This is what's so amazing about moisturising gel

Moisturising gel has come to prominence in the UK skincare market, propelled by premium brands such as Clinique and Lancome. Cheaper alternatives, produced for the mid to low-budget beauty consumer, include many versions of plant-based water gels, especially those with aloe vera, watermelon and grapefruit extract.

If you are yet to try one, let me fill you in...

Widely touted as a summer moisturiser or, because of its high H20 content, best-suited to those with oily or combination skin, it has actually amassed universal appeal - all-year round.

You can pick up a jar for under a tenner, if you don't want to splash out on Clinique's highly-rated Moisture Surge or Lacombe's hybrid gel/cream Hydra Zen.

I need my products to work and be fast! I don't love having 50 different things in my bathroom, like a different cream for every inch of my face. That's so not me. — Heidi Klum

What's the difference between face gel and cream?

The hydrating gel differs from a cream on a number of fronts, but the big difference is that a gel is water-based. Below you will find some of the main characteristics of each, so you can compare.

Gel

• Aqueous base

• Lightweight

• Non-greasy

• Soothing

• Antioxidant

• Usually contains organic skincare heroes such as vitamins and hyaluronic acid

• Cooling/refreshing on the skin

Cream

• Rich consistency

• UVA protection

• Sometimes oily

• Heavier than a gel

• Contains skin balms

• Can contain fats

• Smoothing

• May contain ceramides and vitamins

• Holds moisture in the skin by forming a barrier

While both products are beneficial to skin, it is generally considered best to use a gel for an instant burst of cooling hydration. A cream, on the other hand, will treat even very dry skin - mainly because it contains emollients and oils.

Many skincare experts have suggested moisturising creams are most suited for winter use, offering good protection for skin chapped by biting cold and windy weather. But, I disagree. I think it comes down to preference; some people will always use a cream, no matter the season, while others may stick with a gel or use a combination of both.

The best thing about moisturising gel

I use a watermelon moisturising gel every day. As well as giving my skin a healthy glow, it delivers an experience. And it's this experience that makes a gel so different, as far as I'm concerned.

It feels like a watery serum but is oh-so refreshing. You literally feel as though your skin has been totally saturated - drenched - in goodness. I cannot get enough of it. Although I mostly use it at night, after the application of a vitamin C serum, some people will use a gel as a makeup primer. I'm going to try this because, I have to be honest, the gel I use is a bit sticky.

The coolness, the texture, the sensation of freshness, the blast of hydration... That's what really sets a gel apart from a cream.

If you don't believe me, why not give it a try?