Cosmax Is Betting Big on Jelly-Texture Beauty, and It Just Became a Paris Finalist to Prove It

Cosmax, one of Korea's leading cosmetics ODM (original design manufacturer) companies, announced on the 30th that it has expanded its jelly-formulation product lineup in response to the viral "jelly core" aesthetic trending across beauty communities globally.

The company's Water Painting Jelly Blusher landed a finalist nomination in the ODM category at Makeup in Paris, the global beauty trade fair held in the French capital in June, a detail that suggests this isn't just a domestic trend play.

Jelly textures carry an inherently visual appeal: the translucent, cooling quality reads well both in person and on screen, which has made them a natural fit for the growing "skincare makeup" movement, where the goal is a complexion that looks hydrated and skin-like rather than heavily coated. Cosmax says the format lets them blend those two promises, the aesthetic of skincare with the color payoff of makeup, into a single product experience.

So far, Cosmax has completed development on jelly-formula versions of lip balms, hydrogel patches, mists, cleansers, and blushers. Suncare products, including sun sticks, are next on the expansion roadmap.

On the lip side, the company is also focusing on wear longevity, which has emerged as a core purchase driver across Asian markets. In China, the concept of bùzhān bēi (不沾杯), literally "doesn't transfer to cups", has built a dedicated following, while in Japan, the nomikai lip (飲み会リップ, or "work-party lip") category has grown around the demand for color that survives a night out. Both trends point in the same direction: consumers want the finish of a glossy or matte lip without the constant touch-ups.

To address that, Cosmax has developed and trademarked two proprietary technologies. Glowcoat™ strengthens staying power in glossy formulas, while Blurfix™ does the same for matte textures. The company frames both as part of a broader shift away from purely shine-focused lip makeup toward formulas that hold their texture and resist transfer.

A Cosmax spokesperson said demand for "visually refreshing jelly textures and high-endurance makeup products is rising," adding that the company plans to "continue introducing innovative products suited to the global beauty market, backed by our proprietary formulation technology and trend analysis capabilities."

For K-beauty watchers, Cosmax's jelly push is worth following: the company supplies formulations to a wide range of brands worldwide, so what it develops at the R&D level often signals what consumers will find on shelves in the next product cycle.