How Much of Each Type of Beauty Product Should You Use?

Truth: Sometimes, there really can be too much of a good thing. And that’s definitely the case when it comes to your beauty products. The thing is, applying too much of a product—whether it’s a moisturizer, shampoo, or foundation, won’t necessarily make it work better. In fact, abiding by the motto less is more is often your best bet. If you aren’t quite sure how much of each type of beauty product you should use, keep reading. Below, we’re sharing a handy guide.

How Much of Each Skin Care Product Should You Apply?

Once you find the right regimen of skin care products for your skin type, it’s easy to get caught up in thinking that the more product you pile on, the better your skin will start to look. Unfortunately, as we mentioned previously, that’s not exactly what you can expect.

Cleanser: Instead of struggling to determine just the right amount of cleanser, reach for a micellar water like the L’Oréal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water Complete Cleanser Waterproof – All Skin Types, and saturate a cotton pad with the liquid. Hold the pad over closed eyes, then wipe to remove makeup (yes, even waterproof mascara), and finally sweep the pad across your skin to finish getting clean.

Moisturizer: When your skin feels particularly parched, you may be tempted to just use more of your moisturizer. In reality, the better option is to upgrade to a moisturizer meant for drier skin. Have your choice from L’Oréal Paris’s water-based moisturizers, formulated with hyaluronic acid and aloe vera water. Try the L’Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care for Normal/Dry Skin or L’Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care for Extra Dry Skin. To apply, start with a thin layer and smooth it gently over your face and neck morning and night after cleansing.

Broad-spectrum sunscreen: If there’s one product you really don’t want to skimp on, it would have to be broad-spectrum sunscreen. According the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), you should wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher daily as directed. Use enough sunscreen to cover your entire face and body—generally, this is about an ounce (the size of a shot glass), according to the FDA. Additionally, you should reapply sunscreen at least every two hours (or immediately after swimming or sweating) and take other sun protection measures including limiting your amount of time in the sun (especially during the sun’s peak hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), seeking shade, and covering up exposed areas in long sleeves, pants, UV-blocking sunglasses, and a broad-brimmed hat.

Eye cream: Typically, a pea-sized amount of an anti-aging eye cream, like the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Triple Power™ Eye Treatment, is all that it takes to cover your under-eye area. Think about it: this area is actually pretty small compared to the rest of your face!

Facial oil: While you might believe that using a facial oil will only make your skin look greasier, you may not be applying it correctly. If you have mature skin, stick with a light facial oil formula, like the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Facial Oil Light, and only use 4-5 drops. Place the oil in the palm of your hand and use your finger to dab it in small dots onto your skin. Gently smooth and press the oil into your face and neck, and you should be good to go—no matter your skin type!

How Much of Each Hairstyling Product Should You Apply?

Being heavy-handed with your hairstyling products can end up leaving your mane looking greasy. To make sure you aren’t walking around with locks that look less than fresh, these are the rules of how much hair product to apply.

Serum: Eye-balling how much product to use may not be for you—in which case, some products tell you exactly how many pumps or squirts to use. The L’Oréal Paris EverSleek Frizz Finish Oil-In-Serum is a prime example, as it specifies to apply just 1-2 pumps of product to your hair from the mid-length to ends (avoiding the roots is another helpful tip for steering clear of oily-looking hair).

Gel: Hair gel can be a must for keeping certain styles in place, but take it a little too far and you’ll have curls that look more crunchy than cute. With a strong hold hair gel, like the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle LOCK IT Extreme Style Gel, practice restraint. A dime-sized amount is all you need to work through the length of your locks and style.

Mousse: Looking to add definition to your hair? Turn your attention to mousse. Put an egg-sized amount of the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle AIR DRY IT Ruffled Body Mousse into your hand and apply throughout damp hair. Then scrunch to give your mane more shape.

How Much of Each Makeup Product Should You Apply?

The amount of makeup you wear is most definitely a personal choice. It’s totally fair to be partial to a low maintenance look, but it’s just as acceptable to want to wear a lot of makeup. Still, we can all probably agree that makeup that looks cakey or overdone is probably not what you’re going for. Here are a few guidelines to help make your makeup application routine easier.

Primer: Only use as much primer as it takes to cover your complexion in a thin layer. Apply the L’Oréal Paris Studio Secrets™ Professional Magic Perfecting Base dot by dot, then blend out.

Foundation: You likely wear foundation to perfect the look of your skin—but wearing too much can have the opposite effect. To steer clear of putting on too much, apply a light foundation, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation, to the back of your hand, then dip your applicator tool (such as the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Foundation Blender or brush) into the foundation, picking up just a little product at a time.

Blush: Dusting rosy color onto your cheeks can help you look more youthful, but that can go out the window if you’re brushing on too much blush. You only need a little, applied to the apples of your cheeks, to create the appearance of a youthful flush. Dip a brush into your L’Oréal Paris True Match™ Blush, then tap on the edge of your vanity to remove excess pigment. Use a light hand to dust on color, and be sure to check your face in natural lighting before heading out for the day.

Bronzer: One of the biggest mistakes that gets made with bronzer is applying it all over your face. While that may technically give you the sun-kissed glow you’re after, you could also end up with a face that doesn’t match your body. No question about it, that’s a major makeup mishap. Instead, focus bronzer on the outer edges of your face, applying in a sweeping “3” motion that places product on your forehead, cheekbone, and jawline.

Lip liner: Over lining your lips, or applying lip liner outside of your natural lip line, is a technique that can make your lips appear fuller temporarily. It may sound too good to be true, but it’s not, as long as you try it the right way. Grab a matte lip liner that matches your lip color and trace right along the perimeter of your lips. Try the L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Matte Lip Liner. The line can go just beyond your lips for a touch of faux fullness, but drawing the line any further can make things look obviously unnatural.

Lip gloss: Ever had your hair stick to your lip gloss? Pretty sure we can answer that one for you! The problem might be how much you’re using. Start with a small dot of the L’Oréal Paris Infallible 8 HR Le Gloss in the center of your lower and upper lip, then use the applicator to blend it outwards. That should be all you need to give your pout a bit of shine—without creating a sticky disaster.

Need to know more beauty basics? Check out The Busy Girl’s Morning Skin Care Routine.