Humidifiers: Your New Weird-Weather Beauty Secret
Humidifiers aren’t particularly sexy, but neither is waking up with depressingly dry skin, a seemingly unquenchable thirst, and the strange creeping sensation that you may have been transported to the Atacama Desert (it’s the driest place on Earth!) sometime in the night. Cold winter weather is harsh as hell on skin, but indoor heating can be even tougher. That’s why you need a humidifier. No, really, you do. Don’t shoot the messenger, but winter isn’t over juuuust yet.
Celebrity facialist Joanna Vargas, who objectively knows her stuff, says, “Sleeping with a humidifier in your bedroom will add just enough moisture to the environment to give your skin the chance to do some real healing.” It can even make your moisturizer more effective: Dermatologist Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi adds, “The humidified air [in conjunction with a good moisturizer] can help lock moisture into the skin,” in order to combat the painfully low moisture levels in heated rooms. And aside from the very appealing benefits to your skin, you’ll also avoid waking up with dry eyes or nosebleeds. See? Not sexy.
Below, we’ve rounded up five of our picks for the best—and, just as important, best-looking—humidifiers on the market at various price points.
If you have $500 to spend on a humidifier, spend it on this one. It’s just the best—as it should be for that price. It’s virtually silent, automatically adjusts to the room’s temperature and humidity to keep things comfortable, and is remote-control-operated so you don’t even have to get out of bed. Also! It doubles as a high-velocity fan, so you can use it in the summer too. As far as sanitation goes, each drop of water gets exposed to an antibacterial ultraviolet light to kill 99.9% of bacteria before the mist is released. Very good. Dyson AM10 Humidifier, $499.99
This one isn’t cheap, but if you want to invest in a humidifier that’s super powerful—and elegant—but also not $500, Oskar’s your man. We were already sold on the modern streamlined design, but you’ll also find that Oskar covers large areas, uses a minimal amount of power so that it won’t suck your electricity dry, and comes complete with a fragrance dispenser so you can pop some essential oils in if you feel so inclined. Stadler Form Oskar Big Humidifier, $279.99
Didn’t think a humidifier could be even remotely chic? Check this shit out. Aside from being sleek enough to qualify as a legitimate piece of decor, this microfine mist covers up to 650 square feet, so it’s very good for large rooms or even reasonably sized NYC apartments. It also can operate up to 45 hours per tank fill, which is a pretty sweet lasting time. Also: remote control. Luma Comfort Black Cool Mist Vase Humidifier, $114.99
They say compact and lightweight, we say quick and dirty. But yes, also compact and lightweight. It’s quite small, so you can fit it in your carry-on (if you want to) or set it up right on your desk. Literally all you have to do is attach an upturned plastic water bottle and you’re golden. True, the environmentally concerned probably won’t love that whole plastic water bottle thing, but … yeah. Air-O-Swiss Travel Ultrasonic Humidifier, $47.99
This is hands-down the best humidifier for the price, and the best way to spend the $40 you took out of the ATM yesterday because there was a credit card minimum at the coffee shop. It definitely won’t be effective for your entire house, as it works only up to 250 square feet, but it’s perfect for your bedroom to use at night. It’s also super reasonably priced, so you can put one in every room if that’s what you’re into. Crane White Droplet Cool Mist Humidifier, $39.99
