The Nostalgic Scent Trend You'll Want To Try ASAP

As part of the '90s beauty wave of nostalgia, body mists are making a comeback. For those of us who grew up in the '90s, the most popular body mists of the time will be very familiar. Remember the iconic Bath & Body Works Cucumber Melon mist? Or how about The Body Shop's White Musk? And then of course, there's the Victoria's Secret body mist archive, with favorites like Bare Vanilla, Love Addict, and their Secret Garden collection. Scents, perhaps better than any other sensory experience, conjure nostalgia, so it's really charming that body mists are making their way back into our contemporary beauty routines. 

To better understand this revival, Women spoke with scent expert Emma of @perfumerism to talk about why body mists are becoming popular again. "Body mists are the most affordable entry point for fragrance," she explained, noting that the mists make scents accessible to younger audiences. "Just like how young girls might discover Victoria's Secret through their body mists, now brands like PHLUR and Glossier are seeding a younger audience into their worlds with body mist," Emma added. But even for older demographics, body mists offer something lighter, refreshing, and more approachable than traditional perfumes. It's all part of the Y2K beauty revival. There are plenty of '90s beauty trends we need to bring back, like the '90s lip look that's making a comeback. Also, '90s nail trends are popular again for retro manicures. So body mist's return is a welcome part of this nostalgic throwback. 

As we begin to incorporate body mists back into our grooming routines, Emma of @perfumerism explains to Women how these lighter scents differ from traditional perfume. "Body mists generally have a higher alcohol and water percentage, making them more 'refreshing,'" Emma tells us. Of course, this means that body mists don't last as long as fine fragrances, because there's less perfume oil in the scent and more alcohol. But this isn't necessarily a bad thing. "For someone going to school, gym class, or just looking for a top-up that does not need to fill a room or perform incredibly, this can be suited to the occasion," Emma notes. 

Body mists are also helpful with the new trend of layering perfume. In previous years, the fragrance trend was that everyone had a single, signature scent. Now, people have a "rotating perfume wardrobe," Emma tells us, where several scents come together to create a more complex profile. And body mist actually plays a crucial role in this layering trend. "Now, with fine fragrances becoming more and more expensive, the approachable pricing of body mists allows consumers to switch up their signature scents by layering with more affordable mists, and it also allows consumers to keep up with olfactive trends without paying the price of fine fragrances," Emma notes. Body mists still allow for that creative scent combination without the steep price tag of traditional perfumes. 

The tips for making body mist last longer aren't totally different from tips to ensure the scent of your expensive perfume actually sticks around. Emma of @perfumerism tells Women exclusively that body mists work best after the shower. First, apply an unscented body lotion and then finish off your shower routine with a spritz of body mist. The body mist brand Truly also advises that people exfoliate skin well in the shower for the longest-lasting application. 

While skin application is common, Emma also tells Women that applying body mist to your clothes is a great way to get the most out of the scents. "Your clothing has the optimal matrix to cling onto scent, and it doesn't heat up and evaporate your body mist at the same rate as your skin would," she explains. So spritz shirts, jackets, and even scarves for an on-the-go scent boost. Emma also encourages what she calls "the overspray method." Because body mist is lighter, you can be more liberal with your use of it. "Spray slightly more fragrance than you would originally have sprayed, therefore, you are more likely to have a lingering scent trail for longer," Emma notes. In this way, that versatile, subtle charm of the body mist stays with you throughout the day.