The format choice
Cream, Gel, and Spray.Matched to the appointment.
Format is independent of strength — an Advanced Cream is the same concentration as an Advanced Gel. Which one you reach for comes down to the procedure, the treatment area, and your practitioner's protocol. Cream is where most clients start, and it covers the majority of appointments. Gel and Spray each work on their own too — and because different appointments call for different formats, plenty of clients keep more than one.
The three formats
The three formats.
Cream
The default format. A topical preparation cream. The format most aesthetic appointments call for — focused application, controlled area, the format clinics work with most often. Three strengths and two sizes.
Gel
For sustained appointments. A topical preparation gel. Sits differently on skin than cream — spreads further, stays in place across longer sessions. The format for microneedling, sustained laser, longer SPMU sittings. Two strengths — Advanced and Professional (no Clinical gel).
Spray
For body and broader zones. A topical preparation spray. Built for surface area — body laser, brazilian waxing, broader injection coverage. Two strengths (Advanced and Professional — no Clinical spray).
What we recommend by procedure.
The honest version — which format suits which appointment, and which don't.
Lip Fillers
Focused application, small treatment area.
Botox
Same — small area, precise procedure.
Microneedling
Both work. Gel often suits the sustained session.
Laser (face, smaller zones)
Controlled application on smaller treatment areas.
Laser (body, hair removal, resurfacing)
Broader coverage, larger zones.
SPMU
Treatment areas too small for spray. Some artists prefer gel.
Waxing (bikini, brazilian, body)
Body coverage.
Waxing (small zones — lip, brow)
Small areas.
Cream
The default for most aesthetic appointments.
Cream is the format most clients buy and most procedures call for. It's focused, controlled, suited to face and smaller treatment areas, and the format aesthetic clinics work with most often. If you're booking lip fillers, Botox, smaller laser zones, brow or lip waxing, or SPMU — cream is almost certainly the right choice.
Gel
For sustained sessions where the format earns its place.
Gel sits differently on skin than cream. It spreads further, stays in place across longer sessions, and suits procedures where the preparation needs to last through sustained contact. Microneedling is the procedure where gel most clearly earns its place. Some longer laser sessions and SPMU sittings also suit gel. The strengths and indications carry across from cream — gel isn't stronger or weaker, it's a different application.
Spray
For body and broader zones.
Spray covers ground the other two formats can't. Body laser, brazilian and bikini waxing, broader injection coverage — anywhere the treatment area is large enough that cream or gel would be impractical. Spray starts at Advanced Strength, not Clinical, because the procedures that benefit from spray format already sit past entry-tier territory.
More than one format
Most clients start with Cream. Many don't stop there.
Cream covers the majority of appointments, which is why it's where most people begin. But few clients book only one kind of treatment. If your diary runs from lip fillers to body laser, or microneedling to waxing, the format that suits one isn't always the one that suits the next. Spray covers the broad, body-scale work. Gel suits the longer, sustained sittings. Cream stays the everyday default. Each works perfectly well on its own — and plenty of clients keep more than one, so they're ready for the next appointment rather than ordering again the week before.
When to ask your practitioner
Format choice often comes down to your practitioner's protocol. Some clinics specifically prefer one format over another for their procedures. If you're unsure — particularly for microneedling, SPMU, or laser — ask your practitioner what they recommend. Many have a strong preference that simplifies the decision.
Common questions
Cream, gel or spray, which should I use?
Cream is the all-rounder for most face appointments; gel holds in place for precise, sustained work like microneedling; spray covers larger body areas. Pick by procedure and treatment area.
Does the format change the strength?
No. Format and strength are independent — an Advanced cream is the same strength as an Advanced gel.
Can I use more than one format?
Yes. Many people keep a cream for the face and a spray for the body.
Which format do practitioners prefer?
It varies by clinic and procedure, so it's worth asking yours.
Key facts
- Formats
- Three formats: cream, gel, spray. Strength (Clinical, Advanced, Professional) is chosen separately.
- Choosing
- Cream is the all-rounder; spray covers the body; gel suits sustained work.
- Category
- UK cosmetic product, by Matrix Health Group Ltd. Not a medicine.
UK cosmetic product, by Matrix Health Group Ltd. Not a medicine.