Are You ready For This Jelly?

From gelatinous skin hydrators to blancmange-style strobers, beauty is having a proper wobble right now ( in a very good way), says Becci Vallis

On the coat tails of sheet masks, essences and cushioned compacts comes yet another Korean-inspired beauty innovation, and this one wouldn’t look amiss with a scoop of Ben & Jerry’s on the side. Brilliantly ‘ boomerangable’, transparent jelly textures are cropping up all over our social media feeds – and they are not as gimmicky as you might think…

SPRINGY SKINCARE

Gels and jellies are the new heroes in hydration, saturating skin with moisture. The big ‘No way! Yes way!’ is that they really do suit all skin types. ‘Gels contain a higher ratio of water to oil than creams, so they’re perfect for adding moisture without making skin greasy,’ says consultant dermatologist Dr Justine Kluk. ‘It’s why 

they’re good for hydrating skin prone to breakouts or excess shine.’

Regardless of their ‘gel’ label, there’s nothing sticky or icky about them, either. If anything, there’s sensory satisfaction in smoothing and massaging these refreshing formulas into your face. A big tick if you suffer from redness or sore, dry skin. It also means they make excellent carriers for active ingredients that can sometimes cause sensitivity and flare-ups. ‘Our gel mask contains high concentrations of vitamin C and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAS) but, due to the cooling gel formula, skin remains calm and relaxed,’ explains Natalie Taylor, product development manager at Rodial.

Water-loving humectants such as aloe vera, hyaluronic acid and algae are other popular ingredients to look out for. ‘ These are rich in polysaccharides and can hold water and trap it like a sponge,’ says Sally Penford, director of education at Dermalogica. Clearly brilliant at boosting your dehydrated epidermis, could they signal the demise of the day cream?

L’occitane Ultra Thirst-quenching Gel

[1], £28 Microbubbles ensure skin stays plump and dewy even if you’ve spent the day outdoors/under an air-con vent. Rodial Vit C Brightening Mask [2], £65 A juicy blend of AHAS, blood orange water, vitamin C and pomegranate extract, this mask exfoliates without grittiness.

Origins Cleansing Makeup Removing Jelly [3], £19.50 This gives good slip, especially when you add water. It’s gentle enough to massage away eye make-up, too.

Winky Lux Dream Gelee [4], £24 Doing double duty as a hydrator and a primer, aloe and caffeine fire up skin cells so your complexion looks spritely not sallow. Garnier Skin Active 3in1 Aloe Water Jelly [5], £12.99 To be used day and night or even left on as a mask if your complexion is feeling especially parched. Shiseido Waso Jelly Lotion [6], £24 With white jelly mushroom extract, this gel formula quickly liquefies to soften and hydrate sad skin.

MALLEABLE MAKE- UP

The new bouncy blueprint isn’t limited to moisturisers and cleansers; the watery texture lends itself to make-up, too. Lightweight and luminous, these cosmetics often contain microscopic shimmer pigments that remain suspended in the gel and help to create that glowy, natural effect we’re all desperate to nail.

‘ The textures don’t read as make-up so, instead of someone saying, “Nice make-up,” they’ll notice the glow on your cheekbone or a glimmer across your eye and question what it is or how you did it,’ says Caroline Barnes, make-up artist for Max Factor. ‘Because skin has so many tones, heavier make-up can act as a colour block and look fake, but these iridescent gels don’t.’

They also allow you to layer products without the risk of a ‘cakey’ dry down. Gels penetrate into skin quicker than creams and powders, and you use your fingers to apply them, so there’s no timewasting. A light tapping method is the preferred approach, advises make-up artist Lan Nguyen- Grealis, and means if you are layering on top of cream blushers, it won’t smush or disrupt the colour. That said, if you’re using them on your eyes, even the most agile fingertips might struggle to get up to the lash line, which is when you need to reach for a synthetic brush designed for wet formulas. Finally, because all that

water content keeps skin hydrated, your hard work will last longer so you won’t have to worry about your strobing efforts disappearing into the abyss post-lunch. Zoeva Strobe Gel in Parhelia [7], £11 With memory shape technology that allows the glitter particles to remain bulbous and reflective even when pressed into skin, this creates serious sheen. Wunder2 Glitter Gelly [8], £14.95 Chunky enough to see but delicate enough not to leave you wanting more. We approve. Nc.redible You Glow Girl in Cosmic

Blur [9], £10 Dot this pearlescent jelly on cheekbones – when the light catches it, the flashback will instantly make you look more chiselled. Guerlain Terracotta Reve D’ete [10], £34 A healthy shot of bronze, bottled. Try it and you’ll be hooked. Elizabeth Arden Limited Edition Dare to Bare Bronzing Gel Pearls [11], £25 Bronzing beads that burst on contact with the skin for an instant glow? Yes please. SUPPLE STYLERS For many of us, hair gel makes us think of boys with crunchy curtain-hair and ballet buns set so hard and sticky they brought a tear to your eye when you brushed them out. The struggle was real. But that was the ’90s. ‘Gels have evolved so much,’ explains Jason Hall, R+CO global stylist. ‘For a start, they’re now water-soluble and flake-free. They also used to be dry and inflexible, but now you can easily remould them by adding a little water.’

Of course, session stylists have been using them for seasons to assist with the wet-look hair trend, but Jason says these next-gen gels can be used to create everything from super-sleek ponies to pumped up blow-dries. Giving a hold and shine superior to dusts and dry shampoos, which can fall flat after a few hours, new innovations and technologies mean that they don’t just come in tubs any more either. Sprays and pumps allow you to target gels exactly where you need something ‘extra’ – say hello to your new flexible friends. Fudge Professional Xpander Jelly [12], £13.95

Containing wheat proteins and enzymes that swell hair, this gel also has heat protection, making it ideal for adding oomph pre-blow-dry. L’oréal Professionnel Tecni.art Dual Stylers Sleek & Swing [13], £15

Run a five-pence-piece blob of this through your ponytail to give it a gleam and stop split ends and flyaways ruining your sleek-chic vibes. Schwarzkopf OSIS+ Big Blast Volume Pump Gel [14], £13.15

Flexible polymers and conditioning agents create oomph that lasts, but also keeps hair shielded from heat and environmental damage. VO5 Mega Hold Gel Spray [15], £3.50 With UV protection and an anti-humidity blocker, this provides lockdown for hair that’s prone to frizz. IGK Rich Kid Coconut Oil Air- dry Styler [16], £25

Coconut oil gives hair shine but keeps things looking low-key and natural while the gel formula ensures your style stays in place. OK for dry or wet hair.