You wouldn’t add three cups of flour to a recipe that calls for two; you wouldn’t try to fill a one litre bottle with two litres of liquid; and you wouldn’t treat yourself to four rows of chocolate when the serving size clearly states that one is plenty. Okay, maybe, we’re all guilty of faltering on that last one, but as a general rule, too much of anything can be bad for you and serving sizes exist for a reason. When you order a bottle of wine instead of a glass, it’s far too easy to end up having more than you should, and the same goes for skincare – full sized products can definitely make it all too simple to over-apply. So, for every glorious product you own, there are suggested serving sizes to help ensure you never go under or overboard on your application. Enter single serve skincare, a collection of clever capsules and ampoules that allow you to get the perfect amount of product every single time. There are some serious benefits to single servings, but just in case your serum soulmate or moisturiser must-have doesn’t come in capsule form, we’re also breaking down how to DIY the dosages with your own products.
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What’s so great about single serve skincare?
With individual servings, your products come housed in soft-skin capsules or tiny glass vials containing the exact amount of product you need to apply per use. If you’re not immediately convinced by the fact that anything mini is ridiculously cute, there are also heaps of practical pros to single serves.
Firstly, capsules and vials keep the ingredients within your products fresh and active, protecting them from sunlight and air and making sure they’re as potent and powerful as can be when application time arrives. Secondly, the hygiene status is high, as they don’t allow for any contact contamination whilst in use. Say you’re dealing with a cold; we’d definitely advise against dipping germ-ridden fingers into the same pot of moisturiser that you’ll be using once flu-free, but with single servings you needn’t worry – next week’s product won’t contain any of the bacteria that you may have transferred to a full-size product this week.
Next up on the pro list? Travel! Individual use products are so vacation-ready that they should each be towing around tiny little passports; they’re already pre-packaged into plane-friendly sizes, ready to be divided up between your different bags. Last, but certainly not least if you’re accident-prone like me; capsules are designed for the clumsy. Even if one happens to fall, soft-skin capsules won’t shatter and a broken glass vial will only result in the loss of one applications’ worth, rather than the whole thing. Those gut-wrenching moments when your pricy product spills or smashes leaving serum running down your vanity (and tears streaming down your face) are a thing of the past with single serve skincare.
How to segment your own skincare
Whether you’re refreshing your skin in the A.M. or rinsing the day away before bed, there’s nothing like giving your complexion a good cleanse. But it’s definitely a step that can leave skin on the drier side when you use too much product. If you’re working with a cream or gel cleanser, a ten cent piece amount will get the job done; otherwise, one pump is perfect for foam formulas.
Applying serum is one of the most serene skincare steps there is, so it’s definitely easy to go overboard. But, the truth is, if your face oil or serum contains active ingredients you could actually be triggering sensitivity by applying too much. If you’re dealing with a dropper, place two to three drops into the palm of your hand before gently pressing into skin, and if your serum has a sturdier consistency, a pea sized amount is ideal.
Despite what you may think, more moisturiser doesn’t automatically equal more hydration. Overdoing it with your moisturiser can clog pores and leave the product feeling heavy on your skin. Use your ring finger to apply a dab of product onto your forehead, nose, chin and both cheeks, and then pat the product into your face, allowing each area an even amount. If you’re taking product down your neck (which you absolutely should be), allow two or three extra dabs for that area.
Eye creams are a great way to give the sensitive skin around your eyes a little TLC, but as this area is so small, a little goes a long way. Similar to serums, a pea sized dab of eye cream, split between both eyes, is perfect.
Sunscreen is not the step to scrimp on – in fact; it’s unlikely you’re ever applying too much. To achieve the SPF level stated on the bottle, a dollop equal to the size of a twenty cent piece will do the trick.
bh loves: Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum, Environ Skincare Focus Care Moisture + Vita Antioxidant Hydrating Oil Capsules, Skin Doctors potent Vit. A ampoules, L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Filler Ampoules, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intensive Recovery Ampoules ($168, esteelauder.com.au), Eve Lom Age Defying Smoothing Treatment ($232, mecca.com.au), Elemis Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules ($160, mecca.com.au)
Main image credit: Getty Images
Have you tried single serve skincare before? Are there any products you’re guilty of over-applying?
I have tried Elizabeth Arden’s single serve ceramide capsules before but wouldn’t again -the product was lovely but the excess packaging compared to one glass bottle is so wasteful and not environmentally friendly at all
Monodose capsules are really good to have around when you’re busy and need to streamline your routine on some days.
I believe I do a mixture of both, under and overuse products, despite their recommendations.