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I spend an embarrassing amount of time scrolling slack-jawed through red carpet photos and contemplating how celebrities achieve their perfectly luminous, dewy skin. Thankfully, I can categorize my insatiable curiosity as job research since I’ve been lucky enough to consult the very derms, aestheticians, and makeup artists responsible for those famous complexions. After chatting with many of these professionals about the art of event beauty prep, I’ve landed on the following thesis: Makeup can do much of the heavy lifting, but never underestimate the power of proper skincare. And when it comes to crafting an immaculate canvas, it turns out that an underrated—and oft-overlooked—product can make all the difference.
Lean in: The red carpet beauty hero is not an ethereal highlighter or jaw-snatching sculpting wand but a simple face mist—well, if you can consider a pricey potion infused with high-performing, skin-plumping actives “simple.” Below, discover how these little luxuries have quietly taken over the red carpet beauty scene.
The Case for a Luxury Face Mist
Look, I totally get it. A face mist that costs upward of $95 may sound a bit extra. Why drop a pretty penny for a product that provides no more than three seconds of bliss? However, I’d argue that a mist provides more than a spa-grade experience, especially if you’re prepping for an important event. Supplying your skin with a preliminary layer of hydration before any other actives can help those treatments do their jobs (plumping, lifting, firming) more efficiently. It’s no wonder celebrities flock to facialists like Iván Pol, Gavin McLeod-Valentine (aka Lord Gavin), and Adeela Crown, who consider misting an essential step for their pre–red carpet treatments.
“This luxurious product is a must-have during my facials, serving as the initial step to awaken the skin’s appetite,” says Pol of his Amuse Bouche mist. “It sets and primes the natural palette, balancing pH levels with harmonious, natural dewiness. The peony flower bolsters your own hyaluronic acid and boosts hydration while adding multi-molecular weight for a dew-like finish, perfect for achieving a refreshed look before any red carpet event.” FYI, he’s the skin whisperer responsible for prepping Emma Chamberlain, Lily James, Barry Keoghan, Tessa Thompson, and Sabrina Carpenter for the Met Gala (and they did appear perfectly dewy, didn’t they?).
McLeod-Valentine (who treated Emily Blunt, Lily Gladstone, and the iconic Naomi Campbell for the Met Gala) and Crown similarly rely on mists—Augustinus Bader’s The Face Mist and La Prairie’s The Mist, respectively—to prep the skin for subsequent serums and treatments. “Your skin is like a sponge. Dampening the surface of your face and neck can help the product absorb more effectively because when your skin is slightly wet, it’s more permeable,” Crown explains. The mists allow for deeper penetration of those hydrating, plumping serums, which then create a healthy canvas for immaculate makeup application down the line. It’s a fine balance, and one could argue it all starts with a humble spray.
Mists are also instant skin-refreshers, so aestheticians will typically use them as a finishing step, too. “They are also something we use to resuscitate makeup and to give us a bit more verve and glow,” says McLeod-Valentine. In fact, many celebrity facialists recommend their clients spritz just before stepping in front of the swarm of shuttering cameras. (A secret insider tip!) “Forget hair spray—skin mist is now usually the final step before a star takes to the red carpet,” Crown declares. “When the light hits the hydrated skin, it looks lit from within.”
(Image credit: Getty Images / Marleen Moise)
What may have begun as a celebrity secret weapon is quickly becoming a popular product expansion for high-end beauty brands. Nordstrom beauty director Autumne West has certainly noticed an uptick in luxury facial mists on the market. (For reference, La Prairie’s mist launched on July 1, while Amuse Bouche and Augustinus Bader’s The Face Mist dropped in April.) “As we see an emphasis on glowing, healthy skin, both skincare and makeup enthusiasts are turning to mists for their versatility and multiuse purpose,” she tells me. And luxury brands are taking note.
Yes, they’re pricey compared to the average facial spray, but they’re often not as spendy as, say, a serum or face cream from the brand, despite oftentimes having overlapping ingredient profiles. “A lot of luxury mists include similar key ingredients to core skincare products, which can spark curiosity for customers to discover a new step to their otherwise simple routine,” notes West. With this in mind, I suspect face mists will become the new gateway product for luxury brands, a product with a more digestible price point for new consumers to enter a brand’s ecosystem.
(Image credit: Getty Images / Kevin Mazur)
Take Augustinus Bader’s The Face Mist, for example: It features the brand’s proprietary TFC8 complex to regenerate and protect the skin, and it’s tagged at $95. (The brand’s cult-favorite Rich Cream, on the other hand, costs $300.) “It is an amazing way to try the brand and its technology and results in an accessible way,” says McLeod-Valentine. “It can easily be integrated into your existing routine and will maximize your current roster of products.”
Sure, you could always buy a less pricey mist—there’s no shortage of options to choose from, and I adore more than a few! But there’s something so special about a luxury version of an everyday refresher, similar to how you might have a collection of drugstore lip balms yet invest in a gorgeous Prada version. There is space for both hydrators.
“True luxury, in my opinion, is more than just opulence. It’s a flawless balance of performance and refinement,” adds Crown, and I couldn’t agree more. Upgrading your everyday face mist likely won’t cause any drastic changes to your complexion, but I’d be lying if I said a gentle cloud of peony-scented spray à la Amouse Bouche doesn’t make me feel like a million bucks. Little luxuries indeed.
Shop Luxury Face Mists
Augustinus Bader
The Face Mist
As I mentioned, Augustinus Bader’s mist features the brand’s signature TFC8 technology, which combines vitamins, amino acids, and minerals naturally present in your skin to help reinforce your barrier long-term. The mist itself is ultra fine, and it’s infused with rose water for a splash of hydration. “I love how hydrating this is, especially after a travel day that can leave my skin dehydrated,” West says.
The Beauty Sandwich
Amuse Bouche Facial Mist
Amuse Bouche also relies on rose water (derived from Persian rose), and it has a one-month distillation process to make sure there is no bacteria present. In addition to the peony flower to boost your skin’s hyaluronic acid, it features blue tanzi to soothe inflammation and redness. (That’s what also makes it so calming before red carpet appearances, Pol says.)
La Prairie
Skin Caviar the Mist
Spritzing a caviar-infused mist just sounds luxurious, doesn’t it? Note, the caviar extract is more than just resplendent. “Skin benefits include improved skin texture, UV protection, enhanced collagen production, and reduced inflammation, to name a few,” notes Crown. “More than just an edible luxury, caviar is also a vitamin A–rich ingredient with restructuring proteins responsible for healthy cellular turnover.”
111Skin
All-Day Radiance Face Mist
This glowy face mist is the perfect cherry on top of any makeup routine. “It’s a facial in a bottle,” West gushes. “I find that I actually use less makeup product because I love how this makes my skin look underneath.”
Yon-Ka Paris
Lotion Yon-Ka PS
This toning mist is on the (relatively) more affordable side, and let me tell you it’s pure luxury. It has 99% natural ingredients, including an essential oil blend that helps purify and invigorate the skin. That said, it’s great to use pre-makeup or for touch-ups throughout the day to restore your glow.
Chanel
Hydra Beauty Essence Mist
If you’re looking for a mist with a cooling effect, you can officially stop your search and snag this Chanel pick. West even deems it a “cool drink of water” for her skin. “I will keep this in my bag to refresh my face and touch up my makeup throughout the day. The sheer, fine mist is easy to apply and feels instantly amazing to the touch,” she adds.
Gucci
Brume De Beauté Glow Hydrating Beauty Mist
The gorgeous, frosted pink bottle is reason enough to snag this hydrating mist. Infused with hyaluronic acid, rose water, and glycerin, it refreshes your complexion in a snap. This is one you’ll surely want to display on your desk or vanity for multiple spritzes throughout the day.
Chantecaille
Pure Rosewater Face Mist
This antioxidant-rich mist is like a caffeinated beverage for your skin. It has a base of rose water, which is comprised of 100% rose de mai (a very rare rose), extracting from its petals and all its essential oils.
Omorovicza
Queen of Hungary Mist
This refreshing spritz is inspired by Queen of Hungary’s Water, the world’s first recorded perfume formulated for Queen Elizabeth of Hungary in the 14th century. (Hence its name!) The base is made of Budapest thermal water, which has been used in bathhouses for ages due to its skin-restoring benefits.
La Mer
The Revitalizing Mist
We can’t have a luxury skincare roundup without discussing La Mer. Of course this mist features the brand’s signature Miracle Broth, which contains a flood of vitamins and minerals from sea kelp.
Dr. Barbara Sturm
Hydrating Face Mist
Dr. Barbara Sturm’s famous Hyaluronic Serum completely transformed my skin. I swear by it, but I do have to call out the $325 price tag. Enter the brand’s Hydrating Face Mist, which features the same hyaluronic acid potion for less than half the cost. I’d definitely scoop this up!
Sisley Paris
Floral Spray Mist
Rose, cornflower, and witch hazel waters make this alcohol-free floral mist refreshing yet oil-balancing. It’s wonderful for setting makeup or waking up your complexion in the morning.
