Face Mists for Dry Office Air and Overheated Rooms

Face Mists for Dry Office Air and Overheated Rooms

Face mists are the quick fix for skin that feels tight by mid-afternoon in a heated office. Here are the hydrating mists, setting sprays and treatment mists I would keep at a desk this winter, and how to use them so they actually help.

Caudalie began in 1995 in Bordeaux, when Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas started making skincare from grapes at her family's vineyard, Château Smith Haut Lafitte. The idea was to use what the wine harvest left behind, and one of its most loved products is its Grape Water, a mist made entirely of water from grapes. It is a good place to start with face mists, which have become a desk-drawer essential for anyone stuck in dry office air or an overheated apartment.

The first row is hydrating face mists. Caudalie Grape Water is 100 percent grape water, soothing and simple. Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mist is a fine, dewy spray made for travel. EADEM Mami Wata uses cica, panthenol and ectoin to support the skin barrier. The INKEY List Hydro-Surge keeps skin dewy for hours without stickiness. Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray is a classic for thirsty skin. Dr. Barbara Sturm Hydrating Face Mist has hyaluronic acid for dry skin. BIOEFFECT Icelandic Water Mist is pure and gentle, and U Beauty The BARRIER mist is a serum-like spray for barrier support.

A quick test: mist once and wait a minute. If your skin feels tighter after it dries, you need to follow it with a moisturizer or oil.

Loved lately collage of six pinned cards on brushed metal: Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mist, Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist, MAC Fix+, rhode Glazing Mist, Sunday Riley Pink Drink and The INKEY List Hydro Surge
Hydrating face mists

Hydrating face mists

Setting and glow mists

Setting and glow mists do two jobs: they add moisture and they help makeup look like skin. They are what I would spray before a meeting or a dinner.

Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist is a 2-in-1 hydrator and finishing spray with a silky glow. MAC Fix+ is the classic multitasking spray that makeup artists have used for years. MILK MAKEUP Hydro Grip Setting Spray uses hyaluronic acid and niacinamide for a dewy finish. PAT McGRATH LABS Skin Fetish Glass 001 gives a glassy glow. NARS Light Reflecting Setting Mist softens powder. rhode Glazing Mist uses ectoin for a glowy finish. Pixi Glow Mist is a light, glowy spray, and Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray helps makeup last all day.

Pairing tip: after powder, hold a setting mist at arm's length and spray in an X and then a T. It melts powder into skin so it looks less dry.

What I would skip: spraying a setting mist too close to your face. It leaves wet spots and moves makeup. Hold it far away and let a fine cloud land on skin.

Setting and glow mists

Treatment and essence mists

Treatment and essence mists go a step further, with ingredients like peptides, vitamins or antioxidants. They are the fancier end of face mists and the ones I would keep on a nightstand.

Chanel Hydra Beauty Essence Mist has vitamins C and E and hyaluronic acid. Sunday Riley Pink Drink is a peptide mist that helps firm and resurface. Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist is a toning mist with a lovely herbal scent. La Mer The Revitalizing Mist is soft and soothing. Augustinus Bader The Face Mist is a light, hydrating treatment. Natura Bissé Diamond Mist is refreshing and fine. Gucci Brume de Beauté can prep, set or refresh, and RMS Beauty Superserum Hydrating Mist is a clean, nourishing spray.

How to use them: spray after cleansing and before serum, like a toner. Skin absorbs serum better when it is slightly damp.

What I would skip: misting all day without moisturizing. As the water evaporates, it can pull moisture out of your skin and leave it drier. Always seal it in with a cream or oil. Keep the treatment mists for slower mornings and evenings, when you have time to follow with the rest of your routine.

Treatment and essence mists

How to mist the right way

Keep one hydrating mist at your desk and one setting mist in your bag. Mist, then press a little moisturizer or face oil over the top when skin feels tight. Use a treatment mist at home, after cleansing, as part of your evening routine. Face mists work best as a step, not a replacement for moisturizer. A small humidifier on your desk helps too, and so does drinking more water than you think you need. With that combination, skin can stay comfortable even in the driest office or the most overheated apartment, all winter long. Refill travel sizes for the office so you are not carrying a big bottle around.