Best face mist: Soothe stressed-out skin in an instant
Revive dull, tired-looking complexion with the best ultra-hydrating mists, sprays and spritzes
For those who prefer their skincare regime to require minimal effort, facial mists are often an overlooked product. Delivering a raft of benefits that include a hit of hydration, soothing of redness and irritation alongside brightening, firming, and protection, these multitasking formulas should be a skincare staple. So which is the best face mist for you?
“Absolutely the best fight against tired skin is hydration, and a supercharged mist that’s made up of nutrient-rich ingredients like hyaluronic acid or squalane is a great way to give your complexion what it needs to keep it protected and glowing” says facialist Renée Lapino.
Let’s not forget the convenience that a mist offers, too. It can be easily tossed into your handbag and used on the go, making such a spritz as useful for travel and as a post-gym refresher as it is for delivering a much-needed boost if you’re suffering a 3pm desk slump. Perfect for use all year round, a mist offers a respite to hot, sticky complexions in the summer, while halting the dehydrating effects of the cold air and indoor heating in the winter months.
Below, you’ll find our pick of the best facial mists currently available. But first, read our guide to help you in your search for the best facial mist for your skin type and budget.
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Best face mists: At a glance
- Best for glowing skin: Caudalie Beauty Elixir 100ml | £32
- Best for calming irritation: BYOMA Balancing Face Mist 100ml | £12
- Best for sensitive skin: Eau Thermale Avène Face 150ml | £9
How to choose the best face mist for you
When choosing the best face mist, it’s best to start by evaluating the needs of your skin type. As well as boosting hydration, there are spritzes that can brighten dull skin, deliver sun protection or even address blemishes and skin irritation. The products mentioned below have been tried and tested by our experts to ensure you get everything you’re looking for.
What is face mist?
Made up of water in the main, modern facial mists, sprays and spritzes are packed with ingredients that serve up a number of beauty benefits for a range of skin types.
Hydration is always the starting point, but many deliver so much more than that. Look out for key ingredients such as niacinamide (or vitamin B3), rose water, aloe, witch hazel, hyaluronic acid and probiotics. “Glycerin, vitamin E and other plant-based extracts are also key,” adds Renée.
How should you use a face mist?
The most wonderful thing about a face mist is that it can fit anywhere in your skincare routine. To lock in hydration, we recommend you apply it before your serum and moisturiser, but you can use a face mist to set or prime makeup, or throughout the day to revive your complexion as and when you feel you need it. Unlike repeat applications of moisturiser, a spritz of mist won’t mess up your makeup!
How much should I spend?
This will depend on your personal skin needs as well as your budget. If you’re looking for a hardworking product that’s designed to tackle a specific concern such as ageing, dullness or acne, for example, you might look to spend a little more than if you’re simply after a mist that offers short-term hydration throughout the day. Our list of products includes formulas that cover a range of skincare concerns and budgets. One of our favourite treatment mists was indeed the most expensive at £48, but you’ll also find options for as little as £6.75.
How we test face mists
We sample more than 20 face mists, looking in detail at the formula, suitability for different skin types, how handbag- and travel-friendly they are, their price, and more. We also consider how a product feels on application, how quickly it dries, and whether or not we feel a formula delivers the hydration it has promised. In our opinion, these are the standout options worth spending on.
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The best face mists you can buy in 2023
1. Allies of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist: Best probiotic mist
Price when reviewed: £60 | Check price at Allies of Skin
It’s difficult to express just how much we loved this mist from Allies of Skin, which boasts a compelling cocktail of barrier-protecting niacinamide, probiotics and silk amino acids. It’s also spiked with bacteria-fighting silver and acai berry alongside mango fruit extract to protect sensitised complexions – which makes it particularly great for soothing blemishes.
Our tester used it both morning and night after cleansing and it made a real difference to their on-going acne, delivering a brightening effect while calming areas of redness. From maintaining a healthy microbiome to treating flare-ups, the benefits of probiotics on the skin are endless, working in a similar way as they do for the digestive system.
If you’re looking for glow, minimised pores, and stronger, healthier skin over time, this supercharged spritz is a great place to start.
Key details – Size: 50ml
2. Eau Thermale Avène Face: Best for sensitive skin
Price when reviewed: £9 | Check price at allbeauty
Having tried various sprays over the course of a month, our tester found Avène’s thermal spring water spray to be the most gentle on sensitive and redness-prone skin. Unlike the other mists on our list, which contain added humectants and emollients, this is filled with purely pH-thermal spring water, which is naturally rich in good-for-your-skin minerals to nourish and soothe raw-feeling complexions.
It dries quickly on application, so as well as being a great refresher throughout the day, it works well to prep the skin for makeup or as a substitute toner. It’s 100% fragrance-free, too, so it’s perfect for anyone whose skin is on the sensitive side.
Key details – Size: 150ml
Eau Thermale Avene Thermal Spring Water, Soothing Calming Facial Mist Spray for Sensitive Skin, 1.7 oz.
3. Caudalie Beauty Elixir: Best for glowing skin
Price when reviewed: £32 | Check price at Lookfantastic
This cult classic from Caudalie lives up to the hype in every sense. Packed with essential oils and plant extracts – including the brand’s hero ingredient, grape, which has been said to provide a range of health benefits – it works well as a toner, hydrator and makeup setting spray in one.
Our tester loved using it every few hours to refresh tired skin that had been sapped by indoor heating and computer-screen lighting. It has a light, mood-boosting scent of orange blossom, rose and organic mint balm, and sprays evenly onto the skin for instant awakening. Delivering a healthy, balanced glow, you might even consider forgoing your foundation.
Key details – Size: 100ml
4. BYOMA Balancing Face Mist: Best for calming irritation
Price when reviewed: £12 | Check price at Cult Beauty
If you’ve ever been overzealous with peels or salicylic/hyaluronic acids, this budget-friendly mist from Byoma gets to work in seconds to bring balance back to your skin. Although the product itself is lightweight, soothing and ultra-moisturising, the spray function is quite targeted (as opposed to offering a light misting all over the face), so it’s probably better used as part of your morning or evening skincare routine after cleansing to pack in moisture.
It’s filled with microbiome-supporting ingredients, including the brand’s patented Tri-Ceramide complex, allantoin and probiotic ferment. In fact, the whole BYOMA range is designed to aid barrier repair, so check out the brand’s other products if your skin needs some TLC.
Key details – Size: 100ml
5. Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Hydro-Mist: Best for mature skin
Price when reviewed: £45 | Check price at Boots
If you’re a fan of Elemis’s renowned Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, you’ll love this refreshing, multitasking counterpart. Like everything from the brand, it’s a luxurious treat for the skin, comprising powerful plant-based ingredients to promote firmer skin, softening fine lines and wrinkles. The primary ingredient is organic English rose hydrolat, known for its ultra-hydrating and anti-inflammatory qualities, as well as protecting skin from the free radicals responsible for damaging skin’s collagen.
Our tester loved the fine burst of long-lasting hydration it delivered post-cleansing, as well as the rose scent that proved uplifting without being overpowering.
Key details – Size: 50ml
ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Rose Hydro-Mist, Refreshing Rose Face Mist to Hydrate, Sooth and Rejuvenate, Anti-Wrinkle Serum Spray for 24 Hour Hydration, Collagen Facial Mist for Refined, Radiant Skin, 50ml
6. Pai Skincare Century Flower Barrier Defence Mist: Best purifying mist
Price when reviewed: £39 | Check price at Pai Skincare
Anything laced with orange blossom is going to smell amazing, and this light mist from organic skincare label Pai is no exception. The floral scent is refreshing but subtle, and the bottle delivers a delicate wash of mist that both cools the skin and absorbs in a matter of seconds, which makes it superb for use both underneath and on top of makeup.
It’s targeted at dry and sensitive skin types, but our experience suggests anyone can benefit from the nutrient-rich ingredients. As well as orange blossom and lotus water, it’s infused with hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture and boost radiance with continued use, while the addition of zinc helps to keep breakouts at bay and achieve a healthy, non-greasy glow.
Key details – Size: 100ml
7. Thayers Rose Petal Facial Mist: Best-value face mist
Price when reviewed: £15 | Check price at Lookfantastic
As well as coming in at a great price point, it took our tester a while to even make a dent in this 237ml bottle – which is just as well, really, since it’s now a firm staple in their skincare routine. This refreshing mist makes a great daily alternative to toner and works well on all skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone complexions.
As well as rose water and refreshing aloe vera, it contains witch hazel to reduce inflammation – perfect for soothing blemishes and delivering an extra hit of hydration to flushed cheeks following an icy winter walk. The rose scent isn’t overpowering, and the product spritzes evenly without leaving behind any sticky residue.
Key details – Size: 237ml
8. Jurlique Aloe Vera Mist: Best cooling face mist
Price when reviewed: £36 | Check price at Jurlique
When high temperatures are leaving you hot and flustered, a quick spritz of the best face mists will rehydrate skin and quickly cool you down. The lightweight formula of Jurlique’s Aloe Vera face mist sprayed onto your face and decolletage will do just that. Rich in natural humectants, a spritz will hydrate and nourish the skin without causing any irritation, even to sensitive skins. Containing Aloe Vera that’s grown on Jurlique’s Australian farm, this face mist soothes skin while delivering a fresh, herbaceous fragrance.
Arriving in a frosted glass bottle, this product has a premium feel. And while the spray can be stored at room temperature, Jurlique recommends keeping it in the fridge for a refreshing spritz on hot summer days.
Key specs – Size: 100ml
9. Indie Lee CoQ-10 Toner: Best facial toner
Price when reviewed: £34 | Check price at Indie Lee
A cult favourite across the pond, botanical-based skin and body brand Indie Lee launched its UK ecommerce site earlier this year, so we were excited to give the CoQ-10 Toner a whirl.
This pH-balancing toner is light and refreshing with a subtle, almost-citrus-like scent. The bottle doesn’t deliver as fine and even a mist as some of the others on our list, but since this is designed to serve as a toner underneath your moisturiser, we can forgive that – and it works just as well sprayed onto a cotton pad. Packing hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and cucumber, it leaves skin feeling clean, healthy-looking and nourished, while antioxidant powerhouse CoQ-10 protects against pollution and other environmental aggressors.
Key details – Size: 125ml
Indie Lee CoQ-10 Face Toner Mist - Balancing Priming Spray Toner for Face with Hyaluronic Acid, Aloe + Chamomile to Hydrate + Refresh Skin (4oz / 125ml)
10. PCA Skin Daily Defense Mist: Best for city dwellers
Price when reviewed: £48 | Check price at Dermoi
There’s no denying the effects that increased pollution and blue light levels can have on our skin. When the levels of free radicals exceed our skin’s defence mechanisms, it puts our cells in a state of oxidative stress, causing premature ageing, sensitivity and pigmentation, among other things.
Packed with a form of dandelion extract, which has been shown to protect the skin’s proteins against volatile organic compounds, dust, cigarette smoke and more, this ultra-fine, non-pore-clogging mist provides all the protection from pollution you’ll need. It also contains aloe barbadensis leaf juice to hydrate and offer anti-inflammatory defence.
Our tester used it over their SPF to boost UV protection, then every few hours throughout the day to boost hydration. It delivers a fine mist and the subtlest of scents – great for anyone who doesn’t want an overpowering floral-smelling product.
Key details – Size: 59ml
11. Plantopia Lights Out Face & Space Mist: Best for night-time
Price when reviewed: £18 (100ml) | Check price at Plantopia
There are several reasons why holistic beauty and wellbeing brand Plantopia’s Lights Out mist made our list: Firstly, there’s the sleep-inducing blend of Ashwagandha and Sandalwood, which creates a calming air of spa-like serenity each time you spritz. Secondly, the therapeutic plant-based formula, which helps to replenish lost moisture and counter the impact of pre-bedtime scrolling. As well as being used as a face mist, this can also be used on the body or on your pillow. The mist itself is fine and sprays evenly, delivering serious aromatherapy benefits for a wonderfully restful environment.
Key details – Size:100ml
