7 Ways You're Improperly Storing Your Beauty Products and Destroying Them

Sheet masks are the ultimate self-care guilty pleasure, so you'll want them to last as long as possible. "Sheet masks should be kept out of direct sunlight and stored in room temperature." explained Alicia Yoon, Founder and CEO of Peach & Lily. "The fridge is always a fun place to store sheet masks as the cooling effect can help alleviate inflammation and soothe skin on top of everything else the masks deliver".

The biggest tip is to keep everything closed and sealed tightly or the active ingredients in your skincare could be harmed. "I like to make sure that I'm closing my facial products fully to prevent air and water from getting into the products," said Yoon. "When your products are closed properly, it's safe to keep face creams in the bathroom as long as you are not taking steaming hot showers — which can create a very humid environment."

"It's easy to keep face washes in the shower for that quick in-shower wash, but be sure to keep them on a rack over the shower head or somewhere where they can dry easily", shared Yoon. "This can cause some mould and bacteria to build up around the product opening, and it's not a very hygienic way to store that cleanser."

Although your fragrance collection looks stunning displayed on your vanity, this might not be the best option if your window is close enough to allow sunlight into that area. Long-term sunlight exposure can gradually change your fragrance's scent and formula.

Your makeup collection is like your baby - so keep it away from heat and humidity that might cause changed to the formula, texture, colour and scent. This means not keeping your makeup bag in your bathroom during hot showers (trust us, you don't want mouldy eyeshadow) and not making a habit of leaving your new favourite lipstick in your car on a warm day.

"We tend to throw all our polishes in a bin of some sort to store them away," said Phylicia Henry, a licensed nail stylist. "Bottles that are laying on top of each other in an unorganised fashion tend to leak and spill onto other polishes making a big mess." Henry also recommends giving your polish bottles a good shake (or roll) from time to time to get the formula moving if the formula has begun to settle and separate.

Tossing a can of dry shampoo or hairspray in your gym bag might seem convenient. After all, a few spritzes of the stuff can make a huge difference in refreshing your hairstyle. However, you might want to steer clear of keeping aerosol cans in your travel bags as flammable products are at risk for leaking when left in direct sunlight.