Moisturizer is getting a bad rap this year. I was watching Camille Co’s vlog with Dr. Vicki Belo, and the dermatologist said to rule it out of your skincare ritual. I quickly ran to my vanity and rethought my routine.

Based on a few beauty regimens online, it seems like more people are reaching just for a serum or facial oil for the hydration. But for those who need something extra, gel seems to be the answer.

Compared to the usual cream moisturizer, a gel one is more watery. This makes it easier for your skin to absorb. In humid weather, gels seem to be the best choice as it doesn’t leave a greasy feeling on your skin. Water in the formulation also serves as a direct way to deliver the other ingredients to the skin.

Gel moisturizers aren’t anything new. Look at the different K-beauty brands for a few familiar variants. From these labels, gels have been spreading to Western brands.

 Cooling

Recently, Nuxe launched the Multi-Correction Gel Cream, under their Creme Prodigieuse Boost line, which features also an Energising Priming Concentrate and Eye Balm.

The gel cream feels cooling and does quickly sink into the skin. I like using it in the morning as I can quickly layer it under the Nuxe Sun SPF 50 Face Cream. All day, I not only heal dark and red spots but also prevent them. The Multi-Correction Gel Cream has a strong fragrance, reminiscent of the Huile Prodigieuse, so it’s good if you’re a fan of Nuxe’s famous multi-use dry oil.

At night, I’ve been using the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel, customized with the Active Cartridge Concentrate for Lines & Wrinkles. The gel is an innovation on Clinique’s signature Dramatically Different Lotion, the brand’s most popular product.

I find the gel indeed lighter on the skin than the thick lotion, and I do feel it suits my combination skin better, given how it’s oil-free. If you want something that has pollution protection, you can try their Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly with sunflower seed cake, barley extract, cucumber fruit extract and hyaluronic acid.

Going further into this gel business, I’ve picked up Aesop’s B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel. Since it has vitamin C, this one is best to use exclusively at night.

It has an interesting texture, thick like a medical-grade solution. But as you massage it on to your face, it thins out and your skin absorbs it easily. It gives antioxidant protection along with vitamin B. What I like most is how I don’t wake up with a greasy feeling, and my skin feels a little firmer.

I don’t think moisturizers will ever leave our vanities. But they’re definitely transforming to adapt to our ever-changing lifestyles. A gel is the new nonmoisturizer moisturizer. —CONTRIBUTED