This Is the Correct Amount of Each Skincare Product to Apply

Here’s a skincare habit that may prevent you from getting the most out of your products: applying more or less than you should. Using more than you should can lead to pilling where your skincare rubs off. Using less than you should can lead to unsatisfactory results where it takes longer for your skincare to work.

Moreover, even the products lack clear instructions, offering only vague suggestions like ‘apply a generous amount’ or ‘use a small amount’. Whether it’s a serum or a moisturizer, we need guidelines regarding the amount of skincare we use to ensure maximum benefits.

Fear not. Be it a serum or an eye cream, there’s a consensus around the correct amount of each skincare product to use. It’s like the unspoken skincare rule that benefits everyone. Keep reading to learn how much of your product you should be applying to reap the most benefits.

How Much Cleanser to Use

Your cleanser is your most frequently used skincare product. Using too much will be a waste of money. Plus, if it’s an exfoliating cleanser, it has the potential to irritate your skin. On the flip side, using less won’t clean your skin properly.

If you’re using a regular gel or foaming cleanser, a nickel-sized amount is enough. This roughly translates to half a tablespoon. If your cleanser comes in a pump dispenser, use one or two full pumps for a thorough cleanse.

If you’re double cleansing with a cleansing oil, which has a pump dispenser, use one full pump to dissolve your makeup. If you’re using a cleansing balm, which is solid and comes in a jar, use a dime-sized amount.

If you’re using a liquid makeup remover like a micellar cleanser, you should be using cotton pads. In that case, use as many as you need to remove your makeup.

How Much Toner to Use

When it comes to toners, which are liquid products, it’s more about the ingredients than texture. Because an exfoliating toner, when overused, can irritate and cause sensitivity.

If you’re applying toner with cotton pads, use 3-5 drops to saturate the pads. Cotton pads make it easier to evenly distribute the product because you can use the other side of the pad too.

If you’re using your hands to apply your toner, get 3-5 drops of your toner into your palm and gently pat it onto your face covering your cheeks, forehead, and chin avoiding the eye area.

If your toner is a mist, 3 sprits should be enough to evenly cover your whole face. In the end, you should have satisfyingly damp skin.

How Much Serum to Use

Face serums are among the most effective products to treat several skin issues. They are extremely concentrated and a small amount goes a long way.

But texture doesn’t factor into how much serum you should use, the ingredients do! Whether it’s a retinol serum, an antioxidant serum, or an exfoliating serum, use a pea-sized amount, which is enough to cover your whole face.

If your serum has a pump bottle, pump out a pea-sized amount. If it has a dropper, get 3 drops of your serum into the palm of your hand and pat it onto your skin.

The amount may feel like it’s too little. But it’s not. If you like to apply your serum directly onto your skin, use one drop for your forehead, one drop for your right cheek, and one for the left cheek.

You’ll see that it spreads out equally and it’s more than enough to coat your face. As facial essences are like face serums, use the same amount for them too.

In the end, you should feel a very thin layer spread evenly on larger areas of the face like cheeks, forehead, and chin. You shouldn’t feel residual serum on your skin where it feels like you should blend it in.

How Much Moisturizer to Use

Moisturizers offer the easiest way to get soft, smooth, and plump skin. So we’re all guilty of overusing them when our skin feels a little bit drier.

And sometimes, even otherwise non-problematic moisturizers can feel tacky, and greasy on the skin simply because there’s too much of it on your skin. So it’s best to do it right.

You should use a nickel-sized amount of moisturizer for your whole face. This is the right amount for daily moisturizers, lotions, and gel creams.

If you’re using a moisturizer made with active ingredients like a retinol night cream, then you can’t over-use the product. For those types of treatment moisturizers, use a pea-sized amount.

How Much Eye Cream to Use

I constantly over-use my eye cream, which resulted in milia under my eyes several times. I’ve learned that less is more! A pea-sized amount of eye cream is enough to cover both under-eye areas.

How Much Face Oil to Use

Face oils don’t disappear into the skin. Unlike a water-based serum, a face oil stays on the skin and coats it. So overusing a face oil will feel uncomfortable on the skin.

Use 3 drops of your face oil and instead of patting your skin with it, you can go ahead and spread the oil on your face to make sure you cover all areas.

How Much Sunscreen to Use

Sunscreen is a little different than other skincare products. Because it’s about preventing UV rays from damaging your skin. So the consensus is that you can’t overdo this and that there’s nothing wrong with overusing sunscreen.

But there’s so much noise around this topic. I’ve seen dermatologists recommending 4 straight lines of SPF on your 4 fingers for the first application on your face and I’ve seen some recommending 2 fingers.

Some people use terms like shot glass, or tablespoon to describe the right amount. And there’s also the fact that sunscreens can come in spray, stick, or powder forms.

But overall, the idea is that it’s better to overdo it than to underdo it. And the two-finger rule seems to work really well where it’s neither too much nor too little.

So this is how much skincare you should be applying. The correct amount will make sure you’re not wasting your product and that you’re using enough to collect the benefits. Except for sunscreen, less is more with your skincare products. If you’re applying your products correctly but you’re still experiencing pilling, make sure to check out our guide to how to prevent skincare pilling.