Fewer refills = More money to stock up on new products.

We all seem to work according to the philosophy “if a little is good, a lot must be better,” but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Apply too little and the product may not work at all, apply too much and you’ll look like a greasy mess.

If your lotions, serums and creams are always running low, you’re probably using too much. Fewer refills = More money to stock up on new products. When it comes to your hair and skincare products, here’s how much you should be using:

A pea

Eye cream: A pea-sized amount, half for each eye, dabbed on with your ring finger. Too much eye cream and you risk the cream migrating into your eye and causing the puffiness you’re trying to avoid.

Serum: Just a pea-sized amount is the perfect amount of product, as serums are concentrated. Tap the product onto problem areas, so that it is absorbed better.

R 5 coin

Shampoo: You don’t need half a bottle of shampoo to get shiny, hydrated hair. With shampooing, you’re focusing on your scalp not your whole head of hair.

Day cream: For soft, supple skin rather than oiliness, a little product goes a long way. Apply straight from your fingertips to cover your face, neck and ears for the day.

Night cream: At night, skin is most receptive to active ingredients, so apply a genous R 5-coin sized amount of your night cream for the best results.

A golf ball

Mousse: This quantity is enough to work through medium length hair without making it greasy and giving it just enough lift.

Foaming cleanser: Cleanser is diluted when mixed with water and you require a decent amount of product to get rid of impurities successfully.

A shot glass

Sunblock: Sunblock is the one product where you can’t be stingy. Using one bottle over the summer season is just not enough. A shot glass amount is enough to cover all exposed areas.