A grain of rice, a hazelnut, or a large nut? How much cream to use is a very common question. There’s no need to be too generous with your skincare products! To know how much product to use to moisturize your face, wash your body, or shampoo your hair, follow the guide…
A little more or a little less? It is difficult to ignore this question today because the quantity of products used daily impacts the skin and the environment. There is no precise indication on the packaging because there is no standard dose for each product type. It is often approximate unless the container is equipped with a pipette, a pump bottle, or presented in the form of a single dose, except for sun care products. Believing that the more you use, the more effective it is, is a common mistake.
Cosmetic laboratories evaluate the ideal dose through extensive studies and consumer tests, but many products lack indicated quantity, so each person proceeds according to his desires and habits. Often with a heavy hand…
Facial moisturizers: keep a light hand
How much cream to use? For a moisturizing cream, it is enough to apply the value of chickpea to the face and neck.
More? Beware of the sticky effect. Another disadvantage is that some skin care products containing silicones, powders, or blurring agents create lint on the skin when makeup is applied over them.
Less? Goodbye to the expected hydration. And for the eye contour, it is the equivalent of a grain of rice for each eye, not more. As for the serum, four drops are more than enough for the face and neck. This highly concentrated formula is always applied in small doses and is spread without a problem. It does not need a ‘covering’ effect to diffuse the active ingredients, especially since the cream is often added on top.
Beware, therefore, of overdose, not necessarily good for the skin. Too much product does not bring more comfort and can have an occlusive effect, encouraging buttons, blackheads, and dermatoses. During consultations, some patients think they have dry skin when they have seborrheic dermatitis or rosacea. An overly generous application of cream tends to maintain the phenomenon. On the other hand, by applying too little, the skin is not sufficiently moisturized and will suffer in terms of comfort and suppleness; in addition, in fine, to age prematurely…
Anti-aging active ingredients: get your skin used to them
For these particular cares, it is necessary to respect the advice of how much cream to use. Retinol, for example, is a powerful active ingredient. It should be applied once a day, rather than in the evening, in small quantities. The ideal is the equivalent of a pea for the whole face. Especially not as a mask or in a thick layer, and never around the eyes. The trick to test tolerance and limit any risk of irritation is to apply it two evenings a week at first.
The skin gets used to it in three or four weeks, and you can gradually switch to every other night. The same goes for vitamin C products, which can also be irritating. This reference molecule exists in different forms, and its effectiveness varies according to dosage. When it is present at 15% in a formula, it stimulates the skin but becomes photosensitizing. It is crucial to apply it in small doses, the value of a pea, in the morning or evening, at the beginning and end of winter. As for fruit acids, which are very keratolytic, they have a peeling effect.
Here again, a small amount is sufficient. Apply every two or three nights, avoiding the eye area. One thinks of putting a photoprotection in the morning because they are slightly photosensitizing. Most often, irritation problems are not related to the product but to misuse. The skin can tingle at the beginning, it is normal, but it quickly stops because it gets used. Be careful not to choose a high concentration to start. One will opt for a cream dosed at 10 % glycolic acid maximum, especially if the skin is sensitive or acne-prone.
Body and hair: wash in moderation
In this category, how much cream to use should adapt to the texture, which is more or less concentrated from one product to another. Organic formulas, in particular, are often more liquid. For shower gel or oil, a nut, that is to say, the hollow of the hand, not more, allows amply to wash the body.
You don’t need to soap up much, except if you’ve had a dirty activity. You concentrate on your hands, feet, folds, and orifices, and that’s all. Otherwise, you risk damaging the skin, its hydrolipidic film, and its microbiome. And if you take several showers a day, limit yourself to a single soaping: on the face, a dab of foaming gel, or a squeeze of foam cleanses without upsetting the epidermis.
For the shampoo, a nice dab is enough when you have short or fine hair. Use the equivalent of a walnut for thick, curly, or long hair. And the same quantities are suitable for after-wash care. It’s good to remember that it’s the scalp that you should wash, not the lengths.
So, we take a little cleanser that we emulsify by adding water, gently massage the skull, and the lengths benefit from the flowing shampoo. As for nourishing plant oil or serum application on the scalp, a few drops are enough, the ideal being little but regularly. For the planet’s health, it is better to be moderate in using all these products because they end up in nature. Indeed, the more you use, the more it foams and the more water you need to rinse. It is where you quickly lose interest in using eco-designed cleaners.
However, recent formulas are cleaner and follow the evolution of regulations concerning environmental issues.
How much cream to use? Under the sun
How much cream to use? The dose is crucial for sun protection because it prevents sunburn and thus limits skin cancer risks. The recommended amount for each application is equivalent to six teaspoons, or 2 mg per cm2 of skin for a person of average build. Sunscreen is effective if you use it a lot and often!