When your skin is hot, sweaty, and in need of a refresh, you can spritz on the best facial mists for a pick-me-up. These formulas feel instantly cool, offer soothing ingredients, and help prep the skin for future products, like moisturizer and makeup. Facial mists also seem to be the latest trend, which means there are tons to choose from. To narrow down your options, we spoke with dermatologists about what to look for in a great formula and asked SELF editors to share their favorites.
Our top picks
- Best Overall: Caudalie Beauty Elixir Face Mist, $49
- Best Budget Pick: Mario Badescu Facial Spray, $14
- Best for Acne Prevention: SkinSmart Facial Cleanser, $17
- Best for Makeup Prep: Rhode Glazing Mist, $30
- Best for Glowy Skin: Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum Mist, $22
- Best for Soothing: Avène Thermal Spring Water, $19
- Best for Hydration: The Inkey List Hydro-Surge Dewy Face Mist, $13
In this article
Shop the best facial sprays
Your skin will thank you.
Best Overall: Caudalie Beauty Elixir Face Mist
Caudalie
Beauty Elixir Face Mist
Consider this mist a little luxury to have in your daily skin care routine—or to keep on you for an occasional refresh. SELF’s editor in chief, Jessica Cruel, has been reaching for it for years: “The first time I used the Caudalie facial mist, all my senses were overwhelmed. My eyes were so satisfied with seeing the dual phase ingredients mix upon first shake. My nose was filled with the notes of peppermint and rose from the oils. And my face was dewy to the touch with a slight cooling sensation,” she says. “It’s still my pick-me-up of choice—even better than caffeine.”
Its hero ingredient is grape extracts, which have prebiotic and antioxidant properties that help improve the skin’s microbiome, Azadeh Shirazi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in San Diego and the founder of skin care company AziMD, tells SELF. It also contains multiple anti-inflammatory ingredients, like commiphora myrrh extracts (a medicinal plant) and rose essential oil, to keep your skin healthy and happy.
Size: 1 and 3.3 fl oz | Other notable ingredients: Hydrating glycerin, skin-softening vitamin E
Best Budget Pick: Mario Badescu Facial Spray
Mario Badescu
Facial Spray
The year was 2016: Obama was president, The Chainsmokers were on the radio, and everyone was carrying this Mario Badescu spray. Its formula is a mix of hydrating rosewater (which also lends a pleasant rose scent) and aloe vera. Plus, it has thyme extracts, which act like an astringent to balance oil, and seaweed extracts that nourish and promote an even skin texture and tone.
If you ask Cruel, there’s another reason to love this spray: “Martha Stewart has been going to Mario Badescu for facials for decades. Enough said!” she says. “This rosewater mist was my first entry into the brand. It has the classic rose scent with all the hydrating benefits of aloe added in. I like to use it before makeup and then again after powder to make sure nothing is looking cakey.”
Size: 2, 4, and 8 fl oz | Other notable ingredients: Gardenia extracts (antioxidants)
Best for Acne Prevention: SkinSmart Facial Cleanser
Hypochlorous acid sprays have been That Girl for a minute now—you’ve probably seen someone spritz their skin with one after a sweaty Pilates class. SkinSmart is a popular example of one—its only ingredient is hypochlorous acid, which is antibacterial (meaning it kills acne-causing bacteria) as well as antimicrobial (so it gets rid of pathogens like fungi and viruses).
For SELF’s lifestyle writer, Jenna Ryu, this spray is a secret weapon to prevent breakouts, especially in the summertime, when her skin is hot, sweaty, and producing more oil than usual. Her favorite part? It prevents pimples without irritating her sensitive skin like so many other acne-busting ingredients do (looking at you, benzoyl peroxide).
Size: 8 fl oz | Other notable ingredients: N/A
Best for Makeup Prep: Rhode Glazing Mist
“I was never really a facial mist girlie—until Rhode made me a believer,” SELF’s social media manager, Bianca Richards, says. “The brand’s new Glazing Mist has become my go-to for an on-the-go dewy boost, especially in the heat.”
She spritzes it right after washing her face to create a fresh, glowy base for her skin care and makeup. With this layered in her routine, cream makeup products blend seamlessly and her skin has a healthy sheen that would fool anyone into thinking she slept a full eight hours. Richards also keeps the travel-friendly mist on-hand for re throughout the day.
Size: 2.7 fl oz | Other notable ingredients: Hydrating ectoin and panethenol, barrier-repairing ceramides, beta-glucan (a mushroom-derived humectant), magnolia extract (an antioxidant)
Best for Glowy Skin: Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum Mist
Medicube
PDRN Pink Peptide Serum Mist
This mist packs a ton of skin-loving ingredients for a smoother, glowier complexion. First up: Salmon PDRN (a.k.a. salmon sperm)—a popular ingredient in skin care treatments right now for its collagen-boosting and tone-evening benefits. Other standouts? Ultra-moisturizing panthenol (or vitamin B5), soothing allantoin, and plumping peptides.
Ryu also calls out its inclusion of niacinamide, saying it’s one of her favorite ingredients for her rosacea- and acne-prone skin. “This spray has been a staple in my bag, whether I’m at work, walking around the city, or going out for the night,” she says.
Size: 3.38 fl oz | Other notable ingredients: Barrier-supporting urea, moisturizing castor seed and sunflower seed oils
Best for Soothing: Avène Thermal Spring Water
Avène
Thermal Spring Water
When your skin is feeling stung by the sun or irritated by sweat, reach for this simple, sensitive skin-friendly formula that Dr. Shirazi swears by. “It’s able to hydrate your skin and prep your face for your makeup or skin care routine,” she says.
Aside from nitrogen (because it’s an aerosol can), the only ingredient in the mist is thermal spring water, which quells inflammation—and the redness and itching that can come with it. It’s perfect to have on hand for an occasional cool-off or post-treatment at the dermatologists’ office.
Size: 5 and 10.1 fl oz | Other notable ingredients: N/A
Best for Hydration: The Inkey List Hydro-Surge Dewy Face Mist
The Inkey List
Hydro-Surge Dewy Face Mist
This spray is new on the scene but it’s already won Ryu over: “It’s my summer staple!” she says. “It feels super soothing and cooling for humid, sweltering days, while making for a great pre-makeup primer that keeps my face moisturized and dewy.” She’ll also spray it on top of her makeup and reports that it never messes with her concealer.
It has a super fine mister that delivers hydrators like glycerin and cucumber extracts. Meanwhile lactic acid, a gentle exfoliant, brightens the skin.
Size: 2.5 fl oz | Other notable ingredients: Xylitylglucoside and anhydroxylitol (moisturizers derived from sugar)
How we chose the best facial mists
With so many facial mists on the shelves right now, we narrowed our list down to ones dermatologists stand by. SELF staff also shared their current go-tos for daily skin prep, mid-day refreshes, and post-workout cooldowns. The result? A curated list of ones we’re really loving right now.
FAQs about facial mists
What are the benefits of facial mists?
Not only are facial mists easy to use on-the-go and refreshing when it’s hot as hell outside, they’re good for your skin too. Many of them have humectants—or ingredients that draw water into the skin—to give your face a hydration boost. Plus, some have soothing ingredients to calm inflammation, itchiness, and redness.
How do you use a facial mist?
It depends on the reason you’re using it. To get the hydration benefits of a face spray, Dr. Shirazi suggests spritzing it onto damp skin and following up with moisturizer. Why? For humectants to do their job, “they have to be sealed in with something that keeps the hydration in the skin,” she explains.
But if you’re sweating from a workout and can’t hop in the shower right away, spritzing a hypochlorous acid spray on your face is a great way to kill bacteria that might otherwise cause breakouts.
While it can be tempting to use a spray periodically throughout the day—especially when it’s hot outside—Dr. Shirazi recommends limiting usage to twice a day because having your skin cycle from wet to dry too frequently can be disruptive to your skin barrier.
Which ingredients should you look for in a facial mist?
If these are on the label, we’re down:
- Humectants like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, panthenol, aloe vera, and urea draw water into the skin and help it retain its hydration.
- Anti-inflammatory ingredients like allantoin, thermal spring water, and niacinamide soothe irritation.
- Hypochlorous acid kills bacteria that might otherwise cause acne.
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