Milk Makeup's New Cooling Water Jelly Tint Is Exactly as Good as it Sounds

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It's not always the case that a beauty product actually lives up to its hype. Just because a new launch has marketing muscle put behind it and cute packaging doesn't necessarily mean the formula is going to deliver. So I was delighted to discover that Milk Makeup's much-hyped new Cooling Water Jelly Tint — which reportedly has a 45,000-person waitlist on Sephora — is exactly as good as it sounds.

The multi-purpose sheer cheek and lip stains, which come housed in colorful mini twist-up tubes, have immediate appeal — I dare you to encounter something called "Cooling Water Jelly Tint" and not want to swipe it all over with abandon.

When I heard it described as a "jelly" texture, I wasn't exactly sure whether that meant more "spread on toast" or "wear as sandals circa 1998." Having tried it, I'd say it's more of the later, or even a slightly stale gummy bear type of "jelly," if you will. There's an addictively fun bounce to it, but it also has a sturdiness that means it doesn't just mush into goo like its name might seem to indicate.

And it lives up to the "cooling water" part of its name, too: As you glide it over your cheeks or lips, it feels super smooth and almost wet (even though it's not) — but not in a stinging, freaky menthol way. It would be amazingly refreshing in the summer (remember summer?).

It comes in four beautiful shades, all of which are sheer, yet actually show up on all skin tones. My favorite is Chill, a vibrant pinkish-red that delivers a beautiful rosy flush. And while the pigment may not be opaque, it's incredibly long lasting; unlike cream formulas that sit on top of skin or melt into it, this one immediately attaches itself like a stain, meaning it won't smear, smudge or wear off for hours. (Beware, you're going to want makeup remover on hand if you're prone to makeup application mess-ups!)

Beyond being aesthetically appealing, enticingly named and delivering absolutely beautiful results, the other thing that this product has going for it is that it's spiked with a host of hydrating humectant ingredients like glycerin, aloe vera and niacinamide, so it's actually good for skin. (Javon Ford outlines them helpfully in an Instagram post about the product.)

As Ford also keenly points out, because the formula is water-based, it may not layer as easily on top of oil-based products (most foundations, for example) as standard creams. I've found that when I dab it on with my fingertips or blend it on with a brush, I don't experience issues with it moving my base layers around, but I could see this being a problem if you tend to wear thicker formulas than I do or are dead-set on applying it directly from the tube.

Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint in Chill, $24, available here

Please note: This product was gifted. Occasionally, we use affiliate links on our site. In no way do either affect our editorial decision-making. 

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