Fragrance
Body Mists Are Back (and So Much Better Than You Remember)
Spritzing one was practically a late-’90s beauty ritual. This time around, the scents have a lot more to say. Here are our favorite hair and body mists, all lighter alternatives to perfume.
Text Ebru Kabacık
What was once a millennial beauty staple has grown into a fragrance category of its own. There are affordable everyday options and pricier takes from luxury brands, but most still cost considerably less than perfume.
The sweet, candy-like scents many of us remember are still around, but they no longer define the category. Mists are also a good way to test-drive a scent before committing to a perfume, or to experiment with layering. To help yours last longer, apply a body lotion with complementary notes first.
These are the 13 we’d start with.
Gisou Honey Infused Hair & Body Mist Honey Dew 100 ml, $29
Gisou’s newest hair and body mist is alcohol-free, so it’s less likely to leave strands feeling dry. Honey Dew brings together honey nectar, white musk, and vanilla, and plays well with other mists if you want to create a combination of your own.
Olaplex Signature Hair & Body Mist 80 ml, $28
Olaplex has bottled its signature scent as a limited-edition hair and body mist. Grapefruit, mint, ginger, and sage keep it fresh rather than overly sweet.
Mugler Starlicious Hair & Body Mist Pineapple Musk 75 ml, $49
Mugler’s Starlicious collection takes its cue from alcohol-free cocktails. One spritz of Pineapple Musk and you could be on a beach, drink in hand. Pineapple, coconut, and musk make it fruity and sweet, and it leaves skin with a luminous finish.
Phlur Island Swim Body Mist 240 ml, $39
Island Swim sits somewhere between a dip in cool water and a warm summer evening. Calamansi and plumeria meet coconut and sandalwood.
Salt & Stone Body Mist Lily & Yuzu 100 ml, $45
Salt & Stone’s new Lily & Yuzu collection smells like summer, pairing bright yuzu with delicate lily. The alcohol-free mist also contains moisturizing ingredients.
Atelier Rebul Pink Guava Hair & Body Mist 100 ml, 1,400 TL
Atelier Rebul’s mists promise impressive staying power. Guava and green apple give Pink Guava a mouthwatering edge, while jasmine and musk keep things polished.
Lancôme La Vie Est Belle L’Original Hair & Body Mist 100 ml, $45
Think of this as La Vie Est Belle with the volume turned down. Iris and caramel still lead the way, but the mist feels lighter and is easy to reapply throughout the day.
Ouai Santorini Hair & Body Mist 97 ml, $28
Ouai’s Santorini smells like a slow afternoon on the Aegean coast. Peach sits at the center, joined by orange, honeysuckle, and amber. It feels like a holiday you didn’t have to book.
Josie Maran Golden Hour Hair & Body Mist 100 ml, $26
Josie Maran built her brand around argan oil, and it turns up in this hair and body mist too. Golden Hour combines amber, white musk, and sandalwood. It’s warm and spicy without feeling heavy.
Calvin Klein CK Cotton Musk Hair & Body Mist 236 ml, $39
Clean and light, this mist centers on musk and cotton blossom. The formula also gives hair and skin a little extra moisture. If most body mists feel like too much, start here.
Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 48 Perfumed Hair & Body Mist 240 ml, $39
Cheirosa 48 is for anyone not quite ready to let summer go. Nectarine, orchid, and musk make it tropical and unmistakably sunny.
Vacation “VACATION” by Vacation Body Mist 90 ml, $24
This mist smells just like Vacation’s sunscreen, with coconut water, banana, bergamot, musk, and sea salt creating an unexpected sweet-salty contrast.
Byredo Gypsy Water Body Mist 100 ml, €75
Byredo recently released body mist versions of several of its fragrances. Gypsy Water is a crisp, airy blend of bergamot, juniper, lemon, amber, and sandalwood. If you’ve always wanted the scent without committing to the perfume, this is an easier way in.
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