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On summer’s hottest days, a potent perfume can feel cloying to sensitive noses (particularly when paired with sunscreens and sweat). But that doesn’t mean you can’t smell great; just opt for a lighter eau with one of these tested-and-approved top body sprays for women.
“A body spray is a less concentrated, lighter, and softer variety of perfume,” says Cheyanne, a French-trained perfumer and the founder of The Private Suite LA. “Body sprays have subtle, delicate, and pleasant smells that usually last up to four hours.” Though they have less longevity than concentrated eau de parfums and milder eau de toilettes, many of today’s best body sprays are formulated as hair and body mists — and when sprayed in the hair, your strands absorb the scent for longer wear time.
While the best body sprays are ripe for summer, they’re increasingly popular for year-round wear: Sol de Janeiro’s body mists, in particular, are certified stars. The fragrance mists have garnered over 94 million posts on TikTok and one of the fan-favorite scents has earned 590,000 hearts on Sephora’s Loves List, beating out Glossier You and Chanel No. 5 perfumes as the most-wished-for scent from the retailer.
As the category continues to grow in popularity, shoppers no longer have to settle for Victoria’s Secret-era body sprays that read one-dimensional and overly sweet. Instead, you’ll find that the best-smelling body sprays run the gamut from classics like rose, floral, and vanilla-based fragrances to options that are a little more frisky and unexpected. We’ve been testing body sprays for the past three months to create this list — read on for our top picks.
Top Body Sprays of 2024
Editor’s Choice: The 3 Best-Smelling Body Mists of 2024
Fragrance is highly dependent on personal preference — gals that love gourmands aren’t going to reach for a white floral body mist. Our editors factored in fragrance notes, first and foremost, while creating this guide, but we also considered cost as well as special features like sensitive skin-friendly formulations. Because of the variation in the category, we’re highlighting the three best body mists for 2024 versus one best overall. Below, what we’ll be spritzing on this season:
- Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush Cheirosa 68 Body Mist: Sol de Janeiro body sprays are juggernauts in the category, amassing viral fame and thousands of five-star reviews. Our favorite scent is the fruity floral Cheirosa 68, which smells like a certain cult-favorite perfume that goes for ten times the price.
- Chanel No 1 de Chanel L’eau Rouge Fragrance Mist: For those looking to incorporate a body spray with a classic scent into their rotation, Chanel is the best bet. This lightweight floral fragrance has notes of citrus that read fresh and bright — perfect for layering over a luxury perfume from the label or wearing on its own.
- Henry Rose Mustang Sally Body Spray: Those with sensitive noses or easily irritated skin will want to go with Henry Rose body sprays — the brand prioritizes transparency in its ingredient lists and offers dermatologist-tested formulas. We’re partial to the Mustang Sally scent for its delicious notes of juicy blood orange and neroli, plus warming musk.
Editor’s choice
Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush Cheirosa 68 Body Mist
Scent profile: Fruity floral
Sol de Janeiro’s body sprays are mega stars in the fragrance department — and our editors back Brazilian Crush Cheirosa 68 Body Mist as the brand’s best scent. Inspired by the South American hotspot, Rio, this scent possesses top notes of pink dragonfruit and lychee essence, followed by Brazilian jasmine, ocean air, hibiscus, and musk. While this scent profile differs from Baccarat Rouge 540 perfume, our testers deem Cheirosa a dead ringer for the cult-favorite fragrance but with slightly less sillage.
Editor testing and review notes: “A little goes a long way with Sol de Janeiro’s body mists — particularly this potent, fruity floral fragrance that smells like a summer date night. Like most body sprays from the brand, it veers sweet (but not saccharine). To make the scent last all day, I spritz it on after applying Sol de Janeiro’s Beija Flor body cream with the same scent.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $38
Editor’s choice
Chanel No 1 de Chanel L’eau Rouge Fragrance Mist
Scent profile: Floral
The top pick for luxury beauty lovers comes from Chanel’s Rouge No. 1 line, which was created with sustainability in mind. The collection’s signature ingredient is red camellia extract and water, while the fragrance mist incorporates florals like rose, jasmine, and iris for a citrusy botanical mix.
Because of its under-the-radar status, you’ll leave everyone guessing what you’re wearing.
What testers say: “I absolutely love the scent! It’s very different from the other scents that Chanel has. I feel like it’s more fresh and modern, and not as heavy. I do wish that it lasted longer but I love it regardless!”
Price upon publish date of this article: $135
editor’s choice
Henry Rose Mustang Sally Body Spray
Scent profile: Fresh citrus
Michelle Pfeiffer’s Henry Rose fragrance line goes above and beyond with ingredient transparency — something that’s hard to find with most perfume lines that can conceal myriad irritants under “fragrance” on a product label. Most body sprays contain alcohol, but Henry Rose’s recently-launched body sprays are water based instead, making them a safer choice for sensitive skin types. Mustang Sally leaves delicious notes of juicy blood orange and neroli, plus warming musk that you’ll want to wear everyday this summer.
Editor testing and review notes: “If I had to describe this scent in a word, it’d be expensive. Many body sprays can read singular or sweet, but this one has the complexity and deliciousness of a $300 perfume. I love that Henry Rose fragrances don’t give me headaches or irritate my sensitive skin, and that the brand offers up scent pairing ideas for fragrance layering.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $75
Frenshe Cashmere Vanilla Fragrance Mist
Scent profile: Warm and sweet
Ashley Tisdale’s Target-exclusive wellness line, Frenshe, has quickly become one of the bullseye’s bestselling brands in the beauty aisle. The Cashmere Vanilla scent is an excellent everyday body spray for those who love a good gourmand perfume — it’s the best vanilla body spray on our list for its sweetm, fresh finish. This Target body spray features Frenshe’s top-rated scent according to reviewers, and we love that it doubles as a linen mist, too.
What testers say: “It smells so heavenly!! It’s the most elegant vanilla scent I’ve smelled, not too sweet or overpowering. It also lasts a very long time — longer than some of my higher-end perfumes.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $14.99
Ellis Brooklyn Sand Hair and Body Fragrance Mist
Scent profile: Warm and sweet with a hint of floral
Ellis Brooklyn’s debut body spray line launched with summer wear in mind: The collection includes cruelty-free options to evoke everyone’s favorite parts of a beachside getaway. We’re partial to the Sand scent, which has notes of coconut and vanilla, plus bergamot to prevent it from smelling singularly sweet. The juice is packaged in a recycled glass bottle that gives it a luxury feel in your hand.
Editor testing and review notes: “After testing each of Ellis Brooklyn’s body sprays, the Sand scent stood out. Unlike many beach-inspired body sprays, this one doesn’t read overly salty or sweet. Instead, it smells like a luxury perfume with its balance of warming musks and spicy pink pepper.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $48
Ouai St Barts Hair and Body Mist
Scent profile: Warm and fresh
The quickest way to send your senses on a tropical vacay? One pump of Ouai’s St Barts Hair and Body Mist. This is one of the best-smelling body sprays to launch this year, distilling the hair care line’s fan-favorite body lotion scent into a mist that you can work into your hair or spritz on your limbs. Dragon fruit, musk, and orange blossom meld together to create a warming, refreshing scent that smells like a luxury coastal resort. The fragrance is so popular that a St. Barts-scented lip balm created by Ouai and Tower 28 sold out days after launching.
Editor testing and review notes: “Say hello to my signature scent for the summer — Ouai’s St. Barts body mist has quickly become my favorite body spray to cycle into my fragrance routine. I usually gravitate towards warming perfumes with notes of musk, and I love that this body spray works as a summery layer to wear on top of those eaus, or on its own to give my senses a little tropical getaway.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $28
Dior Miss Dior Silky Mist
Scent profile: Floral, slightly fruity, and clean
Fans of Dior’s signature Miss Dior fragrance line will love this softer iteration for summer. First commissioned by Dior “to smell like love,” this iteration of the classic fragrance filled with energizing citrus and earthy patchouli was designed to be lightweight while imparting six hours’ worth of wear. Couture scent-lovers will find that this is the perfect way to top off and refresh their Miss Dior perfume throughout the day.
Editor testing and review notes: “Miss Dior perfume is one of my go-to fragrances when I want a classic scent that feels feminine and bright. I love that this fragrance mist was designed to enhance the classic perfume and that it jibes well with other floral perfumes you wear underneath it. On its own, it provides the subtlest trail of swoon-worthy scent.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $80
Tom Ford Bitter Peach All-Over Body Spray
Scent profile: Warm, juicy, and slightly spicy
Tom Ford perfumes are known for their high potency and strong sillage that lasts for hours, making this body spray format a welcome alternative for delicate noses or scent layering. The Bitter Peach fragrance has notes of sweet peach and zesty blood orange, but it’s the middle and base notes of rum, cognac, and patchouli that balance it out with a hint of booziness and spice. Also great: This body spray dispenses in a super fine mist, similar to hairspray, for easy head-to-toe misting.
Editor testing and review notes: “I wore Tom Ford’s Bitter Peach perfume on my wedding day, so suffice to say I’m a fan of the fragrance. It has a sweetness to it that makes you want to lean in closer, while the spice and hint of rum serve up a little intrigue. If you want people to tell you that you smell amazing, this is the scent to wear.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $100
Diptyque Citronnelle and Geranium Summer Body Spray
Scent profile: Citrusy, floral, and sweet
Diptyque’s summer 2024 collection dropped with a gorgeous limited-edition body mist you’ll want to mist on during summer’s muggiest days — that’s because it doubles as a mosquito repellent with its inclusion of lemongrass essential oil. But rest assured that this is first and foremost one of the best-smelling body mists on the market. Beyond lemongrass, it includes lemon and geranium essential oils for a tangy scent, plus neroli and orange blossom for a hint of sweetness.
Editor testing and review notes: “I’m obsessed with this fragrance — it smells like a trip to the Amalfi Coast with its lush, zesty finish. The fact that it also includes lemongrass to fend off bugs is just icing on the cake (and trust when I say that it actually works; I’m usually a mosquito magnet).”
Price upon publish date of this article: $58
Phlur Dragon Fruit Body and Hair Fragrance Mist
Scent profile: Sweet and floral
Send your senses to the tropics with Phlur’s Dragon Fruit body spray — this mist goes big on juicy, bright notes like pineapple and watermelon. To balance out the sweetness, the body mist also includes warming sandalwood and a pop of fresh peony. It comes to you in an eight ounce bottle that delivers major bang for your buck; particularly because a little goes a long way.
Editor testing and review notes: “After testing each of Phlur’s new body sprays, Dragon Fruit won me over for its surprisingly complex notes. I was expecting a simple pop of sweetness when I first misted it on, but instead I picked up notes of fresh florals and some underlying warmth that helps balance it out. It goes on stronger than other body sprays then softens out to a subtle hint of fragrance after a few hours.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $35
Body Spray vs. Perfume
“All of the different terms for fragrance — perfume, eau de parfum, eau de toilette, and body spray or eau fraiche — all depend on the concentration of the perfume oils,” explains Greta Fitz, founder and CEO of fragrance brand Ascention Beauty Co. What’s more, Cheyanne notes that the key difference is that mists are less concentrated and lighter, while perfumes are more concentrated and heavier.
On one end of the spectrum, the best perfume oils are highly concentrated formulas containing 100 percent fragrance without any water or alcohol. More common are perfumes and eau de parfum, with concentration levels of aromatic ingredients ranging from 15 to 40 percent that result in a rich fragrance delivery. On the other end of the spectrum, body spray concentrations range from one to three percent (or on some occasions, up to eight percent) with a less potent and shorter-lasting scent profile.
This difference in potency impacts both their points of application on the body, as well as the method of application. Perfumes are dabbed on, or applied via a targeted spray to specific pulse points on the body, lasting up to 24-hours. The breezy nature of a more dilute body spray — which is formulated mostly with water and a low alcohol content that diffuses the ingredients — is spritzed all over through a water bottle-like spray. Of course, you can also apply it to the traditional zones associated with perfume application. As she points out, these are reasons why body sprays come in larger sizes.
Top Women’s Body Spray Trends of 2024
Gourmand perfumes are the reigning fragrance trend of 2024, with the sweet scents coming in myriad forms. Some new launches, like Sol de Janeiro’s new Cheirosa 59 scent, hit the sweet notes head-on, while others like Phlur’s latest Mood Ring perfume pair them with grounding musks.
Cheyanne also predicts that a large number of “feel-good” scents will hit the market. “This year, we are going to smell a lot of expressive, happy perfumes,” she says. “Think optimistic notes of citrus, bold compositions, and exclusive ingredients.” Back in the day, this might have made you think of Clinique Happy. These days, however, the citrus takes come more in the form of gourmet selections like yuzu — no doubt benefitting from the overlap between fragrance and skin care actives.
Fitz names nostalgic scents — such as those that are reminiscent of ’80s trends — rising to prominence. This makes us think, for instance, of the cult-favorite perfume created by the sun-care line Vacation Inc. “Sun and ozonic scents are also trending for summer, which are super reminiscent of the beach, as well as [fragrances] with inspiration from the garden [like] carrots, dill, and cucumber,” she adds.
The Best Way to Apply Body Spray and Mist
Fitz notes that there is an art to applying perfume and cologne, and these light and airy varietals are designed to be applied and reapplied generously “in a cloud that covers the entire body.”
“I recommend spraying your body spray all over your skin immediately after your morning shower or bath,” says Cheyanne. Her personal tip is to apply a body butter in a complementary scent prior to spraying, noting that, “the moisturizing properties of the body butter help to hydrate the skin and lock in your fragrance.” She points out that their more subtle profile also makes them ideal for fragrance layering, especially if you’re new to the game.
Reapplication throughout the day comes with the territory of a body spray. Feel free to spray with abandon, as often as every two hours. However, Fitz shares that they can last for up to four hours — particularly if you make sure the mist reaches your hair and clothes.
Another popular way to work with lighter fragrances is to layer them. This can be done by opting for a complementary scent of body butter before spritzing it over with your body spray, or, of course, reaching for more than one. Diehard fans of scents will sometimes apply their chosen perfume in the morning, and then refresh the scent with its body spray version throughout the day.
How We Tested and Selected the Best Body Sprays for Women
Since 1910, WWD — often referred to as “the fashion bible” — has been the leading industry voice of authority for senior executives in the global women’s and men’s fashion, retail and beauty communities, while also informing the consumer media that cover the market. Today, WWD’s breaking news and trend coverage continues to be a trustworthy resource for both fashion insiders and consumers alike. Our shopping editors continue to uphold WWD’s editorial standards and values with quality, expert-backed product selections.
To select the top body sprays to feature in this expert-approved guide, our editors began by testing out 22 body sprays from emerging and established fragrance brands. Because scent is so heavily dependent on personal preference, we enlisted a panel of five noses with various fragrance preferences to whittle down their favorites based on scent and longevity. We narrowed down our list to the top nine perfumes after considering 2024 perfume trends, scent profiles, sillage, and packaging. The selections on our list were carefully chosen with summer in mind, however you’ll also find perennial options for year-round wear. Learn more about us here.
Meet the Experts
Cheyanne is an Ivy League-educated Physician’s Assistant and celebrity injector that was also trained as a perfumer in the South of France. After graduating from Harvard University, she apprenticed with a perfumer in a town called Mougins before being put to work creating fragrances for perfumes, candles, body oils, body sprays, and more.
Greta Fitz has over two decades of experience working with beauty brands at Coty, Shiseido, and L’Oréal. In 2016, she helped to create the fragrance brand Clean Reserve, before going on to found her own brand, Ascention, that combines her passions for wellness and fragrance.
Meet the Author
Claire Sullivan is the Senior Beauty and Lifestyle Commerce Editor for Footwear News and WWD, where she writes and edits beauty, fashion and lifestyle stories. She has over six years of experience as a writer and editor for national media outlets including Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She keeps her finger on the pulse of all things related to beauty and wellness, as well as the latest shopping trends and clothing brands. A fragrance fanatic, Sullivan personally tested many of the body sprays on this list.
