8 best hypochlorous acid sprays to cleanse and soothe, tested by a beauty expert

Many hypochlorous acids have a strong whiff of chlorine or bleach. Many formulas – such as Tower 28, included in below – suffer from this swimming pool-like scent. However, Isoclean’s hypochlorous acid spray is odourless.

It’s refreshing like a face mist and doesn’t change the appearance of your skin, whether it’s glowy from skincare or matte from setting powder. As someone guilty of touching their face a lot, the addition of the Isoclean spray did prompt some pilling once it settled down, and a few minutes after application, it left my skin feeling slightly itchy (likely due to the inclusion of sea salt in the formula). However, this sensation quickly disappeared, and otherwise, the spray caused no issues. Overall, it was still my favourite of the sprays tested, thanks to a reasonable price and lack of odour.

When the hypochlorous acid skincare boom began in 2024, Vital Baby’s budget-friendly offer was an immediate best seller. It has a salt-free formula, making it better suited to drier skin types, too.

It has a neutral odour and, despite a powerful dispenser pump, the formula absorbs relatively quickly into your skin. I found it sat comfortably on my face and didn’t leave my skin feeling taut. With such a big bottle, it’s great for liberal top-to-toe applications after exercise and – as its name suggests – cleaning little ones. However, like many hypochlorous acids, once opened, it must be used within three months.

This hypochlorous acid spray is safe for eyes and use post-surgery. Though I didn’t test the spray under these circumstances, it’s helpful to know that the formula is medical-grade and, in my non-surgical experience, I felt no sensitivity when using this product, thanks to its alcohol-free, fragrance-free and oil-free makeup.

Although £15 for 100ml is on the steep side, I wouldn’t begrudge the price for the peace of mind it might afford post-surgery. The natural fragrance is light, albeit slightly similar to disinfectant, and the trigger dispenser creates a luxuriously fine mist. The result is a refreshing spritz that gets to work on bacteria, without affecting the look or feel of the skin.

This hypochlorous acid spray has been going viral on TikTok after a number of people declared it a “miracle spray.” Much like its competitors, the formula features a simple list of three ingredients – water, salt and hypochlorous acid – with neither parabens nor fragrance. Unlike many beauty products, this formula is made in the UK, cutting back on manufacturer-to-consumer miles versus some other brands.

In practice, the spray feels refreshing and, as someone who suffers excess shine at midday like clockwork, I was enticed by the brand’s promise to reduce sebum levels. Initially, it left the same glowy finish as a setting spray when applied over makeup, but didn’t fix any patchiness that had formed in the several hours since swiping on my foundation. That said, as the minutes wore on, my skin appeared less greasy, with salt having mild oil-absorbing properties.

Given that I’m exposed to city pollution and an abundance of natural sebum, I found this spray’s combination of anti-bacterial and subtly mattifying ingredients perfect for my skin. Just bear in mind it has a pretty pungent whiff of chlorine.

One of the few to include additional skincare ingredients, this hypochlorous acid spray features chrysanthellum indicum flower water, which boasts anti-inflammatory properties. Plus, its natural scent helps to mask the chlorine-like odour of the hypochlorous acid. I found the scent relatively neutral, if ever-so-slightly spa-like, which was a definite bonus compared with some of the more pungent sprays I tried. For those looking for a post-workout formula to prevent back or chest acne, this one is a great option.

The mist dispensed evenly and covered my entire face in a light layer with just one pump, but it took slightly longer than others to absorb into the skin (perhaps 30 seconds). Because of the inclusion of salt, it left a slight sensation of tightness, too. However, this was easily remedied with moisturiser and shouldn’t warrant concern for those with dry skin.

A no-nonsense formula with just three ingredients, Tower 28’s spray has no fragrance, alcohol or synthetic additives that could cause eczema or psoriasis flare ups. In fact, this spray is approved by the American National Eczema Association, so it’s safe to use even if your eczema is particularly reactive.

The brand poses the spray as an alternative to toner. With its anti-redness and healing benefits, I can certainly see the appeal of this toner alternative for those with sensitive or acne-prone skin.

The pump dispenser produces a medium-fine mist (I’ve seen finer), but I was impressed by the neutral sensation the formula left on my skin. While some toner sprays can leave my face tingling after application, Tower 28’s was practically weightless. After using this product, my skin felt the same as it does post-shower or cleanse. This was comfortable for me as someone with oily skin, but I’d recommend following up with your moisturiser if you experience dryness or flaking.

However, I think this formula is a little overpriced. It only includes a few ingredients, and it smells very strongly of chlorine. If your skin doesn’t suffer irritation, you might want to opt for a cheaper product, but if you’re susceptible to eczema, psoriasis or other skin sensitivities, this spray may just be worth the splurge.

Mario Badescu is famed for its face mists and, in 2023, the brand was one of the first to launch a skincare-oriented (versus clinical-led) hypochlorous acid to the mass market. Its main appeal is the sheer variety of settings in which you can use it. It’s great for tattoo aftercare, disinfecting makeup brushes, soothing chafing and minimising underarm odour – to name a few.

During testing, I used the spray post-workout and enjoyed a refreshing sensation after application, not to mention a flattering glow that offset my tired appearance after a heavy gym session. This glow bordered on wet for the first few minutes, but did eventually sink in.

The scent is subtle, but still recognisably chlorine-like. Then again, higher cost options such as Tower 28’s presented a much stronger smell, so I was pleased by the subtleness here. Plus, the smell dissipated once absorbed.

After being told by Hailey Bieber’s facialist, Joanne Evans, that my skin was showing signs of rosacea, I was keen to try Clinisoothe’s skin purifier. With the formula promising seven benefits – purifying, cleansing, soothing, balancing, protecting, calming and recovery – and being described as suitable for eczema-, blemish- and rosacea-prone skin, I hoped to see reductions in redness and inflammation, as well as some improvements to my fragile skin barrier.

As you can see in my testing imagery, my post-workout redness becomes more noticeable as a result of the rosacea. Around this time, I also noticed more facial sensitivity because of the body’s histamine release when exercising. While I’m not sure there is any instant fix for this ruddiness (the pictures speak for themselves), my skin felt better and less tender after a spritz of the Clinisoothe.

However, this spray has the strongest chlorine odour of the formulas I tested, and after I applied it, there was a light astringent sensation. Much like Qure’s formula, this was quick to fix with a moisturiser.