Want to know the quickest way to amp up your skincare regimen and avoid perennially dry skin? Ask Youth To The People’s Director of Education, Laura Cline: “Make the most of your routine by immediately boosting hydration with a mist,” she says. While her strategy for keeping skin glowing is admittedly more comprehensive—she’s an advocate for getting ahead of skin stress (when your skin misbehaves) and layering key ingredients daily—she is also a firm believer in the power of a mist.
“Mists are not all formulated for the same purpose,” she expands. “They can be formulated to be hydrators, mattifiers, refreshing, or even a delivery system for an essence or serum. The goal is to think of the skin benefit you’re looking to achieve, and use a mist that will help you reach it.” According to Cline, the most common type of mists are those designed to boost skin hydration—like this one, which contains a unique shea butter sphere carrier system to preserve the efficacy of its hero ingredient, a proven calming agent called pentapeptide-59. Using smart-release delivery, it provides lasting benefits throughout the day. It’s also unique because it contains beneficial adaptogens that continue to work long after the first spritz.
In the service of greater, more radiant complexions for all, here Cline spells out how to get the most out of incorporating a mist in your routine:
As a First Step
“Mists are an extra boost of hydration that can be used as often as you like,” she says. Applied before a serum or moisturizer they can even aid in increasing absorption and the efficacy of active ingredients.
Boost Hydration
Mists play nice with all products, but those with hyaluronic acid love water. “Hyaluronic acid is a water magnet, and will perform even better when it’s applied on damp skin,” says Cline. Picture cleaning up a spill with a damp sponge versus cleaning up a spill with a dry sponge: “The damp sponge actually absorbs the spill better.” Additionally, good mists increase moisture, but contain little to no water. “Water is essential to hydrated skin, but topical benefits come when the water is partnered with hydrators such as betaine and hyaluronic acid that work to lock moisture in,” says Cline.
Reduce Irritation
Great mists can smell nice, but shouldn’t contain irritation-inducing ingredients, like scent or fragrance. For those experiencing irritation (think an itchy shaving rash) look for calming ingredients, like adaptogens.
Refresh Makeup
Need to refresh your makeup on-the-go? Spritz a fine mist about an arm’s length away from your face; a gentle mist will soothe complexions without disrupting makeup.
Written by Elsa de Berker for Youth To The People
