so as not to spread unwanted germs or bacteria to the products.

4. Use Sterile Containers

Before you store a homemade product in the jar or bottle, make sure it’s sterilized. You don’t want to put your product in a jar full of fungus or bacteria.

Ensure that the jars or bottles are dry and clean before you pop the product in. Glass jars are preferred as they don’t melt like plastics and affect the chemical composition of the natural product. And, using sterile containers is one way of preserving natural beauty products.

5. Use Squeeze-Type Containers

We have already seen that hands are the main pollutants of homemade products. So, it’s better to utilize hands-free containers. Try to find squeeze type of bottles or tubes and containers so that the products last longer and are untouched by our hands. Using tubes is also one of the best storage practices for DIY cosmetics.

You can also consider using airless or pump-style jars and bottles so that you will not contaminate your creams and lotions with your fingers.

6. Add Vitamin E as an Ingredient

Vitamin E is not a preservative but an excellent antioxidant. Thus, it safeguards your products from oxidation. This is the reason why Vitamin E is found in beauty products. So, use Vitamin E as an ingredient to increase the shelf life of your homemade cosmetics. By adding Vitamin E, you will also be storing homemade cosmetics safely.

7. Utilize Thick and Dark Containers

Sunlight can affect the shelf life of homemade products. So, find containers that don’t let the sunlight in. In other words, avoid using transparent bottles. Store your products in opaque or thick containers. Dark containers will not permit the rays of sunlight to enter, thus ensuring longevity of homemade makeup items. 

8. Restrict the Use of Water

Beauty products containing water have a shorter shelf life when compared to butter or oil-based ones. Water breeds life, so it can result in the growth of bacteria and other germs. Do you know how germy your makeup is? 

Therefore, limit the use of water as much as possible while making and preserving cosmetics at home. Some products like linen sprays and hair rinses are water-based. So, you can prepare them in small quantities and store them for shorter periods of time.

9. Make Use of Preservatives in Moderation

Usually, the main purpose of preparing beauty products at home is to avoid all the harmful chemicals that the store products have. However, you can use some harmless chemicals in moderation to protect your homemade beauty products. Cosmetics or creams containing aloe vera or any water-based ingredient will need some preservatives. So, instead of overloading the products with preservatives, use them in minimal amounts. This is yet another one of those DIY cosmetic recommendations that we can give you.

More Storage Hacks for Homemade Skincare Items

Now that you have seen some storage and preservation ideas for homemade beauty products, you would have got the hang of safeguarding all your beauty items at home. Let’s look at a few more suggestions…

While storing or transferring beauty products, use air-tight containers. Make sure they are clean and dry before you begin using them! Don’t forget to keep all your cosmetics away from toddlers and pets.

Long-Lasting Storage for Homemade Skincare Solutions

You already know that keeping homemade beauty products away from sunlight and moisture is a wise idea. But are you wondering where exactly you can preserve them? We are getting to that part…

Rolling carts can be used to store all your skincare and haircare products. They will fit into small corners and you can use them to move the products from one room to another. So, the best location to store your products is a rolling cart at home! Thus, you can ensure long-lasting storage for your homemade skincare solutions and creams.

Maintaining the Quality of DIY Beauty Products

Many say that grapefruit seed extract can be used to prevent bacterial growth in beauty items made at home. However, there are still some controversies regarding grapefruit seed extract. 

Consider using rosemary oil or tea tree oil as preservatives. But before doing so, make sure that these oils are safe for your products. They must not react with the ingredients in the products and become harmful to your skin.

Rely on Your Sense of Smell

Say NO to products that have exceeded their shelf life although you have put in a lot of effort to prepare them. Knowing your makeup’s expiry dates will also help you dispose of your beauty products and cosmetics that can no longer be used. You can judge a beauty product by its smell. If you get even a tiny whiff of stale smell or rotting smell from your homemade product, especially those that are applied to the face, it would be a good idea to toss them into the trash.

We hope you found this blog on homemade cosmetics storage tips useful. Remember our tips and keep your beauty products safe!