Korea is leading the way again in beauty and personal care trends – and no, not with Kim Jong Un’s nasty excuse for a hairstyle.
It’s time to move over, sheet masks, there’s a new skincare trend in turn! Jelly masks are taking the skincare world over this summer, as consumers snap up the latest K-beauty import and hydrate, clarify, and cleanse their skin.
So, what exactly is a jelly mask? With an eponymous jelly-like texture, jelly masks are light, bouncy facial masks found in jars and bottles. The smooth, slippery, Jello-O-like gels, creams, or clay-based masks are slathered on the face and then left to dry for anywhere from three to twenty minutes, and impart a host of benefits to users looking for a fun, inexpensive way to boost their skincare routines.
Wiggly but wonderful
Jelly masks have a wiggly, jiggly, slimy texture and are becoming increasingly popular for their easy application and quick dry times, fun colors and scents, and formulations that pack in everything from clarifying clay, to fruit extracts, to serious concentrations of super-powered, skin-rejuvenating ingredients like the alpha hydroxy acids, glycolic acid and lactic acid.
Although jelly masks originated in South Korea, U.S. manufacturer Lush has hopped on the trend train, with a highly publicized set of five jelly masks “loaded with a high concentration of natural ingredients” and “ a squidgy texture.” The masks have been lauded by everyone from Glamour to Harper’s Bazaar for being “fun as hell” and “fun and inventive,” and it looks like the jelly mask is now set to replace, or at least contend with, sheet mask selfies as the next social media phenomenon.
Brighter, plumper, smoother skin (thanks to glycolic acid)
Many of the jelly masks focus on creating brighter, supremely hydrated skin and incorporate highly moisturizing ingredients designed to plump up, re-texturize, and smooth out complexions. Glycolic acid is an especially popular addition to this latest iteration of facial masks, thanks to its multi-functional capability to moisturize skin, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and create glowing skin.
As the smallest of the alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), glycolic acid has a unique ability to deeply penetrate skin cells and rapidly remove the outermost, dry, dead, or damaged skin cells. One of the biggest culprits of dull skin is a lack of natural exfoliation, and a topical application of glycolic acid, like with one of the jelly masks currently flooding the market, can help slough off damaged skin cells quickly and reveal brighter, radiant skin quickly.
Aside from the social media frenzy over the Lush line of jelly masks, prestige and drugstore brands are also offering their own jelly masks up to consumers. On the more expensive end,
Dior’s uber-popular, Allure Magazine’s 2017 Beauty Award winner Hydra Life Glow Better Fresh Jelly Mask packs in the AHAs to deliver hydration quickly. Brands like Skinceuticals and cult-y favorite Herbivore are also frequently highlighted on the “Best Jelly Masks” lists floating around the Internet, and their formulations also focus on ramped up doses of Alpha Hydroxy Acids to deliver results.
Aside from the social media frenzy over the Lush line of jelly masks, prestige and drugstore brands are also offering their own jelly masks up to consumers. On the more expensive end, Dior’s uber-popular, Allure Magazine’s 2017 Beauty Award winner Hydra Life Glow Better Fresh Jelly Mask packs in the AHAs to deliver hydration quickly.
Brands like Skinceuticals and cult-y favorite Herbivore are also frequently highlighted on the “Best Jelly Masks” lists floating around the Internet, and their formulations also focus on ramped-up doses of AHAs to deliver results.
However, perhaps the most popular jelly mask of all, and one credited with kickstarting the jelly mask trend in the United States, is the K-beauty import Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Sleeping jelly mask.
This sleeping mask is a light, breathable gel formulation that packs in hefty doses of glycolic acid, along with a fun watermelon scent and light pink color, to seriously repair, hydrate, and rejuvenate dull, tired skin. This glycolic acid-packed jelly mask is so popular, it recently had an 8,000 person waiting list and sold out in two hours!
As our national skincare obsession continues, jelly masks packed with skin-repairing ingredients like glycolic acid, and their endless variety of fun textures, colors, and scents, will offer consumers an entertaining and enjoyable way to hydrate, plump, cleanse, and rejuvenate their skin this summer!
As Beyonce once sang, “Are you ready for this jelly?”
