Rant & Rave: Facial Mists

Tell us what you love and hate about...

Facial Mists

I’m not sold on them as I’m never sure they’re really doing anything – I tend to use actual setting sprays more than I do just facial mists, but they sure do feel nice!

— Christine

23 Comments

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Cameron Avatar

The only one I’ve ever really tried is LRP Thermal Spring Water. It might not actually do anything but it does feel very soothing when my rosacea is having a flare up. Sometimes I spray it on after applying moisturizer that has hyaluronic acid in it so it’ll pull the water from that into it.

Jessica Avatar

I own two facial mists. The spray from Smashbox, that came in a try-it set. I use it to wet my brush b/c I don’t like the way it sprays. Also, MAC Fix+ which I grabbed on sale. I have that b/c I like to use it to wet my brush and then once the container is empty, I can fill it with water or a setting spray that has a nozzle that I do not like.
Other than those two, I keep it to setting sprays. I also doubt I’ll purchase either ever again.

Seraphine Avatar

I don’t use them. Years ago, I bought MAC Prep + Prime because it was highly recommended by so many people that I decided to give it a try. Well, it only succeeded at interfering with my nice matte makeup and making me look oily. The one use I’ve found for it is to apply eyeshadow wet (but water works just as well). So all rants and no raves for facial mists.

kjh Avatar

Rave: but they have to have the right ingredients, and more importantly for me LEAVE OUT certain other ingredients. I’m ancient, oily/dehydrated, s/p acne prone, and have an inflammatory condition that is baffling top docs. The Brigham rheum/derm said my facial skin looked great. (I am not totally in agreement.) But, switching over to an anti-inflammatory routine, from an anti-aging/anti-acne one has done more for me than my derms . I use 4 sprays, before essences: Cosrx aha/bha, Cosrx centella, Cosrx PHA fine mist, and Cosrx Galactomyces. Then I move on to Cosrx calming liquid, Innisfree sea water jeju lava skin, Cosrx HA essence, and top it off with Purito green level essence. That took a lot of research, not to mention drying time, but works for me. Suspect I’m the only 70 y.o. who uses zero moisturizer in the AM, (but do, over differin at night) and is all the better for it. Just starting to use some Calcipotriene, after many years, on the ‘extra’ lines on my face from the inverse psoriasis. Time will tell. So, to be more direct about the question, I literally cannot live without facial sprays, as my routine is based on them.

kjh Avatar

I forgot the Acwell licorice spray….. found that the best anti-inflammatories are centella, guaiazulene, licorice. That combo damps down red w/o any need for green corrector.

Eileen Avatar

I don’t use makeup setting sprays as I have no need of them. I do use a moisturizing spray, though. I’ve been devoted to Tatcha’s Dewy Mist for years. It’s 20% oils plus other humectants give my skin a nice boost of moisture mid-day when the weather is particularly dry as it can get here in sunny So Cal. It’s ultra fine mist does not disturb my makeup. I have a full size at home and carry a purse size with me during dry conditions or when I’m flying.

Celesta Avatar

Rave: I like how they feel over setting sprays and the dew they give my skin. I use Mario Badescu Rosewater and Aloe Facial Spray and Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist daily and I love them both.

Rant: Companies need to invest more in the actual spray nozzles. The Mario Badescu one is especially bad, but I love the product so much that I keep using it.

Anne Avatar

Ditto your love for MB Rosewater and Aloe Facial Spray. But I use it in conjunction with my ‘cocktail’ of moisturizers morning and night. The price is right. The ingredients are right. I’ve been using it for years and years. The spray nozzle could be better, but it’s not a deterrent. Love this product.

Nora Avatar

Love them! I have super dry skin, though. I tend to use them while applying skincare products (like to help oils absorb), but do also spray them over makeup throughout the day at work. They seem to help wake me up, at least. They run out so fast that I stick with cheaper ones (Mario Badescu, etc.).

Ana Maria Avatar

Personally I never liked facial mists/spray and the feeling of spraying something on my face. So I have no rave for them. And my raves are basically that I have sprays and I dislike that most facial mists contain irritant ingredients such as fragrance an alcochol.
I got last year for free with orders / birthday a couple of bottles of MAC Fix Plus and the only way I used them was to dampen beauty sponges or eyeshadow brushes (for foiling more shimmery formulas). Otherwise they are useless to me.

kjh Avatar

That’s exactly what I mean about what you need to avoid. Hardly a coincidence that all the sprays I use, and clearly, i’m the spray queen here, are Korean. Even major American and EU HE brands have volatile fragrance ingredients and ETOH. Flat out no.

JillyinOC Avatar

Love them. After trying new makeup at MAC awhile back the makeup artist asked me to remove my glasses and sprayed me down. I was at the beginning of my love of makeup journey and asked him, after, what it was he had just sprayed me with. He showed me the Prep + Prime Fix+ and told me it made my skin look like skin again after applying powders. I looked in the mirror and saw dewy glow-ness and bought one on the spot.

Since then, and being an everyday user, I have found that it does make my skin look like skin again, but also blurs any lines of makeup application (I usually go back in for another blend after spraying myself). Plus it’s just a fun final step that makes me feel refreshed and complete.

I use the Fix+ and Tatchy Luminous Dewy Mist. I have yet to use an actually setting spray, but need to add one to my arsenal soon.

Mariella Avatar

I love them. I can never quite tell which are setting sprays and which are facial mists and what, exactly, the difference is (though I do know that UD’s All Nighter IS designated as a setting spray). I pretty much like them all – the original and newer Clarins Fix Makeup, MAC’s Fix Plus, sprays from Embryolisse, Tatcha, even PUR Minerals and the spray mineral waters from Evian, Vichy, LRP, etc. So long as the sprayers work nicely to deliver a fine, even mist (rather than droplets that can mar the “finished product”), I really like using them. I love the various attributes they have – everything from hydration to glow to cooling and calming my skin to setting and extending the wear of my finished makeup and helping it look more natural.

Phoebe Avatar

I only use MAC fix + as I have dry skin and I love the dewy glow it gives me. It helps my makeup look more blended and I also use it to intensify my highlight. I’ve tried setting sprays but they literally don’t work on me, I just need a very light dusting of powder on my t zone and MAC fix + and my makeup looks good

Deborah S. Avatar

I absolutely love sprays of any kind, be it setting sprays or priming sprays. I have quite a collection but I end up coming back to the same few. I would put MAC Fix + at the top of my list because I use it at many steps in my routine and I also use it to apply/foil my e/s. I love the scent of the original MAC so I purchase that one most often. I use Dr. Jart Cicapair Calming Mist in the winter time. I find it is most helpful with reddened, chapped skin. I also love the Pixie Milky Mist.
Really the only rant I have is about the actual spray and I have eliminated several mists just because the sprayer doesn’t give a fine mist.

Sidra Avatar

I like to spritz them on my face. I do own many, MAC fix + Prep and prime, and then the Mario Bodescu one too. And a few in setting spray. Rave is I love to do PHISS PHISS PHISS on my face and get carried away.
i feel the mario boescu is good for skincare rather setting spray.
M confused what Mac fix plus did good or bad to me.
i mean m clueless.

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