Skin Care Microdosing: Benefits, Risks & How To Do It Right

Even with a teeny dose, there is still a chance your skin could react to a certain active, be it from the potency or an allergy to the ingredient itself. That said, you should still patch test a product before slathering on—even if it does contain 1/10 its usual power. “There’s also the risk of microdosing multiple products with the same active ingredient which can bring you right back to square one,” warns Rodney. Translation: Micro concentrations do not give you permission to layer serum after serum. 

And for those without sensitive skin concerns, “I look at micro dosing as a gateway to your full skin care routine,” Zeichner says. “The goal is to eventually transition yourself to a full concentration.” Of course, “full concentration” has a different definition for everyone; the point is, you might want to use microdosing as a way to investigate how much your skin can truly handle, increasing or decreasing the dosage until you find a happy medium. Because just as you don’t want to overwhelm your skin with too-potent formulas, you also want to make sure your regimen, well, actually works. 

Lastly (and this probably goes without saying), both Rodney and Zeichner emphasize: Don’t microdose your sunscreen. You still need about a nickel-sized dollop for your entire face, reapplying every two hours for optimal protection.