As much as needed: the measure of self-care The true luxury? Having time to do the skincare routine
"A pea-sized amount," "two pumps of serum," "a light swipe." In the language of the beauty routine, there exists a glossary of unofficial units of measurement that are, nonetheless, universally recognized. They are more than technical instructions: they are rituals. Gestures that promise results and, at the same time, reassurance. But who decides how much is enough to feel good? Our skin type, a dermatologist, an algorithm, or the packaging in our hands? In recent years, skincare has become the battlefield between two philosophies: minimalism, which subtracts and simplifies, and layering, which adds and layers. Yet, between excess and restraint, there is a third way: proportion, the new invisible luxury.
Skincare as a language of its own
We don’t care for our skin just for an aesthetic goal; we do it for the way it makes us feel. The amount of product we use says far more than we think:
- how much attention we are willing to give ourselves
- how much time we can dedicate
- how willing we are to listen to ourselves
Proportion is an act of identity, not a number.
Time as an active ingredient in skincare
Routines fail not because products are missing, but because minutes are missing. In a world that measures performance in steps, the true revolution is deciding how much time our self-care is worth. And this brings up a new question: how much is enough to feel good, not just look good?
Products that measure (even for us)
A new generation of brands has understood that quantity is part of the experience. No more generic bottles, but objects that teach proportion.
Lace Beauty - Lizzy Cleansing & Makeup Removing Cream
Controlled dosage, zero waste. A cleanser designed to deliver only what you need. Cleansing with TAP rhythm and innovative airless packaging that dispenses the exact amount required; avoiding waste and contamination. No spills, no excess: it enforces awareness.
SVR - B3 Ampoule Hydra
The serum as an essential step. A dropper that encourages precision: no need to fill it, one or two drops are enough. Here, proportion doesn’t limit, it enhances.
Paula’s Choice - Skin Perfecting BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Exfoliation is not a race. This product introduces a new approach: just a few drops, 1-2 pumps. The skin listens, and responds.
ADESSO Beauty - Handcare Hydralift
Hands don’t need an endless ritual. Apply a small amount of cream as needed, even several times a day. Hand cream becomes a daily gesture. Measurable, repeatable, human.
Lavika - Face Cream
Calibrated hydration. A texture designed to be applied mindfully, without overloading the skin: it teaches you to stop when it’s enough.
Minimalism vs. Layering: a false dichotomy in skincare
You don’t have to choose a side. Layering reassures, minimalism liberates. Proportion is the meeting point:
- if you have time, add (maybe on weekends)
- if you’re exhausted, reduce
- if you don’t know what to do, listen to your skin
The ideal routine isn’t in a viral video, but in our bathroom, in front of our mirror, in our own time.
The pleasure of proportion: ASMR as a mental break
Slow videos and ASMR showing textures, dosages, and close-ups of hands are not just social aesthetics: they are cognitive oxygen. They teach that even a repeated gesture can be a form of meditation.
Q.B. means enough: experts weigh in
Beauty is not determined by quantity, but by intention. Care is defined not by performance, but by continuity. It’s not the bottle that tells us who we are, but the gesture we choose to repeat. The true question today is simple and revolutionary: how much is enough for me? And if we start answering honestly, we may discover that beauty has never been in the steps, but in the freedom to choose our own proportion.