Can a body mist really perform like a proper perfume?
That’s the same question I had, and was skeptical too, especially at the $28 price point. But OUAI’s new Ibiza Fragrance Mist (which just launched on December 9th alongside a Santorini version) has completely changed my mind about what a hair and body spray can do (Phlur body mists had been holding this title for me, but we may have a new contender in the running). The brand, founded by celebrity stylist Jen Atkin back in 2016, has always had a strong fragrance game (if you’ve been anywhere near #FragranceTok, then you know their original scents have serious fans) but these new Mediterranean-inspired mists feel like they really understood the assignment.
I’d always known them for having fresh and clean scents (I wash my hands everyday with Dean Street), so the fact that they released a warm gourmand surprised me to say the least, especially as a certified gourmand girlie. The Ibiza mist has notes of cocoa, sugar, tonka bean, vanilla, cinnamon, and rum. On paper that sounds like it could go very dessert-very gourmand very quickly, but somehow it doesn’t. There’s this warmth to it that feels ambery and a little spicy, and the cocoa note keeps everything grounded instead of a cake batter gourmand that people traditionally think of. I sprayed it before heading out to dinner last weekend and genuinely forgot I was wearing it until someone asked what perfume I had on three hours later. For a $28 mist? I’d say that’s pretty impressive! The projection and staying power are way better than I expected, especially since I’m used to body sprays fading within the hour (and in some instances, even minutes).
Now what stood out to me the most about Ibiza was how it manages to feel both cozy and sexy at the same time. I’ve worn it out in the streets and also after a shower when going to bed, and they both work! It just depends on your mood. The sugar and cocoa opening is sweet but not in that cloying way, and then the rum and cinnamon come through and wrap you like a warm hug.
The Santorini scent is pretty too, don’t get me wrong. It’s got peaches, honeysuckle, amber musk, very fresh and sunlit, but Ibiza is the one I keep going back to. Maybe it’s because we’re heading into winter and I want something warmer, or as mentioned, I just love gourmands, but yeah, Ibiza wins for me.
Why I love it: Usually with hair mists or body sprays, you’re sacrificing something—either the scent is too light, or it doesn’t last, or the formula is weird and leaves your hair feeling sticky. The new OUAI mists don’t have any of those problems. The formula is actually lightweight, with no residue or stickiness, and my hair doesn’t feel dry or weird after I use it.
And honestly, the scent itself is just really well done. There’s actual complexity here. The tonka bean adds this almost almond-like sweetness that keeps it interesting, and that rum note in the base is subtle but it’s there, adding a boozy warmth that I’m really into. It fills a hole in my collection because I have plenty of fresh daytime scents and some heavier evening perfumes, but I was missing something in between that’s a mist and not an EDP. Something that feels elevated enough for going out but isn’t so formal or intense that I feel overdressed wearing it to dinner with friends.
The price point matters too. At $28 I’m not stingy with it, which honestly makes such a difference. I’m already a chronic oversprayer, but when it’s a $300 bottle you feel like you need to ration it a bit. With this, I’ve been spraying it in my hair, on my clothes before I head out, basically wherever because I’m not worried about running through it too fast.
Perfect pairings: If you want to make the Ibiza mist even richer or help it last longer, it layers really well with other fragrances. I’ve been wearing it with Kayali Vanilla 28 and the combination is almost too good. It’s very enveloping, very warm, the kind of scent that makes people lean in a little closer when they’re talking to you. The OUAI adds the cocoa and rum elements that keep it from being just straight vanilla.
Maison Margiela By the Fireplace is another good one if you want to play up that cozy, slightly smoky vibe. The chestnuts and woods in By the Fireplace work with the cinnamon in the mist and it ends up smelling like the best kind of winter evening. Or if you want something a little unexpected, I tried it with Lancôme Idôle the other day and was surprised by how well they worked together. The clean florals in Idôle keep the gourmand sweetness from getting too heavy, and you end up with something that feels a bit more dynamic.
For anyone who’s into niche stuff, I think DIOR’s Ambre Nuit would be beautiful with this, or Tom Ford’s Noir de Noir if you want to really lean into that rich, ambery vibe. But honestly, the Ibiza mist is strong enough on its own that you don’t need to layer it unless you want to.
Final verdict: Add to cart, immediately!