This invention provides a viscous, shape conforming gel, comprising between about 1% and 50% by weight (dry) of a plurality of polymeric nanoparticles suspended in a liquid or liquids, at least one of which is polar. The plurality of polymeric nanoparticles contained in the gel have an average diameter of less than 1 micrometer and are comprised of an effective amount of polymeric strands each of which is obtained by polymerization of an effective amount of a monomer or two or more monomers in a polar liquid or a mixture of two or more miscible liquids, at least one of which is polar, and an effective amount of a surfactant to stabilize the plurality of gel particles, thereby forming a suspension of gel particles.