Q: Hey Elle, question – you sometimes mention that you place products in the fridge so they last longer. How do you determine which ones go in the fridge and which ones do not?
A: I do not put products in the fridge so they last longer. Hopefully, companies are preserving their products properly, and I do not buy products that do not contain preservatives (unless it’s a butter). Vitamin E is not a strong enough preservative for me. The only reason I put some products in the fridge is because I rotate them, especially some glycerin products by season (see video on dew points for further explanation), so there is no point in them being out (meaning, on my product bookshelf or in my bathroom) if I’m not currently using them.
Now, if I make something, like flax seed gel, it has to stay in the fridge because I don’t add preservatives, but I try to use it up in a week or so, or it will go bad. Moldy flax seed gel is not that good good.
My recommendation is to make sure you are reading full ingredients lists to ensure the products are being preserved. Sometimes I look at an ingredients list and get so excited about the beneficial contents…then I’m like, hold up…where is the preservative? No ma’am, I need some optiphen or scary sounding preservative in there (No, I’m not going to provide a list of preservative ingredients – ingredients can easily be Googled for you to determine their intent. Usually, if you see a funny sounding name towards the end of the list, it’s a preservative.). I have a lot of products from testing, and I need them to last at least a year. Some companies, like Oyin, tell you to use up the product in 6-9 months, but honestly, I really think they say that to safeguard themselves – I’ve owned several Oyin products over the years that I have had for a year + and they never went bad even if I never kept them in the fridge (like the Whipped Pudding).
If you are unsure about the shelf life of a product, shoot a note to the company.
Hope that helps some.
xoxo
questfortheperfectcurl.com 
I don’t think having a special closet or anything means it is ‘that serious to’ you. It is just a practical question. I mean they must be stored somewhere right? As mentioned in the article, you store them on a product shelf so how different is that? I store body/face/hair products in a rubber trunk in my closet because that is the only space I have.
I wasn’t referring to where I actually store my products, I was talking about me doing a post solely on where my products are or a video (when I said it’s not that serious). People have requested this and I’m not sure why, it’s not like I have some impressive product castle that sprinkles glitter rain on you when you walk in. That’s all.
I read the name and thought you were going to reveal where you store your wide selection of hair products! lol
I did…in the post. I don’t have a special closet or anything, it’s not that serious to me.
Great info!
ellie elle! your videos and blog has helped me tremendously. just wanted to let ya know. can u believe it – i been a natural for years and years and yet never understood why my hair was so dry and i couldnt retain length until i heard you talk about low porosity and dew points…. anyways, thank you so much 😀