The 10 Best Body Mists For an Affordable Perfume Alternative, Tested by Editors

Be prepared for compliments.

women in green and purple coats on the street with sunglasses
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If you’re anything like me, the second you hear the term “body mist,” you’re immediately brought back to the days of middle school mall visits, specifically for Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works marshmallow sprays. No shade to the mists of my past (love you, mean it), but I'm happy to report that the best body mists of 2025 have experienced a mature revamp. In fact, even luxury fragrance brands like Diptyque and Dior have embraced the lighter spritz of a body mist, providing the deliciousness of their high-end scents for less.

Body mists tend to be more affordable than perfumes due to their lower fragrance oil concentration, making them great for testing out new scents from your favorite brands. And while the formula may not be as long-lasting, this actually makes the product more versatile. “The mist is for a lighter approach to fragrance for on-the-go and layering touches,” says Kudzi Chikumbu, fragrance expert, author, and content creator known as Sir Candle Man. You can play around and layer different mists together, or, as Chukumbu explains, “I like to use a combination of perfume and mists, starting with a nice, heavy base and then a mist to add a fun, flirty layer on top.”

Body mists have become my favorite way to ensure I smell amazing all day. They’re super easy to throw in my bag so I can always give myself a few quick sprays without the scent becoming overbearing — and more importantly, without the stress of meticulously calculating the price-per-pump.

With so many new and improved body mists on the market, it can be hard to choose just one. To make things easier, I’ve compiled a list of the 10 best body mists that deserve a spot in your fragrance collection.

best body mists

Emma Aerin Becker tries Phlur Vanilla Skin.

(Image credit: Emma Aerin Becker)

miss dior

Emma Aerin Becker tries Miss Dior.

(Image credit: Emma Aerin Becker)

best body mists

Emma Aerin Becker tries Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 62 .

(Image credit: Emma Aerin Becker)

best body mists

Emma Aerin Becker tries Salt & Stone Black Rose and Oud Body Mist.

(Image credit: Emma Aerin Becker)

best body mists

Emma Aerin Becker tries Diptyque Do Son Perfumed Body Mist.

(Image credit: Emma Aerin Becker)

Other Body Mists I Love

What Makes a Body Mist Different From a Perfume?

The biggest difference between a body mist and a perfume is the formula and subsequent lasting power. "Mists have a low fragrance oil concentration of around three to five percent, while perfumes are higher in the 15 to 20 percent range and more," explains Chikumbu. Because body mists are less concentrated with scent, they don't last as long and are made to be sprayed while on the go and throughout the day or even layered on top of other fragrances to enhance certain notes.

Dsm-firmenich's Principal Perfumer, Clement Gavarry, adds that there are positives to a differing concentration. "Mists contain more water, which makes them more moisturizing for your skin," he says. It also makes them "easy to wear and a bit more gentle than other fragrance options."

How Long Does Body Mist Last?

Every body mist is different. Longevity depends on the percentage of fragrance oil, as well as "how the different ingredients interact," as Gavarry puts it. For example, base notes like vanilla, wood, musk, and amber provide longer-lasting scents. In general, however, Chikumbu says you can expect a body mist to last approximately two to four hours.

How Do I Make My Body Mist Last Longer?

While body mists aren't as long-lasting as perfumes, there's a variety of tips and tricks for making the scent stay fresh for longer. For one, hydrated skin allows the mist to stick better. "So, spraying after the shower is perfect," says Chikumbu. "Even better, spray once you've moisturized to really lock in that fragrance when you spray it."

One of Gavarry's favorite hacks is storing body mist in a cool, dark place like a refrigerator. "Colder temperatures help preserve the fragrance and slow down the breakdown of the scent molecules," he explains.

Finally, layering your body mist with matching body products is a great method for maintaining a longer-lasting scent. Whether it's lotions, shower gels, or other perfumes, any additional scented products will help.

Where Should I Spray Body Mist?

Gavarry recommends spraying body mists "on pulse points like the wrists, neck, and behind the ears." Additionally, you can spray it on your clothing or fabrics for added longevity—just make sure to test this first, as some might stain.

But the truth of the matter is, you can spray a body mist wherever your heart desires. Body, hair, bedding, car, you name it! "I like to put it on my couch if it has a fabric that can take that," Chikumbu says. "So every time I sit, it kind of fragrances my life, and sometimes I use it as a room spray refresher as well."

Why Trust Marie Claire

Emma Aerin Becker is an experienced beauty writer, focusing on shopping roundups, digital features, and trend stories. She's a regular contributor to Marie Claire, and has words in Byrdie, Page Six Style, People magzine, and more. She spoke with two fragrance experts to compile this list of the best body mists.

Marie Claire is also a leading fragrance expert, having produced content about the best fragrances, every fragrance category, and niche trends in the perfume space. We're constantly scanning and reviewing new launches, as well.

How We Tested

For this story, we sourced editor and beauty enthusiast-beloved body misted and tested over 15 top-selling formulas. We evaluated each mist based on scent, staying power, price, and results.

Meet The Experts

Sir Candle Man sitting on couch
Kudzi Chikumbu (Sir Candle Man)

Sir Candle Man is the world's No. 1 home fragrance and candle creator, personality, author, brand consultant and curator with a mission to illuminate the world with scent, style and inspiration. A trailblazer with over 400K followers, Sir Candle Man is a curator of exquisite perfumes and candles and a connoisseur of travel and home decor, bringing elegance, scent, and style to every aspect of life. He has collaborated with many iconic brands like CHANEL, Target, and Walmart, wrote a warmly received book, "LET IT BURN" and created a candle with LAFCO which Forbes recognized as one of the best-smelling scents of 2023. Sir Candle Man has been featured in The Hollywood Reporter, NY Mag, House Beautiful, The Drew Barrymore Show, and GMA.com

Clement Gavarry
Clement Gavarry

The fourth generation of his family to work in fragrance creation, perfumery is Clement’s birthright. Born in Paris, he has many fond memories of Grasse and it was there that his father, renowned perfumer Max Gavarry, gently opened the world of fragrance up to him “by engaging me with nature. I loved smelling the fir balsam; the immortelle; the sweet, resin eucalyptus trees.”

These experiences, together with his love of the sea, still stir him and inspired him to enter the industry through summer internships. Then, work experience in New York brought an epiphany: he should become a perfumer. He entered ISIPCA, graduating with a Master’s Degree and a Diploma in Organic Chemistry.

Emma Aerin Becker
Freelance Beauty Writer

Emma Aerin Becker is a Freelance Beauty Writer at Marie Claire, where she deep-dives into makeup, skincare, and hair trends, rounding up the latest and greatest products. She has a lifelong love of style and beauty — especially when it comes to the way the latest trends and must-have products intersect with celebrity and culture. Emma also works for People magazine as a writer on their parents team, where she stays on the pulse of pop culture and covers breaking celebrity parents news daily. She has been working in the industry for four years, covering topics such as beauty, fashion, pop culture, celebrity news, and entertainment. Her words have also appeared on The New York Post’s Decider.com, Aspen Magazine, Philadelphia Style, Boston Common, Capitol File, College Fashionista, The Crescent, and ViaNolaVie.