The best setting sprays for all-day, flawless makeup
The secret to giving your makeup serious staying power? Simply mist on these weightless sprays
Whether you’re new to setting sprays or a long-time devotee, the most recent hi-tech formulas are definitely worthy of your time. Setting sprays do far more than lock your makeup in place, the best formulas also nourish your skin and help to blend the creams or powders you've applied, for a super-healthy, glowing complexion.
What is a setting spray?
Designed to strengthen the bond between your makeup and skin, a setting spray can enhance your overall look and make it last longer. And it’s simply a matter of spraying the lightweight mist over your face after you’ve applied your makeup.
If you’re thinking ‘wouldn't spraying liquid on my face ruin my makeup?’, worry not, these undetectable mists set within seconds to give a natural, slightly radiant finish. They’re essentially the secret styling weapon that maintains your makeup from morning to night.
Charlotte Tilbury’s settings sprays contain hydrating ingredients that help powders melt into your skin. Other bestsellers, beloved by make-up experts, include MAC’s Fix+ and Laura Mercier’s wonder-spritz. If you’re uncertain which setting spray is the one for you, here’s a breakdown of the top-rated formulas for every skin type.
How to use a setting spray
Setting sprays can be used as a primer to hydrate and prep the complexion before applying makeup, or as the final step of your makeup routine after you’ve applied your chosen products. Hold the spray six to eight inches away from your face, and spritz all over. Another top tip: for extra eyeshadow intensity, mist onto your makeup brushes before applying colour to eyelids.
Best shine-control setting spray: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray Matte
Charlotte Tilbury's newest innovation is a reimagined version of its first setting spray. Much like the viral original, this matte blurring formula has a subtle floral fragrance and delivers a perfectly even mist – no droplets here. It dries fast too, keeping makeup locked in for up to 16 hours. While this formula is suitable for all skin types, it’s targeted for oily and combination types seeking a natural-looking, soft-matte-skin finish. Waterproof, weightless, and enriched with aloe vera and Japanese green tea, this spray is designed to leave skin feeling hydrated and cared for. What more could you wish for?
Best hydrating setting spray: Laura Mercier Translucent Hydrating Setting Spray Ultra-Blur
‘Setting is essential,’ says makeup artist and founder, Laura Mercier. ‘It's the key step to make sure all the work that has been done on the face is going to stay in place.’ This new and nourishing alcohol-free formula is perfect for sensitive skin, and contains hyaluronic acid and mineral water for long-lasting hydration. It also strengthens your skin’s barrier with niacinamide and controls shine for up to 24 hours (although you should have taken your makeup off by then). A 98.5-per-cent skincare-based formula, it’s clinically proven to stay smudge- and transfer-proof without feeling dry, tacky or tight.
Best long-wearing setting spray: Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
Makeup lovers rave about the staying power of Urban Decay’s groundbreaking setting spray. Suitable for all skin types, it's free of oil and parabens but contains alcohol, which helps add real heft to this formula’s ability to keep foundation, blush and eyeshadow in place – even in hot, humid or windy conditions. One customer says, ‘I have tried many and this is the best. My foundation stays on and mascara doesn't smudge […] I wouldn't be without it’.
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
£29.50£23.60
Best refreshing setting spray: Sculpted By Aimee Hydrate & Hold Hydrating & Makeup Setting Mist
Even if you don’t wear much makeup, this moisturising mist is perfectly handbag-sized for a perk-you-up spritz on the go. More than simply a setting spray, it’s enriched with actives and floral extracts, such as hyaluronic acid to hydrate, centella asiatica to strengthen the skin’s barrier and lemon extract for a natural scent. A saviour for tackling shine by helping to control oil production, it can be used with or without makeup. Spray throughout the day to give your face a lift.
Best glow-giving setting spray: MAC Fix+ Multitasking Setting Spray
MAC mastered the setting spray long ago with its origina formula, MAC Prep and Prime Fix, which hydrates, soothes and enhances makeup wear time. But the brand’s new kid on the block, MAC Fix+ Multitasking Setting Spray, does even more. This next-gen multitasker hydrates, primes, sets and refreshes makeup, while helping to blend, smooth and power up pigments. The fine-mist pump distributes weightless, alcohol-fr
Best soothing setting spray: Clinique Set The Day Makeup Setting Spray
Yes, it’s a winner for sensitive skin, but that doesn’t mean that Clinique’s setting spray doesn’t pack a punch. This fine-mist spray (with 5% aloe water to quench thirsty skin), creates a flexible bond that feels weightless but adds real staying power to your makeup, making it transfer-resistant and waterproof. As it’s dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested, and 100-per-cent fragrance- and alcohol-free, it’s a safe option for pretty much everyone.
