Irish Daily Mail

Are ready you for this jelly?

Gel formulas are the hot new make-up trend — and claim to be perfect for older skin, but . . .

- by Anna Maxted

GLOWING skin is harder to maintain in midlife, so let’s give thanks to the beauty gods for the gift of jelly make-up.

This new breed of cosmetics in wobbly, gelatinous form is a joy if you find your favourite powder foundation, blush and eyeshadow now settle in — and consequent­ly emphasise — every crease and line.

Jelly-textured products — first developed by leading Asian cosmetics companies — are hydrating, longlastin­g and deliciousl­y easy to use. They’re light and sheer on the skin, don’t sink into your wrinkles and give you a natural-looking boost.

‘The finest jelly cosmetics are like a hybrid of a cream and a gel, and so can address the issues you might find with standard make-up textures,’ says internatio­nal make-up artist Ariane Poole, who has worked with a host of stars, including Catherine Zeta-Jones and Christy Turlington, and has her own line of cosmetics.

‘For example, creamy products tend to slip off the skin, powders can sit on the surface, emphasisin­g fine lines and wrinkles, and gels can be drying and difficult to blend.’

However, with jelly-textured products, ‘you get the dewy radiance and blendabili­ty of a cream, as well as the lightweigh­t sheerness and staying power of a gel — a pigmented glow with longevity’, Ariane adds.

‘They’re fun, buildable in terms of coverage and colour, and work well with pretty much all skin types.’

Surely it’s time to add some jiggle to your beauty regime and treat yourself to some jelly? Here, ANNA MAXTED tests six of the best.

CREASE-FREE EYELID GLOSS

Butter London Glazen Eye Gloss in Oil Slick,€11.86, amazon.co.uk IRIDESCENT and glittery — this eye gloss is quite beautiful. And, as it isn’t a powder, I don’t get any in my eyes.

Even though it’s gel-based, it feels curiously dry to the touch — but I press my fingertips to my eyelids and it transfers as slick as oil.

I’m cautious of eyeshadow, as any powder highlights my droopy eyelid folds, making me look like Deputy Dawg. However, this stays crease-free all day.

The sparkly purplish hue is pretty and almost subtle if used sparingly — and there are lighter shades available for the fainter hearted.

VERDICT: Surprising­ly flattering: youthful, but not muttony. 4/5

A RADIANT (BUT SHINY) FACE FIX

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Gel Touch Foundation, €48, johnlewis.com SINCE I’ve hit my half-century, powder foundation is no longer my friend as it sticks in every crevice, so the concept of a gelbased foundation is exciting. In a compact, the foundation is

released sparingly through a fabric screen and you dab it on with a dainty sponge.

After applying it, I’m aghast to see that my nose looks as shiny as polished oak, and that specks of foundation are visible on every oily pore. Still, the drier skin on my chin looks evenly toned.

In fairness, it promises a dewy look on cleansed skin — not on hot, sweaty, just-got-off-theTube skin. Those with an oily complexion (and my T-zone is having a moment) are recommende­d to combine this with a sheer powder, but this would coat every fine hair, giving me face powder fur.

I reapply it when I’m less hot and bothered. Alas, still shiny.

VERDICT: Evens out my skin tone, but leaves me shiny. 3/5

PLEASING POUT PROTECTOR

Eos Crystal Melon Blossom Lip Balm, now €6.99, boots.ie THIS dome of clear jelly sitting in a little pink pod is ridiculous­ly pleasing to the eye.

Solid enough to swipe on to your lips, the jelly contains five natural oils — shea, coconut, avocado, castor seed and sunflower seed — but, unlike traditiona­l lip balms, is beeswax-free.

It’s only now that I realise wax is what makes other lip balms feel greasy and gluey and leave an ugly residue on the edge of my glass. To add insult to injury, days later, my lips would feel dry. Eos’s lip balm, by contrast, is smooth, non-sticky and slides on thinly and cleanly. VERDICT: Understate­d, but feels hydrating — impressive. 5/5

CHEER UP YOUR CHEEKBONES

INC.redible You Glow Girl Highlighte­r in Cosmic Blur, €8.64, feelunique. com ‘VERY Girl’s World,’ remarks my husband as I gleefully tap the white, pearlescen­t gel on my cheekbones with my fingertips, relishing the cool, bouncy texture.

The tiniest touch imparts a sleek shimmer the colour of a fairy’s wing. (Another shade, Flocking Fabulous — bubblegum pink but non-sparkly — might be a wiser choice for work, but I’m pleased to add this to my beauty arsenal for special occasions.)

VERDICT: Playful, with glints of ultraviole­t — yet sheer enough that you look radiant. 4/5

SPOON ON THIS PERFECT PRIMER

Illamasqua Hydra Veil Primer, €41, illamasqua.com THIS is a cult product and deservedly so. My skin was parched and stubbornly resistant to even my favourite moisturise­r, then Hydra Veil Primer arrived like a jelly godmother in a smart black pot, complete with tiny spoon. I

scoop up a tiny amount of this clear, unctuous jelly (impossible to do this without an ‘ooh!’) and apply it. It feels calming and refreshing, and my thirsty skin drinks it in. There’s a slight tackiness when I press my hands to my cheeks, but it fades within ten minutes. This brilliant primer is rich in microalgae, vitamins C and B3, to help maintain your skin’s hydration levels, and sodium hyaluronat­e, which gives another moisturisi­ng boost. It creates an impressive tightening effect. I can actually feel it smoothing the canvas. My face appears brighter and feels softer. ‘Mmm,’ I say, admiring Hydra Veil’s work. ‘I see what you did there.’

VERDICT: Creates a thrillingl­y even base for my foundation, but, frankly, I’m so glowing and peachy-faced, I feel there’s no need to add it. 5/5

BLUSH THAT BLENDS LIKE A DREAM

Rimmel Jelly Blush in Melon Madness, €10.49, boots.ie THIS dusky pink shade looks humdrum and dowdy on the shelf, but turns out to be rather gorgeous once it’s on my face.

It comes in a little pot like a lip balm, and is more liquid than jelly, but actually its light consistenc­y makes it hard to over-apply.

I’m suspicious of wild promises, but I dab this on with my finger and it blends in so smoothly it bestows an ‘instant wash of dewy colour’, just as described. Its juiciness is in happy contrast to the powder blushes I usually use, which I now find to be dustily ageing.

VERDICT: My cheeks look charmingly flushed and the blush appears to lessen my skin’s imperfecti­ons. 4/5

 ?? Picture: GETTY / ISTOCKPHOT­O ??
Picture: GETTY / ISTOCKPHOT­O
 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Ireland