Editor’s Picks: 15 of the Best Face Mists to Refresh, Hydrate, Calm or Mattify Your Skin

Whatever's going on with your skin—whether it's dullness, dryness, sensitivity or a shiny T-zone—there's a face mist out there for you.

Contrary to popular opinion, face mists aren't just water in fancy packaging. As I explained in this tutorial, they're lightweight liquids packed with skin-friendly ingredients that hydrate, soothe, control oil and even brighten.

That means face mists aren't just a great way to refresh your skin throughout a long day at work or after a sweaty gym session. You can also use them to pack in more moisture in between layers of other products, take down redness, mattify your makeup and more.

Here's what to look for in a face mist, plus the best products I've found to date.

What to Look for in a Face Mist

Since face mist is a leave-on product that can be applied on bare skin as well as on top of skincare and makeup, it's important that it doesn't irritate, clog pores or increase photosensitivity.

I look for face mists that meet the following criteria:

• Low in fragrance: Whether natural or synthetic, fragrance is the number one cause of skin reactions. Keep in mind that citrus oils can make your skin more sun-sensitive, too, so they should not be present in high amounts.
• High in humectants: Ingredients like aloe, glycerin and hyaluronic acid are lightweight and non-greasy, and work to draw moisture into your skin.
• Low in PUFAs: You don't have to use a mist that contains oils (most don't!), but if you do, make sure they are stable. Oils high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, a.k.a. PUFAs, will oxidize quickly and generate free radicals.
• Low in silicones: Not only do they cause pilling when layering products, silicones can also trap debris in your pores, leading to clogging and breakouts.
• Low in alcohol: Drying alcohols don't belong in face mists, especially if you already have dry or sensitive skin.
• Low in witch hazel: Not everyone reacts to it, but witch hazel can cause irritation if you are sensitive.
• Has a preservative: All water-based products must have a preservative to prevent bacterial growth.

The Best Face Mists of 2021

Dermalogica Clear Start Micro-Pore Mist

• Details: Dermalogica Clear Start Micro-Pore Mist is a weightless, niacinamide-based spray for all skin types. Although it's from the brand's range for teenage skin, almost everyone can benefit from its pore-perfecting, oil-controlling and brightening properties. Since it doesn't contain any acids, you can easily use it day and night, with or without other active products.
• Key ingredients: Niacinamide, witch hazel extract, glycerin, probiotics, provitamin B5 (panthenol), green tea extract, hyaluronic acid.
• Benefits: Minimizes pores, reduces oil, brightens, fades dark marks, refreshes.

Caudalie Grape Water

• Details: Caudalie Grape Water is a soothing and moisturizing mist for all skin, especially sensitive skin. It goes on like a fine thermal water spray, but is actually derived from organic grapes, which are high in naturally-occurring potassium, magnesium, copper and polysaccharides. They work to calm, hydrate and strengthen the skin barrier, with zero stickiness. This is a cult favourite for good reason!
• Key ingredients: Grape water, grape juice.
• Benefits: Calms, hydrates, refreshes.

Tower 28 SOS (Save.Our.Skin) Daily Rescue Facial Spray

• Details: Tower 28 SOS (Save.Our.Skin) Daily Rescue Facial Spray is a 100% natural mist for "stressed-out" skin of all types. Whether you're oily, dry or sensitive, its hero ingredient, hypocholorous acid, will help to boost your skin's immunity in order to stimulate healing. So you can use it whenever your skin feels irritated, inflamed, broken out or sun damaged. 
• Key ingredients: Salt, hypochlorous acid.
• Benefits: Calms, refreshes.

BIOeffect OSA Water Mist

• Details: BIOeffect OSA Water Mist is an oil-free spray that both mattifies and moisturizes. It's named for orthosilicic acid (OSA), a type of silica that our skin can absorb, which increases moisture content while leaving a semi-matte surface finish. It's in a base of Icelandic glacier water, and spiked with additional plumping humectants. Use it throughout the day (the tube is perfect for popping in your purse), or before serums to maximize their penetration.
• Key ingredients: Silica, glycerin, hyaluronic acid.
• Benefits: Mattifies, hydrates, refreshes.

Pai Century Flower Lotus & Orange Blossom Soothing Tonic

• Details: Pai Century Flower Lotus & Orange Blossom Soothing Tonic is a natural calming mist for all skin, especially dry or sensitive types that are prone to redness. What makes it unique is the lotus root water, extracted directly from the plant—which retains its trace elements, minerals and salts to soothe reactive skin. Meanwhile, the orange blossom helps to restore your glow.
• Key ingredients: Orange flower water, lotus water, probiotics, glycerin.
• Benefits: Calms, hydrates, brightens, refreshes.

Allies of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Repair Mist

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• Details: Allies of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Repair Mist is a multitasking face mist that could replace your need for a separate niacinamide serum. With a 5% concentration, it offers all the ingredient's benefits (from refining pores to lightening discolourations). It's fortified with barrier-strengthening probiotics, protective antioxidants and antibacterial colloidal silver, so there's something for every skin concern. Since it has a higher molecular weight than most sprays, it coats your skin in a veil of hydration, leaving a dewy finish.
• Key ingredients: 5% niacinamide, propanediol, probiotics, gluconolactone, yogurt, zinc PCA, cucumber extract, aloe, silk amino acids, colloidal silver, glycerin, peptides.
• Benefits: Minimizes pores, hydrates, calms, brightens, fades dark marks, refreshes.

Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence

• Details: Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence is a moisture-boosting face mist comprised of the highest-quality natural ingredients. Think: multiple floral waters (hydrosols) and antioxidant-rich plant extracts, plus hyaluronic acid to plump skin from within. It smells incredible, and the green glass packaging makes for a beautiful addition to your countertop.
• Key ingredients: Barley juice, neroli water, lavender water, rose water, propanediol, hyaluronic acid, glycerin.
• Benefits: Hydrates, calms, refreshes.

Odacité Mint + Green Tea Hydra-Purifying Treatment Mist

• Details: Odacité Mint + Green Tea Hydra-Purifying Treatment Mist is a clarifying natural face mist that helps keep oily skin and breakouts in check. Mint and willow bark reduce and regulate sebum and purify your pores, while green tea extract neutralizes free radicals. They're infused into a base of aloe vera, not water, for deeper hydration.
• Key ingredients: Aloe, peppermint extract, glycerin, peppermint oil, willow bark extract, green tea extract.
• Benefits: Hydrates, reduces oil, minimizes pores, refreshes.

Herbivore Rose Hibiscus Coconut Water Hydrating Face Mist

• Details: Herbivore Rose Hibiscus Coconut Water Hydrating Face Mist is a rose water-based spray to quench thirsty skin. It was recently reformulated, so now it no longer contains witch hazel, and instead has hyaluronic acid to boost its moisture-binding properties. This is a super-juicy mist that leaves your skin feeling soft and fresh.
• Key ingredients: Aloe, rose water, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, coconut powder, hibiscus extract.
• Benefits: Hydrates, calms, refreshes.

Éminence Stone Crop Hydrating Mist

• Details: Éminence Stone Crop Hydrating Mist is a lightweight natural spray to moisturize all skin types. A favourite of facialists, this mix contains healing, hydrating stone crop juice, a succulent plant that's been used in first aid remedies for centuries. Like all the brand's products, it also has an array of botanical extracts, and smells good enough to eat!
• Key ingredients: Stone crop juice, aloe, lemon extract, bearberry extract, jasmine extract, lavender extract, propanediol, algae.
• Benefits: Hydrates, calms, refreshes.

Agent Nateur (Holi) Water

• Details: Agent Nateur (Holi) Water is a multi-benefit face spray with the feel of an essence or lightweight serum. That's because it's loaded with hyaluronic acid, plant extracts, and naturally-occurring minerals and acids. Not only do they give your skin a dewy glow, they also work to gently resurface, firm, reduce redness and tighten pores. You can either spritz this on alone, or mix it with the brand's Holi (C) powder for more dramatic results.
• Key ingredients: Lavender water, hyaluronic acid, dragon fruit extract, cucumber extract, rose, pearl powder, honey, glycerin.
• Benefits: Hydrates, minimizes pores, calms, brightens, refreshes.

OSEA Sea Minerals Mist

• Details: OSEA Sea Minerals Mist is an oil-free hydrating mist for all skin types. You won't find a formula like this anywhere else—it includes three types of seaweed to bind moisture, plus a trio of minerals to help reduce inflammation and protect skin from the elements. Use this one after cleansing or sun exposure, or mix it with your favourite moisturizer for extra hydration and glow.
• Key ingredients: Dead Sea salt, seaweeds, copper ferment, maganese ferment, zinc ferment, aloe, glycerin.
• Benefits: Hydrates, calms, refreshes.

Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist

• Details: Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist is a hydrating and purifying mist that was inspired by the world's first perfume, formulated for the Queen of Hungary in the 14th century. Not only does it smell divine (thanks to its natural ingredients), it also hydrates with floral hydrosols and Hungarian thermal water (prized for its high mineral content). Because it dispenses such a fine mist, it won't mess up your makeup—so it's perfect for a midday pick-me-up. 
• Key ingredients: Hungarian thermal water, glycerin, apple extract, mannitol, rose water, orange flower water, sage leaf water.
• Benefits: Hydrates, reduces oil, refreshes.

Biossance Squalane + Hyaluronic Toning Mist

• Details: Biossance Squalane + Hyaluronic Toning Mist is a non-greasy hydrating mist that you can use all day long to keep moisture levels up and plump fine lines. It contains an array of humectants, including hyaluronic acid, plus lightweight squalane oil (the brand's hero ingredient) to help lock them in. There's also a mineral complex to combat stress and pollution. 
• Key ingredients: Squalane, glycerin, provitamin B5 (panthenol), hyaluronic acid, algae, magnesium, potassium, zinc.
• Benefits: Hydrates, refreshes.

Avène Thermal Spring Water

• Details: Avène Thermal Spring Water is a mineral-rich mist made from 100% pure thermal water, derived from a natural thermal spring in France and prized for its nourishing and healing properties. So unlike regular water, it is moisturizing, softening and anti-inflammatory, and especially suitable for sensitive skin. 
• Key ingredients: Thermal spring water.
• Benefits: Hydrates, calms, refreshes.

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