Do face mists really work?

There’s little doubt that face mists are a refreshing fix in warm weather conditions, especially when stored in the fridge for a blast of coolness. But, crucially, these fragrant atomisers also have a few more tricks up their sleeve – provided you are savvy with the formula.

Choose well and a face mist is the equivalent of a spray-on serum that comes to the immediate rescue of hot, dehydrated skin and complexions battling seasonal sensitivity. However, simply spritzing water on to your skin can do more harm than good. “Face mists can increase hydration, but only if they contain humectants such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid and aloe vera, which help skin to retain moisture,” says Elemis co-founder Noella Gabriel. “Water sprayed on to the face will simply evaporate and make skin feel dehydrated.”

Thanks to the latest breakthroughs, there’s no shortage of excellent options. The most new-fangled of these have pollution in their sights. “Our skin is our first line of defence against the outside world,” says Henrik Bigelius, who has created a face mist to form a breathable, protective film over the top. The hero ingredient in his Bigelius Skincare Facial Mist is Biosaccharide Gum-4, a natural sugar derivative that binds to free radicals, essentially forming a 'second skin' barrier to shield skin from atmospheric pollution (carbon particles, particulate matter and heavy metals).

Likewise, Verso Anti Pollution Protecting & Strengthening Mist is charged with a metal-binding polymer to prevent heavy metals from settling inside pores. While L:A Bruket 217 Face Mist contains a hardworking duo of birch extract and antioxidant butterfly ginger plant to help eliminate toxins and shield against oxidative stress.

Among the other exciting offerings are face mists designed to protect the skin's microbiome. By settling on the skin's surface, where our healthy bacteria exist, fermented ingredients such as sake in Drunk Elephant’s Sweet Biome Fermented Sake Spray and kefir in the Elemis Superfood Kefir Tea Mist pack more of a punch. Put simply, fermentation is a process in which microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast are added to natural ingredients to break them down into smaller compounds. It’s said that these small, concentrated molecules are able to penetrate the skin better and are thus more effective at keeping a multitude of complexion woes, including dryness, irritation, acne and eczema, at bay.

Also providing an innovative spin on mists of the past, Woods Copenhagen Niacinamide Lifting Mist contains niacinamide to strengthen the skin’s barrier function, soothe troubled skin and minimise the look of enlarged pores.

Dermatologists have long sworn by the three-minute rule: apply moisturiser in the first few minutes after cleansing when skin is still slightly damp and more receptive to topical actives. Similarly, the best way to ensure face mists shift from a skincare extra to a year-round essential is to use them as the step before serum for greater hydration.

Another consideration when using a hyaluronic acid face mist is the environment in which you're spritzing. Hyaluronic acid has an incredible capacity to draw in and hold onto moisture like a sponge. The trouble is, it needs moisture to work in the first place. So spritzing a hyaluronic face mist on to dry skin in an airplane cabin, where the humidity plummets to just 12 per cent – drier than the Sahara desert – can backfire.

"Hyaluronic acid will draw moisture from wherever it can find it to hydrate the surface of your face, including the deeper layers of your skin if there is no humidity in the air," says aesthetic doctor, Dr Sophie Shotter. This is where a cocktail of moisturising ingredients is especially helpful, since it ensures there are hydrating molecules for the hyaluronic acid to latch on to. Karmameju Kiss Face Mist creates a fresh-skin glow by deploying hyaluronic acid alongside aloe vera before the emollient glycerin seals all the plumping goodness in.