What Is Body Mist and How to Use It?

A body mist or spray is a lighter, less concentrated fragrance that hydrates the skin and refreshes with a mild scent.
Unlike perfumes that stick around for a while, body sprays last up to 4 hours.
While a deodorant neutralizes bad odors from sweating, a body mist just makes you smell nice.

Does anyone else remember dousing themselves in body mist as a teenager, or is that just me? Writing about body spray definitely sparks my nostalgia, but can a grown-ass adult woman still use the stuff? Absolutely! Today, we’re not talking about those hyper-sweet body sprays of yore but about elegant fragrances in gentle mist formats that never overwhelm the nose.

In this article, we cover other important details, like how body mists differ from perfumes and deodorants. To finish things off, we give our tips and tricks on how you should apply a body spray – especially if you want it to last all day long!

What Is a Body Mist and Why Do You Need It?

A body mist is a fragrance liquid that comes in a spray bottle. It is usually made with water, alcohol, and a perfume blend that can include both synthetic scents and essential oils. It can be applied all over the body and is best used right after a shower. In addition to giving you a really lovely scent, a body spray can also help lightly moisturize the skin, especially if you’re using an oil body mist.

Body Mist vs. Perfume vs. Deodorant

It’s fair if our description left you a little confused – after all, body mists sure do sound a lot like perfume, don’t they? The main difference is the concentration of fragrance compounds.

Perfumes rarely contain water – instead, they’re made with alcohol and a whole load of whatever clever fragrance the perfume master had developed. Whereas body mists emit a light scent that dissipates after 1-4 hours, perfumes go on very strong at the start, and they gradually fade throughout the day.

Some perfumes will last for up to 24 hours, although most formulas last for 5-12 hours. It’s very easy to over-apply perfume and make yourself a nuisance to the people around you.

Some people are also confused by the difference between body sprays and deodorants, especially because some deodorants come in the form of a spray. The main difference is the purpose.

Whereas a body spray is just supposed to make you smell nice, a deodorant is actually supposed to neutralize the bad odors that pop up as a result of sweat and bacteria. Deodorants are made with both antimicrobial agents as well as pleasant fragrances, while body mists only contain the fragrance along with some skin-conditioning agents.

How to Use a Body Mist?

Using a body mist is easy and, unlike with perfume, it’s virtually fool-proof!

The best time to use a body mist is right after you get out of the shower. While your skin is still damp, apply either a fragrance-free body moisturizer or a moisturizer with a scent that complements your body mist.
Next, before getting dressed, take your body mist and lightly spray it all over your body.
Angle it from above, so that you will only need 2-3 sprays to cover yourself lightly, rather than overdoing it by spraying every inch of your skin.
If you prefer, you can also focus the body mist on your pulse points like the neck and wrists, although this is often less impactful than it would be with a traditional perfume.
Finally, when the mist dries down, you can get dressed and go about your day. You can bring your body mist with you to refresh at the midday mark.
You can also spritz your hair, assuming your body mist won’t clash with any hair products that you use.
If your skin is sensitive, you can spray the body mist on a jacket or a scarf instead of directly on your skin where it can irritate.

Tips for Making Your Body Spray Last Longer

The fragrance of a body mist tends to dissipate very quickly, but that’s a feature, not a bug. It’s the reason why body sprays are less expensive than perfumes and why they’re frequently given to teens.

Because body mists are so light, it’s okay that they fade quickly. It’s not a hassle to reapply, and you don’t need to worry about overdoing it. Ultimately, the best way to ensure that your body mist lasts a while is to just keep a travel-sized bottle in your purse!

However, you can also ensure that the scent of your body mist sticks around by layering it, which is actually how expert perfumers recommend that it be used. The key to this is to use a wide range of scented body products from the same family.

How to Use a Body Mist? — @thegoddessofglow

With Dior and Chanel products, for example, you can actually buy sets of body wash, lotion, perfume, and body mist. When you use them all in a row (with the body mist last), the result is layers of scent that gradually fade one by one throughout the day in a lovely and gradual way, but you remain smelling divine for a lot longer than if you were to only use one product.

If your reason for using body mists is specifically to avoid perfumes, just having a base layer of a scented body cream can still help with longevity.

It’s also possible to layer body mists with perfumes that have a different fragrance, but if that’s the case, make sure the two scents pair nicely together. You can even have some fun experimenting with your own scent combinations!

Photos via @marta.frankov, @tomfordbeauty, Instagram