Gel Skin Care Products
Gel Is Having a Major Moment in Skin Care Right Now
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Lately we've been seeing one word over and over again at the beauty desk — gel. Now these are not the same blue cleansers you used as a pimply preteen to dry out zits overnight. First of all, the technology is much more advanced, and you won't find any microbeads suspended in these viscous products. The new iteration of the old trend is much more moisturizing than the predecessors.
Gels have always been the standby solution for women with oily skin because they quickly get rid of shine. But each of these new launches has improved the old category with extra hydration. You won't have to worry about a sticky residue or peeling. They are just as hydrating as thick cream formulas minus the greasy finish. Finally, you don't have to reserve your favorite gel moisturizer just for the humid Summer months. Shop our favorite new-age gels below.
1 Jurlique Rose Moisture Plus Revitalising Gel Lotion
Even though Jurlique Rose Moisture Plus Revitalising Gel Lotion ($47) moisturizes the skin like all the other gel formulas, this creamy concoction also creates a hydrating barrier. It has omega-3s to provide moisture without a greasy finish. Plus, it has that signature rose scent that Jurlique is known for.
2 YSL Touche Eclat Blur Primer
The YSL Touche Eclat Blur Primer ($52) is a viscous gel filled with golden, illuminating particles. Applied before foundation, the product softens the skin and fills in fine lines.
3 Belif First Aid Antihangover Soothing Mask
Oh, the morning after. It seems as if nothing can erase the dark circles and irritated redness from a night out partying. Nothing but this Belif First Aid Antihangover Soothing Mask ($34). The soothing gel cools skin with chamomile. If you're not a binge drinker, this mask is also a suitable treatment for sensitive skin.
4 Erborian Bamboo Waterlock Mask
Korean skin care brands have had a leg up on the gel technology for a while, and the Erborian Bamboo Waterlock Mask ($43) infuses the skin with moisture. The formula includes bamboo sap to get maximum hydration.
5 Chanel Hydra Beauty Micro Sérum
The miniature drops suspended in the Chanel Hydra Beauty Micro Sérum ($110) are packed with moisturizing camellia oil extract. This lightweight formula also contains blue ginger, which protects your complexion against the unseen aging culprit — free radicals.
6 Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Melting Cleanser
The Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Melting Cleanser ($34) isn't your typical gel face wash. The thick, orange product melts into an oil that easily cuts through waterproof makeup once you add heat. Then, a splash of water converts the cleanser into a milky finish.
7 Dr. Jart Brightening Infusion Hydrogel Mask
When we think gel, we automatically think cooling (probably because of all the sunburn treatments). The Dr. Jart Brightening Infusion Hydrogel Mask ($8) is the ideal hangover remedy if you still want to make it to brunch.
8 Clinique Repairwear Sculpting Night Cream
Thick, greasy night creams can totally ruin a good pair of sheets (Egyptian cotton, forget it!). The Clinique Repairwear Sculpting Night Cream ($65) is the antithesis of those petroleum jelly products of the past. Your skin will absorb every last drop of this hydrating treatment before you can even start counting sheep.
9 Algenist Genius Ultimate Antiaging Melting Cleanser
The microalgae oil in the Algenist Genius Ultimate Antiaging Melting Cleanser ($38) is packed with antioxidants to combat crepe-y skin. It starts out as a gel, warms into an oil, and finishes as a soapy cleanser. You won't have to worry about an oily residue left over after you rinse.
10 Bliss Fabulous Makeup Melt Gel-to-Oil Cleanser
You can go ahead and skip the makeup-remover step in your nighttime beauty routine with the Bliss Fabulous Makeup Melt Gel-to-Oil Cleanser ($28). The gel transforms into an oil on contact, so it won't leave you dried-out and flaky.
11 Skin Inc. Pure Deepsea Hydrating Mask
The instructions on the Skin Inc. Pure Deepsea Hydrating Mask ($75) recommend removal, but it feels so silky smooth that we've turned it into an overnight treatment. Unlike most heavy night creams, all traces are dissolved by morning.
12 Boscia Exfoliating Peel Gel
If you're not into swiping acids on your face and feeling the burn, the Boscia Exfoliating Peel Gel ($34) is a gentler alternative. The gel slowly breaks down the dry, outer layer of dead skin without the painful sizzling.
13 Dolce & Gabbana Aurealux Eye Gel
Some eye creams can be too heavy to wear under makeup, weighing down concealer and foundation. But Dolce & Gabbana's Aurealux Eye Gel ($72) evaporates into the area, soothing aching undereye circles and puffiness. Happy hour, what happy hour?
14 Peter Thomas Roth Radiance Oxygenating Masque
We'd use the Peter Thomas Roth Radiance Oxygenating Masque ($55) even if it didn't have the ability to even skin tone. The bubbling action you get once the product hits your skin is too fun to resist.
15 Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Cream
Hyaluronic acid is a favorite in moisturizers because it can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. So applying the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Cream ($20) all over your face is like doing the Ice Bucket Challenge to tighten and hydrate your skin.
16 Shiseido Ibuki Multisolution Gel
The Shiseido Ibuki Multisolution Gel ($38) is formulated to combat all the skin sins 20-somethings encounter — acne, alcohol-induced dryness, oversize pores. This spot treatment contains salicylic acid to invisibly remedy all your beauty emergencies.
