This overlooked skincare step could help you tackle dehydration and more in seconds

Such is their glow-giving supremacy, you're virtually guaranteed to find an array of the best face mists on a beauty editor's desk. One for when skin feels parched; another for when it looks grey from too much screen time and one that revives when you hit that 3pm slump. And yet it is the skincare routine step so often overlooked by some.  

Summer or winter—and everything in between—a good face mist gives instant skin benefits all year round. A light spray can restore moisture after cleansing without clogging pores, and most are also packed with the same ingredients you'll find in the best moisturiser for dry skin, they just happen to be suspended in liquid form. There are even face mists that'll tackle breakouts and acne.

Facial spritzes are also ideal to use when travelling, both on the plane, when the recirculating cabin air can seriously sap the life from your skin, and once you're at your destination—especially if it's extremely hot or cold. This is why we've highlighted the sizes that each product comes in in our list of the best face mists below, so you can look for a cabin-friendly, 100ml-or-less option if you wish.

Best face mists: Quick links

• Best affordable face mist: Thayers Facial Mist Rose Petal, £4.99 | Boots
• Best face mist for oily skin: La Roche-Posay Serozinc, £11.50 | Boots
• Best face mist for dry skin: Curél Deep Moisture Spray, from £12.50 | Lookfantastic
• Best cooling face mist: Avène Eau Thermale Thermal Spring Water, from £5.75 | Cult Beauty
• Best face mist for blemish-prone skin: EviDenS De Beauté The Rebalancing Essence, £125 | EviSenS De Beauté
• Best face mist for glowing skin: Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist, £48 | Space NK
• Best face mist for reducing redness: SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Essence Mist, £64 | Face the Future
• Best fragranced face mist: Caudalie Beauty Elixir, from £18 | Lookfantastic
• Best face mist for teens: Bubble Bounce Back Balancing Mist, £14 | Beauty Bay
• Best face mist for city skin: Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte's Magic Hydrator Mist, £35 | Charlotte Tilbury
• Best probiotic face mist: Allies Of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist, £62 | Lookfantastic
• Best face mist for dehydrated skin: Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray Thirsty Skin Relief, £29 | Sephora
• Best face mist for travelling: Omorovicza Queen Of Hungary Mist, from £22 | Space NK
• Best skin-firming face mist: Augustinus Bader The Face Mist, £75 | Augustinus Bader

What ingredients should I look for in a face mist?

While simply spraying water onto your skin may give an instant cooling effect, this will evaporate quickly, leaving skin feeling even more dehydrated. Therefore the best facial mists should also contain a number of other skin-boosting ingredients.

"Face mists enriched with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, allantoin and panthenol can help to deliver a surge of soothing moisture to the skin," says You-Jin Chang, aesthetic doctor at Waterhouse Young Clinic. "Formulations featuring thermal waters abundant in minerals can also provide soothing and calming effects on the skin."

"Face mists containing hypochlorous acid can be beneficial for individuals with acne and rosacea-prone skin thanks to their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties," Chang adds.

How to use face mists

The beauty of face mists is that they're fairly foolproof; because of their (usually) fairly simple ingredients list, it's hard to overuse use them, or add them into your skincare regimen at the wrong point.

"Face mists can be used at various points in your routine, such as after cleansing, or throughout the day for a quick pick-me-up," says Chang. We recommend keeping one on your desk or in your handbag to remind you to spritz regularly throughout the day.

One other tip is to spray a light layer of a facial mist onto your skin before applying a hyaluronic acid serum. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant, meaning it attracts moisture, and some experts believe that they're best applied to a damp face to help them absorb better and to avoid them drawing moisture from the skin itself.

Face mists also play nicely with make-up. They're brilliant at ramping up your highlighter's sheen and can help to reset your make-up at the end of the day: simply spray, pat away the excess and blend with a sponge to prevent your make-up from settling into fine lines.

It's worth mentioning that there's a also subset of face mists called 'setting sprays'. Not to be confused with the hydrating versions, those are designed to be spritzed over at the end of your make-up to—as their name suggests—set your make-up in place, and are not meant to be used repeatedly throughout the day.

Ready to get hydrated? Here's our tried-and-tested pick of the best face mists, for all skin types.

Best face mists to buy in 2024

1. Thayers Facial Mist Rose Petal

US brand Thayers—said to be a favourite with Zendaya—arrived in the UK's beauty aisles in 2022 with its famous toners, with facial mists following the year after. With an INCI list that's high in natural ingredients (98%, in fact) including soothing witch hazel and aloe, it's available in four variations: this lightly rose-scented one, cucumber, lavender and unscented.

Freelance beauty editor Laura Mulley says, "I'm not normally a fan of floral scents on my skin, but this is so light that it's not overpowering in the slightest. If you're after good value for money then this is it, with the travel-sized 89ml bottle under a fiver and the large 237ml version under £15."

2. La Roche-Posay Serozinc

This contains just three ingredients: purified water, zinc sulphate and sodium chloride. Together these help to mattify excess oil, give a gentle cleansing effect and soothe skin that's sore from blemishes or acne. It's also great for rosacea and razor burn.

Laura says: "I don't use this every day, but it's one that I always have in my skincare SOS arsenal for whenever a get flare-ups of spots or unwelcome oiliness. It's great for bacne too, and I love the non-spluttering, continuous misting action."

3. Curél Deep Moisture Spray

A favourite with beauty editors plus influencers such as Caroline Hirons, who causes it to pretty much sell out every time she talks about it. It's packed full of ceramides, which help to strengthen the skin barrier, providing instant relief as well as reducing future moisture loss.

"This is so much more than just a mist," says Laura. "It feels almost as hydrating as a serum and, I think, really improves the quality of skin with continued use. It's a must for dry skin."

4. Avène Eau Thermale Thermal Spring Water

This spray is a favourite with Dr You-Jin Chang, who says it's her mist of choice for those with sensitive skin due to its very basic ingredients—simply Avène's thermal water. Three of these are sold every minute in France, thanks to the skin-soothing minerals. Keep it in the fridge for an extra refreshing blast.

"Get past the fact that you're just paying for water in a can, because take this on a hot holiday one time and you'll be hooked," says Laura. "It hydrates and refreshes without applying an additional layer of skincare. It's also great for sticking in your gym bag."

5. EviDenS De Beauté The Rebalancing Essence

A luxe mist from EviDenS, a skincare brand that combines J-beauty formulas with French luxury. Think of this spray as more of a treatment than a standard face mist, as it packs some powerful ingredients inside to tackle oiliness and spots, including ferulic acid and enzymes that break down acne-causing bacteria.

Laura says: "I was reluctant to include this as it's just so expensive for a face mist—and a 50ml one at that—but I really do credit it for helping to clear up a bout of chin spots I'd had recently. If it's within your budget and you have oily or blemish-prone skin, I do think it's very effective. Just keep it away from your eyes, as it's quite potent."

6. Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist

Before Tatcha launched in the UK, this was the product that beauty insiders would stock up on when in the States, and it's probably the secret behind many an editor's glowing complexion. It's enriched with lots of good stuff: green tea, algae, rice extract and hyaluronic acid.

"This is just dreamy," says Laura. "You can really feel—and see—it doing your skin good; it makes it look plumper, juicier and healthier. You can also still feel it on your skin for a good number of hours after spritzing (in a good way)."

7. SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Essence Mist

This is a favourite with Dr Sophie Shotter, aesthetic doctor and founder of Illuminate Skin Clinics, and is her mist of choice when flying. It contains a cocktail of botanics (grapefruit, thyme, cucumber) plus hyaluronic acid and glycerin, and is especially good for taking down heat and redness in the skin.

Laura says: "I love almost everything by SkinCeuticals, and this super-fine, super-soothing spritz is no exception. While I'm unlikely to pay £50+ for a face mist, I'll be keeping the rest of this bottle on standby for using after aesthetic treatments or when my skin's feeling particularly hot and irritated."

8. Caudalie Beauty Elixir

We couldn't very well write about the best face mists without including this, perhaps the most famous of them all. It's a favourite with beauty editors, make-up artists and celebrities the world over—Rosie Huntington-Whiteley brought it to mainstream fame years ago, and Kendall Jenner has been known to carry one around with her. Like a green juice for the skin, the formula is chock full of vitamins and inspired by the 'elixir of youth' used by Queen Isabelle of Hungary centuries ago. Cool, non?

"An absolute staple in my bathroom cabinet, and well deserved of its place in the beauty hall of fame," says Laura. "I don't use it if my skin's had a flare-up of sensitivity due to the essential oils in it (which smell amazing, by the way), but any other time, I love it. Don't forget to give it a quick shake first to mix the oils."

9. Bubble Bounce Back Balancing Mist

A spray-on toner designed to rebalance and mattify skin throughout the day, made using salicylic acid, niacinamide and sea water. Of course, this face mist isn't just for teenagers but teen skincare is hot topic at the moment, and Bubble is one brand that's going viral amongst under-18s—and this is a good product to buy as it's gentle on young skin and free from strong active ingredients.

Laura says: "Maybe not one for mature or very dry skin, but otherwise a great, simple mist that layers well throughout the day. The design of the bottle gets 10 out of 10 from me, too."

10. Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte's Magic Hydrator Mist

Not to be confused with Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray (which is also excellent), this is very much a skincare product—although as you'd expect from this MUA-created brand, it does work well with make-up. Expect an ingredients list that sounds as magical as all of Charlotte's branding: 'hyaluronic mesh technology', 'energising kombu extract' and 'glowing glycerin'.

"This may not be the cheapest face mist, but the bottle's a decent 75ml, and the pump covers your entire face in just one press," says Laura. "It definitely makes skin look immediately brighter, and it refreshes tired-looking make-up that's starting to turn patchy as the day goes on."

11. Allies Of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist

If you're into your probiotic skincare—which can be beneficial if you struggle with skin issues such as acne, rosacea or eczema—you'll love this mist from beauty editor-favourite skincare brand Allies Of Skin. Along with probiotics, there's niacinamide, silver, zinc PCA and mango extract in this well-formulated mist.

Laura says: "There's a lot of goodness in this mist; I don't know if it's psychological, but my stressed skin does just feel healthier after using this for a few days, like it's been given a big dose of nutrients. The pump is powerful (remember to close your eyes) but the spray is fine, and it's absorbed quickly."

12. Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray Thirsty Skin Relief

Clinique's Moisture Surge line is ideal for skin that's dehydrated but not necessarily dry, as the formulas hydrate without feeling heavy or greasy. This face mist fits into that category perfectly; it's like a drink of water for thirsty skin.

"I can't think of anyone this wouldn't suit," says Laura. "It's simple but effective, quenching parched complexions without leaving the feeling of a layer of product on the skin."

13. Omorovicza Queen Of Hungary Mist

Based on a 14th-century beauty recipe, this purifying and reparative facial mist is bursting with mineral-rich thermal waters, glycerine and algae extract. The uplifting neroli and rose scent deserves a special mention, too.

Laura says: "Although plenty in this list are good for travelling, I've awarded Omorovicza's most famous product the title of 'the best' as it comes in several sizes, its uber-fine mist won't bother other travellers, and it's luxe enough to feel like a special moment every time you spray it. It's a cult classic for a reason"

14. Augustinus Bader The Face Mist

Augustinus Bader has fast cemented itself as the most lust-worthy luxury skincare brand, and this face mist is no exception. It contains AB's patented cell-renewing TFC8 ingredient, with clinical tests showing a visible improvement in the skin's hydration, elasticity and firmness after one use.

"Everything about this mist is luxurious, from the weighty glass bottle to how nice your skin feels after using, and the pump really coats the entire face," says Laura. "It's also a good way to give your skin a taste of Augustinus Bader's famous skin-rejuvenating TFC8 complex without splashing out on one of the face creams, which go up to more than £400 in price."