You already know hydration is essential for healthy skin. And that it’s distinct from moisturization. But how can you get the most hydration onto your skin, effectively?
Of course, there are lots of ways to add water to your skin. You’ll find many serums, creams, toners, and the like out there boast hydration boosts. But let’s talk about my favorite way to hydrate my skin: facial mists.
What’s a Facial Mist?
A facial mist is one of the most versatile products. It can be a toner, it can be a serum, it can be a setting spray. The list goes on. Each mist is marketed in a different way, depending on how moisturizing the formula is, any skincare benefits, or any mattifying benefits it may have. But what they all have in common is a water base, providing essential hydration to your skin.
Many of the most popular facial mists out there are toners in a spray format. That means they provide a moisture base for the rest of your skincare routine, right after cleansing. They can also give some skin nutrition or calming, like the Tower28 SOS Spray does.
Facial mists don’t necessarily have to be fully aqueous either. I’ve seen a lot of bi-phasic or emulsion-type facial mists come out as well. In fact, I enjoy using these even more during my nighttime routines because they give so much more restoration benefits to the skin with hydration and moisturization simultaneously.
How Do I Use a Facial Mist?
Everyone’s skincare routine is deeply personal, so take what I say with a grain of salt. The most common way to use a facial mist are right after cleansing (on damp skin) to start providing hydration to the skin instantly. Another frequently used way to mist is throughout the day when your skin feels dry. This happens to people frequently in the winter time, when the dry air sucks the water out of your skin.
For myself, I spray 3-5 spritzes onto my face in morning before I apply my hydrating serum (and the rest of my routine). It takes the place of my toner, making my routine even faster. During my nighttime routine, I’ll do the same amount of sprays before my routine, as well as another set of 3-5 spritzes after my moisturizer and before my facial oil. I like to use the facial oil after the mist to lock in all of the water that the facial mist just delivered.
Can I Mist Too Much?
There’s always an upper limit to everything, but nope. If you mist too much, it’ll likely bead up on your face and you’ll look drenched. So there will be warning signs before you reach that level. In terms of putting too much product onto your face, facial mists are usually really soothing, so I can’t imagine your skin reacting poorly if you mist too much (unless you’re allergic, of course).
If anything, people recommend misting frequently throughout the day to maintain a high level of hydration. The only thing to note is depending on the formula, you may look overly wet, to the point that you look sweaty with multiple applications.
Long story short: aesthetically, yes; sensitivity-wise, no.
Facial Mists to Try out
Each facial mist has lasted me a LONG time to get through, so I have not tried too many out there! However, these are some favorites:
Tower28 SOS Daily Facial Spray: Great for irritated skin moments
Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist: She’s pricy, but she’s a crowd favorite for a reason
Byroe Hibiscus Tea Mist: A bi-phasic mist that hydrates and moisturizes
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Mist: Honestly the finest sprayer and it smells so good
Another product I sort under mists, but is not strictly a skincare-packed product is packaged mineral water like the Avene Thermal Spring Water. It gives all the hydration, but it relies on other skincare products to lock down the hydration and keep it tight to the skin.
Final Thoughts
Facial mists aren’t an essential step in a skincare routine, but I love them as an extra step of insurance. Just like how I don’t think sheet masks are essential, they’re a nice to have to nourish your skin. Adding a facial mist in daily will give you that quick hydration without having to sit around.
I’ve also started using facial mists in place of toner, which made my overall skincare routine faster. All in all, I don’t see any drawbacks to adding a facial mist to your routine. Plus, they can be used throughout the day for that boost of instant hydration! So go get that water!
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