The answer is always “glitter.” Lots of glitter.

And let me tell you, Cra-Z-Art‘s Gemex Gel Creations Studio brings the glitter.

This activity kit comes with everything kids ages 8 and up need to create bracelets, necklaces, rings, and other accessories like a keychain. The magic is in a gel that hardens under UV light, which turns into a crystal-like gem when it’s done.

Before getting into the fun part, it’s super important to pay attention to safety while making these sparkly creations. Not only should parents pay attention to the age range for this item, but an adult should be around to make sure that the gel is being properly used. The instructions clearly state that you should have absolutely no contact with the gel in its liquid form, but having no contact is easy to do because the gel easily comes out of the nozzle of the bottle.

Let’s get creatin’! The kit comes with a UV light within a shell that opens and closes, four types of glitter, and chains for different types of jewelry. There are also three trays with various molds, including beads, hanging hearts and unicorns, and charms.

Related: Create a Fabulously Unique Look with the Cool Maker Hollywood Hair Studio

After you pick a mold to create (I obviously went for the unicorn as my first choice), fill it with the gel, but be careful to not make it overflow. Each colored glitter had its own texture, so pick the one you like best for the mold you’re working with. Slowly tap in the glitter into the gel, and use the wooden stick to mix it all together. Don’t be shy and try mixing colors! I made a little ombre effect on my unicorn.

Then, place the mold into the UV light shell. Close it, press a button to activate it, and wait for the lights to stop blinking. It took less than two minutes for my gels to be done. When time is up, remove the tray from the light, but don’t take the mold out just yet — it’s way too hot, so give it a couple of minutes to cool down.

When it’s time to take your crystals out, they pop right out just like a silicone chocolate mold. Then, hook your design onto a necklace, keychain, or bracelet to show off what you just made! A good strategy I noticed is to create different layers of the gel because you can harden it multiple times. This prevents any potential overflow, adding too much glitter, and making sure it comes out just right.

With Gemex sets, kids can impress their friends with jewelry that they made themselves — just gel, glitter, swirl and set!

About the author

Maddie Michalik

Maddie Michalik

Maddie Michalik was the Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book from 2020-2022. She was also a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider.

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