Pixi Beauty Mist review: Glow, Hydrating Milky, Vitamin Wakeup, Makeup Fixing

Affiliate Disclosure: I receive a small commission for purchases made via affiliate links.
How to cite: Wong M. Pixi Beauty Mist review: Glow, Hydrating Milky, Vitamin Wakeup, Makeup Fixing. Lab Muffin Beauty Science. May 20, 2017. Accessed March 19, 2024. https://labmuffin.com/pixi-beauty-mist-review-glow-hydrating-milky-vitamin-wakeup-makeup-fixing/

I used to think skincare mists were a pointless gimmick. Why use something that’s been watered down to work in spray form, when you could use a regular serum or cream that contains more concentrated ingredients instead? Plus you’re wasting all that product that doesn’t make it onto your skin!

But I’ve finally seen the light. Mists aren’t meant to replace serums and creams – they’re meant to be a convenient addition to your routine. Mists mean:

  • you can quickly and easily apply products when your hands might not be clean
  • when you don’t want to disturb the stuff you already have on your face
  • when you’re in a rush
  • when you’re just lazing out (admittedly this is the real reason for me most of the time)

I usually don’t use a separate moisturiser in the morning and just rely on my sunscreen to carry me through, since my skin is too oily to handle a proper moisturiser in the morning. Mists have been awesome at providing hydration that’s lighter than a proper lotion, especially now that we’re heading into winter and my skin is starting to flake.

I recently tried out 4 face mists from Pixi Beauty: Glow Mist, Hydrating Milky Mist, Vitamin Wakeup Mist and Makeup Fixing Mist.

Pixi Beauty Mist review: Glow, Hydrating Milky, Vitamin Wakeup, Makeup Fixing

Packaging

First, a note on the spray packaging. All four mists come in the same 80 mL spray bottle that takes a bit of getting used to. It sprays quite straight, but the droplets are quite large, so if you spray too close you end up with a really wet circle. I recommend spraying from at least 30 cm away to avoid the wet circle, especially if you’re applying this over makeup since the water can make it go patchy (this happened to me a lot during testing). An alternative is to spray it directly upwards and let it rain down on your face, which worked really well for me. You can also unscrew the bottle and pour the contents into another spray bottle.

Glow Mist

Glow Mist is the original mist from Pixi. It’s designed to be used over makeup to add a dewy “glow” to your face, but you can also use it as a moisturising step.

It comes as a rose-scented watery liquid with a layer of yellow oil sitting on top. It contains a ton of different oils (21 of them in fact, but the main ones are olive and argan oils), propolis extract, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and aloe vera. Oils and hyaluronic acid are great for softening the skin, and niacinamide does pretty much everything – lightens hyperpigmentation, strengthens skin, reduces sebum and acne, and acts as an antioxidant. I’m pretty new to propolis but there are a couple of studies that suggest that it could be good for repairing damaged skin.

When I tried Glow Mist I found that it really delivered on its promise to dewify powdery makeup, but as mentioned previously, take care to avoid patchiness if your makeup isn’t waterproof. I prefer using it before sunscreen and makeup if my skin’s feeling dry that day – it’s quick to apply and absorbs in seconds, and it’s impossible to mess up during the morning rush. I’m not a huge fan of the two-layer format because it feels like I never shake it enough to mix the oil perfectly evenly and I’m pretty sure I’m going to end up with just oil at the end. On the bright side though, it means that you can reduce the amount of oil by using it without shaking, if your face is feeling particularly oily that day.

Ingredients: Water, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Propolis Extract, Niacinamide, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Panthenol, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Illicium Verum (Anise) Fruit Extract, Adenosine, Rose Flower Oil, Tagetes Minuta Flower Oil, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Leaf Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil.

Hydrating Milky Mist

Hydrating Milky Mist is like the less oily, more humectant (water-boosting) form of Glow Mist. This is my favourite of the four mists, since dehydration is my biggest skincare woe, and the high glycerin content of this mist makes it really good at hydrating my skin without being sticky. I use this before sunscreen and makeup to make my skin feel plump and soft, although you can also use it after makeup to get rid of the powdery look. I also use this a lot after I shower, if I’m not quite ready to do my whole evening routine yet and I don’t want my skin to feel tight.

As well as glycerin, there are a few other humectants like glycosaminoglycans and ethylhexylglycerin. Hydrating Milky Mist also contains a couple of light emollients (ethylhexyl palmitate, cetyl ethylhexanoate and lecithin) that soften skin without making it feel greasy. Small amounts of anti-irritants like black oat and allantoin add a slight soothing effect. It has a slightly floral moisturiser sort of smell.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Ethylhexylglycerin, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Allantoin, Ceteareth-20, Trideceth-10, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-12, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Lecithin, Avena Strigosa Seed Extract.

Pixi Beauty Mist review: Glow, Hydrating Milky, Vitamin Wakeup, Makeup Fixing

Vitamin Wakeup Mist

Vitamin Wakeup Mist is Pixi’s newest mist. It contains magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (a stabilised form of vitamin C), glycerin and niacinamide in an orange flower water base, and smells like a freshly opened can of lemonade. It’s very refreshing and a nice way to wake up in the morning. Pixi recommend it for use either before or after makeup. As with the other sprays, I prefer it before makeup, but I haven’t found myself reaching for this as much since the hydrating effect it gives is weaker than the Hydrating Milky Mist and the Glow Mist. I think this mist is better suited to summer.

Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Flower Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Adenosine, Tropolone, Disodium EDTA, Arginine, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Maltodextrin, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pryidoxine HCI, Silica.

Makeup Fixing Mist

Makeup Fixing Mist is the only mist in this quartet that required a lot of effort for me to make it work. The difficulty in controlling the spray was the closest thing to a deal-breaker – despite holding it quite far from my face and spraying in quick lines, I ended up with most of the mist landing on a concentrated section of my face so it was soaking wet. On the bits where there was a fine mist my makeup looked great, but on the soaking wet part my foundation would go patchy. When I transferred it to an el cheapo mist bottle from Daiso it worked great, but I feel like it should really work well in the container it comes in. There are lots of reviews out there where people got good results, but I can’t quite get the original spray bottle to work right.

This makeup setting spray is a bit unusual in that it uses polyvinyl alcohol as the ingredient that forms the protective film over your makeup, instead of the far more popular PVP. Once I changed the mister, it worked nicely to keep my makeup in place, even through sweaty exercise. I’m not the biggest fan of the rose scent, which smells like old woman perfume to me, but it fades quickly once you’ve applied it.

Ingredients: Water, Alcohol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Citrate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Trideceth-10, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Glycerin, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Soleirolia Soleirolii Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Origanum Majorana Leaf Extract, Fragrance, Butylene Glycol, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Pinus Densiflora Extract, Thuja Orientalis Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Niacinamide, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Maltodextrin, Ethyl Hexanediol, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Polyquaternium-51, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pyridoxine HCl, Silica.

Pixi Beauty Mist review: Glow, Hydrating Milky, Vitamin Wakeup, Makeup Fixing

Pixi have also recently launched Sun Mist, an SPF 30 spray designed for easy reapplication. I’m still yet to try any spray-on sun protection products so I’m quite intrigued!

Have you tried any Pixi mists? What are your favourite skincare mists?

These products were provided for editorial consideration, which did not affect my opinion. This post also contains affiliate links – if you decide to click through and support Lab Muffin financially (at no extra cost to you), thank you! For more information, see Disclosure Policy.


Skincare Guide


Related Posts

14 thoughts on “Pixi Beauty Mist review: Glow, Hydrating Milky, Vitamin Wakeup, Makeup Fixing”

  1. Mists and sprays have never been my ally, so I only gravitate towards them if the ingredients, rather than the water-y medium + container, are functional and can be had at a comparative bargain (because I’d rather splurge on treatments that improve rather than maintain skin texture and tone). I use them when you do, if there’s going to be a lull between washing + toning and other treatments, including chemical exfoliants, and I want to avoid tight, rapidly dehydrating skin. I just lazily spray into my hand and smooth over my face, otherwise I waste product by allowing it to drip off of me and I get my already-greasy hair even oilier. I tend to overdo things, though, so I just layer one after the other, normally two or three at a time.

    My thoughts re Pixi mists are similar to yours. I’ve tried Hydrating, Vitamin, and Glow, and if I’m using all three at once following a more sophisticated toner, I’ll use them in that order, thinnest to ones slightly more substantial in texture. They’re serviceable, like Pixi oils and “serums,” but I prefer their cleansing products if I’m shopping at a boxstore.

    Reply
    • I’ve only tried one Pixi cleanser so far (the Glow Mud), but generally I’m really not fussy about cleansers – they’re the only step in my routine where I’ll grab any non-stripping cleanser and be OK with it!

      Actually I lie – I’ve tried their cleansing balm as well, but I wasn’t wowed by it.

      Reply
      • Interesting about the cleansers! I am slightly sheep-faced about this, but when I’m on a budget I’ll take an unsexy but non-irritating and highly-spreadable / lubricating moisturizing lotion or cream in a hygienic package so I can afford higher quality (antioxidant-rich, peptide-laden) serums, treatments, and oils. I don’t care where I get “moisture” from, if below and above that layer I’m using all the right things. I also like buying cheapier night-time ones to help spread if not dilute tackier (like, literally they feel tacky to the touch), more expensive products. I’d be interested to know if this approach is counter-productive in the long run.

        I wonder if you’ve ever done or would consider doing a post about strategies for determining, budget-wise, which skincare steps deserve priority and how to stretch expensive products without creating incompatibility issues.

        (Also, now that I think about it, I’ve used that Pixi balm in my hair as a mask more often than I have on my face. I do like it as a quasi-facial mask, though, when I’m doing other bathroom things — nothing scatological, just teeth-brushing and hair-fluffing and so forth — and might otherwise be tempted to pick at my spots and blackheads. Masks are great for discouraging that particular compulsion.)

        Reply
  2. I just got my hands on the Sun Mist and the Vitamin Wakeup mist and am excited to test them. We here in Germany head into summer, so both come exactly at the right time.
    Other than that I only tried the Makeup Fixing mist. My issues with the bottle were the same and I was not sure if it really was worth the hassle for the results.

    Reply
  3. I was very much felt the same towards mists at the beginning when they started becoming all the rage, and I thought they were a bit of a pointless step in my routine. But now I am all about mists!

    These ones from Pixi look and sound so amazing! I’ve only tried the make up fixing mist, which to be honest Im not much of fan (I feel Urban Decay etc work a whole lot better) but I am interested in trying the Glow Mist and the Hydrating Milky Mist. Great review! xx

    Chantalle | http://www.ceceandgrace.blogspot.com.au

    Reply
  4. What are your thoughts on Ethylhexyl Palmitate? In the past, I have felt like they break me out and I know they score high on cosdna. Did the Milk Mist break you out?

    Reply
  5. Oh my gosh, I’m all about spray on sunscreens! On my face anyways. I can’t wait to try that one. (I always wear a BB and/or concealer, so I can’t be rubbing on lotion). And I’m not a fan of powders now that my skin is developing some fine lines.

    Great post, I have not tried any face mists and I always wondered what the deal was. I really appreciate all the detail. I think I shall get me a couple of these! ?

    I always wondered what I need for my oily and yet dry skin. Hydration, or moisturization? Moisturizing just seems to over load it, but yet I have consistent dry patches. It’s so weird! ?

    Reply
  6. Hi Michelle – thank you for a wonderful website. I appreciate that you take the time to write these articles, I’ve learned a lot and your posts have really helped me sort through the hype you see from skincare lines.

    Something I was wondering about is whether you really need to have a tonne of antioxidants in every product of your routine. That’s one way I’ve noticed that Paula’s Choice tends to downgrade competitors – “The Ordinary does what it says it will, but it doesn’t have antioxidants so it’s not as good as our products” (etc) – and I wanted to know what your thoughts are on this. Would you say PC is right, and ideally every product should be packed with antioxidants? Or, in your opinion, would it be just as effective to use targeted steps in your routine like The Ordinary and supplement with antioxidant serums or mists? Thank you so much for your thoughts, and for providing a fantastic resource for skincare nerds.

    Reply
    • IMO no, the antioxidants thing is not that well supported by evidence, apart from vitamin C + E + ferulic acid! The reason I say this is that there are a million different antioxidants, so it’s hard to say which ones will actually get through skin enough to have an effect, and the composition of the formula will make a big difference too. I suspect it’s pushed by some companies to make a point of difference, from a marketing perspective. Having them in a separate product is as good as having them in the original product in most circumstances.

      Reply
  7. I tried the Pixi Make-up Fixing Mist. I live in Florida and I was looking forward to something that would keep my make-up from slipping. It was terrible! Even my waterproof make-up moved! I hate starting over, but i was forced to wash my face and start again. Tried it twice just in case it was exceedingly humid that day. I also used it alone on a clean face. It felt tacky and sticky.

    I contacted the company and nicely explained my problem with this item. I never received an answer. I sent another email about a month later, with the old one attached. Still never heard from them. It’s over a year.

    Save your money!

    Reply

Leave a Comment