The Rise and Rebranding of Body Mists

Remember Victoria’s Secret or Bath & Body Works body mists? Perhaps the mix of 50 different scents being sprayed at once unlocks an overstimulating yet nostalgic memory of your childhood. But have you noticed how body mists are evolving?

You might be familiar with Sol de Janeiro (SDJ), a Brazilian beauty brand best known for its body care products and fragrances. The brand’s recent rise in popularity started around 2023, thanks to TikTok. Influencers like Alix Earle featured SDJ’s products in her “get-ready-with-me” videos, while fragrance creator Paul Fino (@paulreactss) posted first impressions and ratings of the scent that drew attention. SDJ also ran targeted campaigns, gifted PR packages, and collaborated with mid-size creators, helping the brand reach a wider audience and gain a cult following. 

Body sprays made a major comeback—searches jumped almost 10 percent, and the #bodymist hashtag blew up on TikTok with over a billion views, fueled by the larger Y2K revival.

Consumers at the time noted that SDJ’s mists, ranging from $24 to $38, come at a higher price than the average body sprays, which is typically $9 to $20. Despite this, the brand’s mists became widely popular among teens and young adults. SDJ offers crowd-pleasing scents that align with the recent trends — sweet and fruity gourmands (“edible” scents, mostly associated with dessert-like notes). 

Following in SDJ’s footsteps, other brands like Phlur have expanded into body mists, offering higher-end scents, appealing to both teens and adults. The rise of #PerfumeTok—a corner of TikTok where users share perfume recommendations, routines, and collections—further accelerates consumers’ wants for scented products. 

With new releases popping up constantly, it’s hard not to feel the urge to try them all. Collecting scents became not only a hobby, but an internet-fueled obsession. Body mists present a solution to a long-standing problem: they offer approachable, crowd-pleasing scents that feel easier to collect. Today’s mists come at a “lower” price—despite costing more than ever before, they are marketed as the lower cost alternative to full bottle, designer perfumes.

what’s Happening in 2025?

Signs of a recession are everywhere, and casually dropping hundreds of dollars on perfumes became unrealistic when the cost of nearly everything else started rising. But then, again, the desire for self-expression through scent remains strong. For Gen Z, fragrance isn’t just about smelling good—it’s about finding something that represents them, something that speaks to their sense of identity. This demand still exists because social media algorithms are driving us towards overconsumption, constantly exposing users to new ways to express personal style. 

On the other hand, teenagers are eager to grow up faster. In the past, online communities for different age groups were more separated. Teens frequented platforms such as MySpace, while college students gravitated towards Facebook or Twitter. Nowadays, social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have merged these spaces, allowing teenagers to have more access to adult experiences and lifestyles. This blend has contributed to the rise of the “Sephora Kids” phenomenon, where preteens and young teens (primarily from Gen Alpha) become heavily influenced by beauty trends marketed to adults. 

Interestingly, this trend isn’t limited to young girls. Teenage boys are also increasingly drawn to fragrance, often motivated by peer influence and the desire to appear “cool.” Social media boosts this by showing friends and influencers purchasing high-end luxury colognes, which has led to a rapid rise in spending among teenage boys. 

So, here we are now…

Sephora brands now release their own versions of body or hair mists. Beauty brands such as Glossier, L’Occitane, and Salt & Stone offer sprays priced from $25 to $45. Newer niche fragrance houses such as Maison Louie Marie and Skylar are also joining this trend. Some luxury houses, however, like Byredo, Chanel, or Dior, have been offering a similar line of product: hair perfumes, which have the same concept but with lower concentrations of fragrance oils, often formulated without alcohol to prevent drying out hair textures—but they can be priced as high as $90!

Body mists: Then vs. Now

The difference between these new mists and older mists (from iconic brands like Victoria’s Secret or Bath & Body Works) is, first of all, the pricing. While still being relatively cheaper than other forms of scented sprays, their price tags push them out of the “impulse buy” range that once made body mists so accessible to teens and younger consumers. 

Victoria’s Secret, for example, launched body mists as standalone products. In comparison, today’s sprays are often positioned as scaled-down versions of existing premium perfumes. Brands like Byredo or Diptyque use the same fragrance oils in lower concentrations while simplifying the packaging and using the same name. Little marketing is needed—since the products rely on the existing popularity of their original scent, they already come with a built-in audience. It’s faster for brands to release, easier for consumers to collect, and creates a new mid-tier of fragrances.

You might call this the “Sephorification” of body mists—a shift from the familiar carefree, playful scents to more sleek, minimalistic products designed to align with today’s “Clean Girl” beauty preference.

The Pros

Despite the changes, body mists remain more versatile than ever—perfect for gym bags, lockers, or just a midday pick-me-up. These sprays are light, inoffensive, and casual, making them suitable for younger demographics. But they’re not limited to just teens: body mists can work as “day scents” for office settings or for people who prefer lighter fragrances. Today, they’re also commonly layered with oils and perfumes for added personalization, sophistication, and scent longevity. 

So what’s the verdict?

This rebranding has quickly been noticed by fragrance fans. Many are happy that they can finally own fragrances from luxury or niche houses without paying the ‘luxury’ price tag. A $60 spray feels more worthwhile if it carries the DNA of a $200 perfume. On the other hand, some express disappointment, arguing that body mists should remain under the $20 mark, like the approachable and fun product they once were. 

What are your thoughts on this new generation of body mists? Should they remain as affordable entry-level products, or do you enjoy the more elegant, higher-end rebranding we see today?

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• Fragrance
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