Natural DIY Body Mists For Beginners

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Body mists (aka body sprays) are the easiest way to refresh the skin and provide a much-needed pick-me-up with a hint of fragrance. Whether you like a refreshing burst of citrus or prefer a soothing scent of lavender, you can customise them to fit your mood and personality. Easy to prepare and use, these body mists are fun to make.

In today’s post, I will cover the basics of body mist (body spray) making and show you how to make them using simple natural ingredients. Let’s get started! 

Table of Contents

• Why Do You Need Body Mists?
• How Do Body Mists Work?
• DIY Body Mists: The Basics
• Body Mist Ingredients
  • Distilled or deionised water
  • Floral waters and hydrosols 
  • Botanical extracts
  • Essential oils
  • Hydrating ingredients
  • Regenerating ingredients 
  • Solubiliser 
  • Preserving your body mist
  • Alcohol
  • Adding colour to your body mists
• Uplifting Floral DIY Body Mist Recipe
• 7 More Body Mist Recipes to Inspire You
• Looking for even more recipes?
• How To Make the Most of Your DIY Body Mists
• Using Essential Oils Safely
• Tools
• Shelf Life and Storage
• Troubleshooting
• FAQs
  • Do I have to use preservatives?
  • Why does my body mist last only for a few hours or less?

Why Do You Need Body Mists?

Body mists are ideal for hydrating your skin and refreshing the mind with a spritz of fresh aromatherapy. They are a natural alternative to commercialised perfumes, often loaded with artificial fragrances. Made of floral waters, herbal extracts and essential oil, body mists are great for your skin and mind. 

How Do Body Mists Work?

Primarily body mists help to hydrate the skin and make you smell great. They can also cool off and refresh your skin on hot summer days, soothe flushed after-gym complexion, and fix your mood.

Made with hydrating ingredients like glycerol, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide (vitamin B3), and sodium PCA, they deliver much-needed hydration to the skin. 

In addition, essential oils in the body mists offer therapeutic and aromatic qualities that can positively benefit your mind and body. Depending on the ingredients used, body mists can cool you off, relax, energise and invigorate, relieve sore muscles, or uplift your mood.

DIY Body Mists: The Basics

When making a body mist, there are three basic things to remember. They are:

1. What is the function of the body mist? Is it to hydrate, soothe, cool down, repair, refresh or make your skin glow? 
2. What is the theme of the body mist? Is it to calm, soothe, refresh, relax, rejuvenate or energise? 
3. What ingredients can help achieve this task? 

With these three things in mind, we can now make some homemade body mists! Let’s start with basic ingredients. 

Body Mist Ingredients

When creating a body mist, picking ingredients for your needs is vital. That way, you know that the product will provide the type of effect you are looking for. So what can you include in body mists?

Distilled or deionised water

Distilled or deionised water is essential in moisturising the skin and keeping it hydrated. When combined with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, sodium PCA and glycerol, water will work to keep your skin plump and healthy looking.

Floral waters and hydrosols

Floral waters and hydrosols are an obvious choice for making body mists. Many hydrosols possess therapeutic properties, which are perfect for the skin. They also provide a subtle fragrance, making them ideal in body mists. Below is the table with their key skin benefits and aroma. 

Floral Water	Key Attributes	Aroma
Chamomile Floral Water	It is soothing and suits all skin types. Chamomile floral water promotes a sense of well-being.	Fresh, spring-like
Geranium Floral Water	It is well-known for its balancing effect. It is perfect for combination skin as it helps moisturise dry skin and smooth oily skin. Fragrant and reviving, it helps to promote positivity.	Floral
Juniperberry Floral Water	Reviving, rejuvenating, and kick-start skin circulation.	Woody, spice
Lavender Floral Water	Calming and balancing, its rich floral scent and regenerative properties make this floral water one of the most sought-after. It can help soothe redness, cool the skin, and reduce itching.	Herbaceous
Lemon Floral Water	Bright and refreshing lemon floral water helps to revitalise the senses and is a good choice if you’re having a bad skin day. Don’t apply to the skin if you plan to stay in the sun all day.	Citrusy
Manuka Floral Water	Calming and rejuvenating, manuka honey is known for its skin-soothing and anti-ageing properties. It works beautifully with rose or lavender floral water.	Grassy
Melissa Floral Water	Gentle yet highly effective for dull skin needing a pick-me-up. Its soothing aroma will help calm your mind and ease you into a new day.	Grassy
Orange Blossom Floral Water	Light yet long-lasting, orange blossom floral water is excellent for refreshing the skin on a hot afternoon. Its fresh fragrance and skin circulation-stimulating properties help to encourage a healthy glow.	Floral, citrusy
Peppermint Floral Water	Refreshing and cooling peppermint floral water is a must-have in the hot summer heat. It will keep the skin hydrated and soothe inflammation related to excess sun exposure.	Minty
Rose Floral Water	Sensual and romantic, rose floral water’s divine smell helps calm the mind. Adding it to body mist can help balance skin tone, hydrate, reduce redness and protect the skin from premature ageing.	Floral
Rosemary Floral Water	Adding a refreshing rosemary floral water to your body mist may help tone the skin, reduce the skin damage caused by UV radiation, and reinvigorate the mind.	Refreshing
Sage Floral Water	Fresh and calming sage floral water is perfect for blemished and spot-prone skin.	Herbaceous
Tea Tree Floral Water	Refreshing, cleansing and antifungal, tea tree aids acne-prone skin. Add to your mists to keep your skin bacteria-free.	Medicinal
Witch Hazel Floral Water	Antioxidant, astringent, great for acne-prone skin.	Herbaceous

Botanical extracts

Botanical extracts, such as glycerites, tinctures and herbal infusions, can help to regenerate and rejuvenate the skin and restore its natural glow by infusing your formula with active compounds. 

Essential oils

Essential oils form the base of a body mist. Adding them to the product is a great way to add fragrance to your formula, improve your skin health and elevate your mind. Below is a table with various essential oils and their key attributes to inspire you.

Essential Oil	Key Attributes	Aroma
Benzoin Essential Oil	Benzoin essential oil’s warming and soothing scent is a perfect remedy for an anxious mind. Blending it with clary sage and ylang-ylang essential oils creates a harmonious blend that helps to mend frazzled nerves, soothe senses and lift the mood.	Sweet, vanilla-like
Bergamot Essential Oil	Known for its uplifting and revitalising aroma, bergamot essential oil is perfect for relieving anxiety and fatigue. The refreshing, invigorating scent of bergamot works beautifully with palmarosa, orange, ginger and benzoin essential oil.	Sweet, lemon-like
Cedarwood Essential Oil	Dry, woody aroma of cedarwood essential oil has a calming effect. Blending it with lavender, geranium, and rosemary creates a soothing blend you can use to relieve hot flashes.	Dry, woody
Clary Sage Essential Oil	It has a euphoric, soothing, sedative aroma that is ideal for calming and relaxing. Blend with benzoin and lemon essential oil to ease feelings of anxiety.	Herbaceous
Chamomile Essential Oil	Soothing and comforting, this gentle multitasker helps calm sensitive skin and reduce inflammation and irritations. Pair with melissa floral water to create a relaxing yet uplifting blend.	Herbaceous
Geranium Essential Oil	With a sweet and rosy aroma, this lovely floral oil has a calming effect, promotes relaxation, and alleviates depressive moods.	Floral
Ginger Essential Oil	A warm spicy aroma that boosts energy and brings warmth to the body and mind.Ginger essential oil goes well with uplifting bergamot and comforting rose essential oil.	Warm, spicy
Jasmine Absolute	Renowned for its evocative scent, it works as a natural fragrance ingredient . It helps to calm nerves and restore energy.	Floral
Lavender Essential Oil	Calming, soothing and balancing, this is a popular essential oil that works wonders on the mind and for the skin. Blend with cedarwood and sandalwood essential oil to create a beautiful body mist or spray for bedtime.	Fresh, floral, herbaceous
Orange (Sweet) Essential Oil	Sweet orange oil’s fresh, uplifting scent brings sunshine to the body mists. Pair it with clove, cinnamon or benzoin essential oils for a warming, zesty fusion.	Fresh, sweet, citrusy
Rose Absolute	Widely used as a perfume ingredient, this precious ingredient adds a sweet, rosy fragrance. It is also a naturally hydrating and anti-inflammatory ingredient that helps to reduce redness and keep the skin healthy. Add to your blends to nurture feelings of calmness.	Warm, rich, intensely floral
Rosemary Essential Oil	Soothing, warming and refreshing rosemary essential oil may ease stress, improve concentration, and clear the mind. It blends beautifully with peppermint, ginger, tea tree and lemon essential oil.	Green, camphorous
Sandalwood Essential Oil	Known for its calming aroma, it is a natural remedy for stress and nervous exhaustion. Blend it with aloe vera and manuka floral water to relieve dry skin.	Creamy, woody
Ylang-Ylang Essential Oil	Ylang-ylang adds a sweet, evocative aroma to body mists. Blending it with clary sage and lime creates a refreshing blend that can help ease tension and refresh your senses.	Floral

Hydrating ingredients

Hydrating ingredients, like vegetable glycerol, glycerites, honey, hyaluronic acid, and lactic acid, help to keep the skin hydrated by attracting water. Niacinamide (vitamin B3) is another ingredient in body mists. It can help hydrate the skin, improve skin elasticity, and decrease redness. 

Regenerating ingredients

Regenerating ingredients like allantoin, panthenol, and sodium PCA offer numerous skin benefits:

• Allantoin is a naturally occuring compound that can help soothe the skin, reduce irritations, provide hydration, and aid collagen production in the skin.
• Panthenol, also known as vitamin B5, is a skin-restoring ingredient that can help smooth, soften and hydrate the skin, reduce skin inflammation, and improve the appearance of ageing skin.  
• Sodium PCA is another excellent moisturising ingredient that can help reduce skin dryness by drawing moisture to the skin and preventing water loss. It also has anti-ageing qualities, making skin look plumper and youthful. 

Solubiliser

Solubiliser allows you to disperse essential oils in a water-based product, making the body mist appear transparent. 

Preserving your body mist

Now, your natural body mist is all made. How do you keep it fresh and safe? Adding water-soluble preservatives like Dermosoft 1388 eco will help to keep them from going bad and prevent bacterial growth and moulds from forming.

Alcohol

In addition, body mist may also contain alcohol, which, when used in sufficient quantity, can function as a preservative and a solubiliser. It also helps extend the sillage of a fragrance. Alcohol can be drying for the skin, though. You can learn more about it here.

Adding colour to your body mists

Colours are often added to make the mists (sprays) more visually appealing. Body mists are water-based, so you can infuse them with water-soluble extracts. which will add an extra dimension to your recipes.

To add a shade of:

• Yellow or orange, use saffron extract.
• Red or pink, add beetroot or elderberry extract.
• Green, use spirulina.
• Blue, consider butterfly pea glycerite or infuse it in distilled water.

Note: Vegetable glycerites can stain, so be careful when spritzing on your body or clothing. Little goes a long way.

Uplifting Floral DIY Body Mist Recipe

Homemade body mists have become extremely popular as we pursue a healthier, greener lifestyle. Natural aromas used in body mists can relax, refresh and rejuvenate your senses. You can create body mists with various scent options and functions by blending fragrant essential oils with botanical extracts and floral waters. Below are some of my favourite recipes.

7 More Body Mist Recipes to Inspire You

Don’t you love body mists? I sure do! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this post and that it has inspired you to make your own body mists. Use this recipe as a guide, and experiment with different ingredients to create new variations. Your imagination is the limit. 

Here are just a few body mist recipes to inspire you:

Hydrating DIY Rose Sandalwood Body Mist

Calming DIY After-Sun Body Spray Recipe

Energising DIY Citrus Body Spray Recipe

3 DIY Cooling Sprays For Hot Flashes With Essential Oils

Energising DIY Body Spray For Men With Essential Oils

Uplifting Ylang-Ylang Essential Oil Body Mist

Fragrant DIY Jasmine Body Mist Recipe

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How To Make the Most of Your DIY Body Mists

To make the most of homemade body mists/ sprays,

• Apply to naturally warm spots inside your wrists, back of the knees, and behind your ear lobes. Your body heat will help activate, amplify and diffuse a scent.
• Spritz your mist generously all over your body before applying complementary body oil or lotion. It will help seal in moisture and extends the longevity of the fragrance.
• Layering complementary scents of a body mist with your favourite perfume can add depth to your signature fragrance.
• Reapply throughout the day to refresh, and boost your mood and energy.  

Here, you can learn more about the do’s and don’ts of applying body mists.

Using Essential Oils Safely

As wonderful as they are, essential oils can be sensitising, cause irritations and pose health risks to some people. When incorporating them into your body mists or body sprays, do so cautiously and keep in mind that:

• Essential oils are potent extracts and should always be diluted before use.
• Always patch test! Especially if you have sensitive or fair skin. If you notice any irritation, discontinue using immediately and contact your doctor. 
• Essential oils may be unsafe for infants, children, pregnant or nursing women, those with asthma, children, or pets. 
• Some essential oils, including citrus, may increase the possibility of a photosensitive reaction when exposed to sunlight. If planning a day out in the sun, use calming body mist instead. 
• Even though they are natural, essential oils can be sensitising or irritating if misused. You can learn how to use essential oils safely at the Tisserand Institute or enrol in the Diploma of Skincare Formulations at Formula Botanica. 

Tools

Apart from high-precision scale, glass beakers and milk frother, you don’t require a special kit to make body mists. You can use standard household tools you already have in your kitchen. Even though essential oils are some of the most exciting ingredients to work with, some of them can also be very sensitising. Hence, it is critical that you measure them precisely.

Here is the list of equipment I found most helpful:

high-precision scale (to two decimal places)

glass beakers

glass rod for string or a mini whisk

milk frother

ph strips

spray bottles

Shelf Life and Storage

Our kitchens are not microbe-free. Adding preservatives to the body mists can help prevent microbial contamination with the growth of yeasts, moulds and bacteria and extend the shelf life of the mists. I have been using The Geoguard® ECT/Preservative ECO, a broad-spectrum preservative widely used in natural cosmetics. Others you can try include but are not limited to Leucidal® Liquid SF MAX or Geogard Ultra®.

Body mists should keep well for three to six months if preserved and stored well. To keep them fresh for as long as possible, keep them away from direct sunlight in a dry, cool room, a drawer or a fridge. If they change colour, smell or texture, dispose of them and prepare a new batch. I like storing mine in spray bottles.

Troubleshooting

My body mist turned cloudy.

Solubilisers are a wonderful ingredient to work with as they allow us to incorporate essential oils into water-based products. However, natural solubilisers are also much pricier than their synthetic counterparts. You might be tempted to use less than recommended amount to cut costs. It is of utmost importance that you follow recommended dilution rate. If you use too little, your body mist can turn cloudy. Some essential oils like ylang-ylang or cedarwood might require a little more solubiliser. Don’t be shy to use a tad more, but within the recommended supplier’s use limits, of course.

My skin turned red and itchy, or I experienced irritations.

Although essential oils are natural ingredients, some people may be sensitive or allergic to them; consider using floral waters only instead if that sounds like you. Many of them add a beautiful scent to the bars. Rose, geranium or peppermint floral water are great examples.

FAQs

Do I have to use preservatives?

I would highly recommend using preservatives in your body mists. They are water-based products that attract mould, bacteria and fungus. Without a preservative, you run the risk of the product being contaminated by microorganisms and a health risk to yourself. You might like to shop around to find the one that works for you, but the good news is that there are many on the market, such as LEUCIDAL® SF MAX.

Why does my body mist last only for a few hours or less?

Alcohol-free body mists made with essential oils smell beautiful, yet their scent does not last long. You might find that the smell has faded after only a couple of hours, which is not necessarily bad. Just top up whenever you need to enjoy a fragrance boost throughout the day. Learn more about ingredients that will help to make your mist last longer here and how to make your mist last longer here.