Body Mists Are Having a Moment
This aughts beauty staple is experiencing a resurgence. Here are the 11 scents you need now.
In the early 2000s, Juicy Couture tracksuits, butterfly hair clips, and scented body sprays reigned supreme. Today, if anyone utters the words “Victoria’s Secret Love Spell,” or mentions Bath & Body Work staples like Japanese Cherry Blossom, Sweet Pea, and Cucumber Melon, a trove of memories is unlocked for Millennials. (Remember spritz spritz spritz-ing some Gap Heaven or Baby Doll by Yves Saint Laurent before class, then diving into your backpack for a bit of scented body lotion?) Now, a new generation is experiencing the magic of body mists. Beauty brands of the moment are releasing more imaginative ranges of these sprays—which are milder and lighter than their eau de parfum counterparts.
In the recent past, body mists have existed far outside the purview of prestige beauty brands. But that outlook is changing. Labels like Sol de Janeiro are leaving their mark with sprays, including the fan-favorite pistachio-and-salted-caramel scent Cheroisa 62. “The overwhelming consumer engagement—including 1.3 billion TikTok views—shows how these scents deeply connect with a global audience,” says Maggie Arms, Sol de Janeiro’s director of fragrance marketing. Another reason Gen Z is taking interest in body mists: they don’t come with that same feeling of needing to conserve every last drop, says Emma Vernon, a New York-based fragrance aficionado and host of the Perfume Room podcast. The increase in body mists that serve multiple functions—doubling as hair perfumes, for instance; or sprays that include skincare-forward ingredients like hyaluronic acid—is especially exciting to Vernon.
In today’s market, body mists bring with them a refreshing sense of play typically reserved for products marketed to kids. Yes, this is scented liquid in a bottle we’re talking about—but it’s also a way for adults to be taken on an olfactory adventure and explore how they present in a low-stakes way. And shouldn’t we all do something simply because it feels good and makes moving through the world more pleasurable? We’ve rounded up 11 great, new body mists to check out on your fragrance journey. Spritz away, babes—you might just walk away with more than a pleasing new scent.
Through the years, Bath & Body Works has remained a cornerstone of the affordable fragrance market. The mass brand recently developed Everyday Luxuries, a collection of 10 body sprays inspired by prestige fragrances, in response to the uptick in body mist interest. (Do you love Born in Roma by Valentino? Try Pink Obsessed by Bath & Body Works. Wish you could adorn your whole body with a scent similar to Tom Ford’s Lost Cherry, without emptying your wallet? Check out Bath & Body Works’ Oh, Cherry as a layering mist and body lotion.) Our favorite from the range is Butterfly Fine, which contains notes of raspberry nectar, iris petals, and airy vanilla. Renowned perfumer Honorine Blanc shared on The Perfume Room podcast that she not only designed the Butterfly formula, but also added part of the ingredients list from her secret, signature scent that she designed exclusively for herself into the Bath & Body Works mist. We love a wearable collector’s item!
Spritz Ouai’s St. Barts hair and body mist––a yummy blend of orange blossom, dragon fruit, tuberose, and musk––on your next vacation to create a scent memory (basically, a time capsule in a body-mist bottle). This fragrance delivers a lush tropical scent synonymous with feel-good summer vibes.
Sangre de Fruta’s soothing essential oil blends are great for adding an aromatherapy moment to your day-to-day. The star ingredient in this vegan formulation is lactobacillus ferment—a probiotic that helps keep the skin plump and balances the skin microbiome. Enjoy the delicate mist on your body, hair, and linens before bed—there’s earthy cedar, sandalwood, rosemary, bergamot, and light floral citrus in the mix. Keep it in the drawer of your desk when you need a mid day refresh, or in the fridge during warmer seasons.
This scent shines with saffron, jasmine absolute, amber, vanilla, and oakmoss.Vanilla Skin is a favorite from Phlur’s body mist collection, and understandably so, but don’t sleep on Amber Haze. It’s sweet without being sickly, and is great for layering without being overpowering.
This fine-fragrance mist is infused with biotin and niacinamide (great for helping keep the skin hydrated and supporting the skin barrier), and peach flower extract (an antioxidant that helps regulate oil production). The mix of sparkling lemon zest, soft jasmine, tonka beans, and cashmere wood makes this body and hair mist an enjoyable, understated scent.
Moodier than other body mists on the Sol de Janeiro roster, this heady blend of velvet, black currant, jasmine, and caramelized patchouli is perfect for a night out.
As any Lush devotee can attest, the brand’s bodycare line is for the gourmands. Even Love Island star Leah Kateb adores Lush’s products; the label’s Sticky Dates Body Spray went viral and sold out multiple times after Kateb shouted it out as a mainstay in her shower routine, alongside Lush’s Let the Good Times Roll mist and nutty-chocolate Posh Chocolate body wash. With notes of sandalwood and caramel, this long-lasting body spray delivers a super-sweet blend of caramelized dates and sticky toffee.
Oh, the sweet joys of solid beauty products at affordable price points! Ashley Tisdale’s Being Frenshe line features wellness-focused beauty and personal-care products sold exclusively at Target. The Lavender Cloud hair, body, and linen mist is a mélange of fresh lavender, milky sandalwood, and sweet cardamom infused with calming oils and upcycled akigalawood (a spicy, woody scent). Apply this fragrance for a soothing post-shower vibe.
Just like a refreshing cup of matcha to kick off the day, Le Monde Gourmand’s take on green tea, amber, and freesia delivers a delightful mix of energizing and calm.
If you’ve ever had an era of shopping at Claire’s or Limited Too, the Ulta body mist is a nostalgic, yet more grown-up version of that particular pretty-in-pink era. The blend of pear, pink berries, cedarwood, and vanilla musk delivers a playful and pleasant skin scent that gives a nod to bygone days of the 2000s.
It’s great to have a fragrance-free body mist in your beauty stock for a hydrating refresh. This hypoallergenic body freshener created by tennis star Sloane Stephens is perfect for tossing into your bag or keeping in your office desk. In addition to aloe vera, niacinamide, and panthenol, the mist includes glycofilm, which forms a layer on the skin to shield it from toxins.
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