Jelly cleansers have crept (or should I say wobbled!) into my skincare routine over the last six months or so. It started on a purely superficial level – I simply loved the word “jelly” – but after trying Melvita’s Purifying Cleansing Jelly and then NUDE’s Perfect Cleanse Omega Cleansing Jelly, I realised that these wonderfully tactile, plumptious yet refreshing cleansers had a proper space in my beauty cabinet. They fill a (very small, admittedly rather niche) gap between richer cleansing balms, creams and oils and the lighter, splashier face washes. The jellies, for the most part at least, are highly effective at makeup removal and general cleansing, yet seem to leave a fresher feel to the skin and tend to be speedier to remove.

The Melvita Purifying Cleansing Jelly first made an appearance here around a year ago, when I wrote about the Best Light and Gentle Cleansers for Oily and Combination Skin – it’s still one of my favourite “good morning” wake-up options, with its easy-to-rinse formula and beautiful, subtle scent. Great for oily and combo skin, perhaps a little on the “tight” side if your skin is any drier. Which is why, I suppose, it’s labelled as being suited to oily and combination skin! £16.50 with free worldwide delivery at LookFantastic.com here.

The Softening Cleansing Gel Oil from The Body Shop is a great all-rounder – I had been looking for a more affordable option for this little jelly feature and then spotted Caroline Hirons’ post on it. It’s actually very similar in texture and effect to the NUDE cleanser that’s coming up next – you can get a lovely old massage going with it, and it removes makeup very well. There’s no way you could “splash” it off (you can, just about, with the Melvita if you are vigorous with the palms of your hands) and if you have oily or combo skin then you’ll want to properly, properly make sure it’s all off with your flannel before leaving the sink area. But it leaves skin feeling very clean and balanced and is only a tenner from The Body Shop.

NUDE’s Perfect Cleanse Omega Cleansing Jelly would probably be my pick of the bunch, if I had to play that game. It’s actually the cleanser that started this whole post off – I’ve been using it religiously since I became pregnant, apart from during my Olay Skincare Trial month. NUDE’s Cleansing Oil, which is a much older product, has “cult beauty” status; loved by many for its simplicity, effectiveness and clean ingredients list. I too am a fan of the oil, but on the whole I prefer the texture of a balm – you can really work it into the skin and over the eyes without a) all of the product running off onto your neck and b) making your eyes go cloudy so that you are rendered temporarily blind for the rest of your bathroom session. NUDE’s Cleansing Jelly is really the best of both worlds – like The Body Shop’s Nutriganics Gel Oil it has the texture of a kind of balm-gel hybrid, making it brilliant for massaging in but just as easy as an oil and with the same makeup-removing abilities. You can find NUDE’s Jelly at Space NK here – but at £32, it’s the most expensive option, which is what makes the Nutriganics one such a brilliant alternative!

I have a sneaking feeling that the Bio-Essence Miracle Bio Water might be about to take the world by storm. This “Jelly Makeup Remover” is a watery, incredibly refreshing gel that you simply apply with the palms of your hands, massage in and rinse. If you’ve ever wished that you could get Bioderma cleansing water as a face wash, this is pretty much it. Very gentle, very good at doing what it’s supposed to do – though it struggles a little with my mascara. It’s a clever cleanser, this one, and perfect for those who want a very quick refresh, or want to get the majority of their makeup off before proper cleansing. It’s fine to splash it off, but I do think that you get more out of it by using a washcloth/muslin/flannel to remove. You can find Bio-Essence Miracle Bio Water at Cult Beauty here, it’s £16.