Why I Don't Use a Facial Mist Right After Cleansing (And What I Do Instead)

One of the most common questions I'm asked is whether you should use a facial mist immediately after cleansing. Most skincare brands recommend misting your skin before applying oils or moisturizer—and there's a good reason for that advice. But after more than 20 years of formulating skincare for sensitive skin, I've found a different routine that works even better for me.

I Call It Giving My Skin a Drink

Instead of reaching for a facial mist after cleansing, I head to the sink.

I repeatedly splash my face with cool water, gently pressing the water into my skin between splashes. I don't pat it dry. Instead, I leave my skin very damp and move immediately to the next step which is applying Luminous Liquid.

Healthy skin doesn't just need oils. It needs water first.

One of the biggest misconceptions in skincare is that facial oils hydrate your skin.

They don't.

Water hydrates your skin.

Facial oils don't add water to your skin—they help keep the water that's already there from evaporating away. At the same time, a well-formulated facial oil does much more than simply seal in hydration. It delivers beneficial lipids, antioxidants, vitamins, and plant compounds that help support the skin barrier, soften the skin, and keep it looking healthy over time.

If you apply oil to dry skin, you're sealing in...dry skin.

If you apply oil while your skin is still damp, you're helping your skin hold onto the water it has just received.

That simple difference has become one of the most important parts of my own skincare routine.

So Why Did I Create Rose + B5?

People are often surprised when I tell them this because I formulated Rose + B5.

The truth is, I absolutely believe in facial mists.

I just believe they shine at a different moment.

I keep Rose + B5 nearby throughout my day.

After spending time outside.

After hours in the shop.

When air conditioning leaves my skin feeling tight.

During the dry winter months.

Any time my skin starts feeling thirsty.

That's when I reach for my mist.

A few refreshing sprays give my skin another drink of water.

Then I follow with Luminous Liquid to help hold that hydration where my skin needs it.

Three Simple Ways to Give Your Skin a Drink

After Cleansing

Repeatedly splash your face with cool water, gently pressing it into your skin before applying Luminous Liquid while your skin is still damp.

Throughout the Day

Refresh your skin with Rose + B5, then follow with Luminous Liquid to help keep that hydration from evaporating away.

When Your Skin Needs a Reset

Visit our Steam Bar for a complete hydration ritual featuring our signature Double Cleanse, your choice of botanical steam, Luminous Liquid, Brightening Balm, and Lip Repair.

Healthy Skin Doesn't Have to Be Complicated

After two decades of formulating skincare, I've learned that healthy skin is often the result of simple, consistent habits—not complicated routines.

Give your skin water.

Help it keep that water.

Repeat.

That's the routine I've followed for years, and it's still the first thing I recommend to anyone who asks how I keep my skin healthy and comfortable.