The new Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelée is a really unusual product. It has the most surprising texture – similar to that of gelatin – and is slightly cool and watery to the touch. If I hadn’t already known that it was a blush, I’m not sure I would have figured it out on my own! Having never seen another blush quite like it, I had to try it!
So what exactly is a Watercolor Cheek Gelée? It is a combination of a crème blush and a gel stain blush with the consistency of a gelatinous tub of goo. Sounds yummy, right? J It’s actually a really nice texture. It’s very thin and watery – but in a gelatin-like texture. That makes no sense, but swatch it and you'll see! J This cheek gel is infused with 50% pure coconut water for extra hydration, as well as Josie’s signature Argan Oil for a whopping dose of Vitamin E goodness. It is also free of parabens, phthalates and sulfates. Sounds lovely, but I was still skeptical.
Having swatched this watercolor wonder on my hand a bunch of times, I was skeptical of the claims of 14 hour wear and hydration. I also found it hard to imagine that a product with so much water could actually have much staying power. Plus, the swatches on my hands seemed quite sheer, but I was incredibly curious about how this little tub would look, feel and wear on the cheeks, so I bought one anyway!
I am so glad that I picked up the Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelée! As I said, I was a bit skeptical that this would wear well, but it is not only beautiful on the cheeks, it does last – all day!!! The formula is somewhat sheer – maybe translucent is a better word, but it definitely does add color to your cheeks. The watercolor-like effect looks so natural. It just looks like a perfectly natural, glowing flush of healthiness. Do not take my description of “sheer” to mean that it’s not pigmented. It definitely is, plus it is buildable. Somehow, it manages to add color, but still permits your skin to shine through. It’s beautiful!
"Poppy Paradise" swatched heavily (right) & blended out (left)
So it has beautiful color and it wears well, but how does it feel? It really feels like you’ve hydrated your cheeks! The coconut water definitely moisturizes without making skin feel oily, sticky, tacky, greasy or any other negative adjective you may think of. Not to sound cheesy, but it really does feel kind of like a drink of water for your cheeks! I don’t think it would stick to any dryness, nor does it accent pores or other imperfections. It just looks and feels really natural and I think it would be great for any skin type!
This blush is really unusual and does seem kind of gimmicky, and maybe there’s some gimmick to it, but it has the goods to back it up! It is long wearing, feels wonderful on the skin, and creates a gorgeous natural glowing flush. The word “watercolor” is a great way to describe this blush as it does remind me of a watercolor-like effect on the cheeks. I should add that it can be used on the lips too for a sheer wash of color!!! J I really love the Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelée! This is definitely a product that looks better applied on the cheeks than it does simply swatched on the back of the hand, so if you have a chance to try it on your cheeks instead of simply swatching it, go for it! It’s a beautiful and innovative product and I would definitely recommend it, especially for a natural glow during the summer!
Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee in "Poppy Paradise" applied
lightly to cheeks and lips
The Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelée is available in 6 different shades and can be purchased at Sephora stores and online. It retails for $22.
