The Best Setting Sprays That Actually Work
Photo: Courtesy of Ilia
The best setting spray should feel weightless on the face, while still delivering a host of beauty benefits. From priming skin for a smooth, even makeup application to keeping foundation looking fresh even hours after itâs applied, you can rely on the makeup artist staple to ensure a long-wear, smudge-free complexion without the need for touch-ups.
Our Top Picks:Most Weightless: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, $38Most Hydrating: Rare Beauty Always an Optimist 4-in-1 Prime & Set Mist, $27Hourglass Veil Primer, $50Best for Dry Skin: Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist, $47Best for Acne-Prone Skin: One/Size by Patrick Starrr On âTil Dawn Waterproof Setting Spray, $32Best Soothing: Ilia Blue Light Filter Protecting and Setting Mist, $38Best Scent: MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ Primer and Setting Spray, $33Best Staying Power: Caliray Surfproof Hydrating Setting Spray, $35In this article:What is a setting spray?How to choose a setting sprayHow (and when) to use setting sprayWho is a setting spray best for?Whatâs the difference between a setting spray and a finishing spray?Meet the expertsBelow, find Vogueâs edit of the best setting sprays for priming and setting a flawless makeup look, all the while hydrating and soothing the skin.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting SprayCharlotte Tilbury
Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray
Why we love it: Formulated with aromatic resin to give the complexion a camera-ready appearance, the weightless spray holds makeup in place for up to 16 hours.
Key ingredients: Film-former polymers, Japanese green tea, aromatic resinSize: 3.3 ozIlia Blue Light Filter Protecting and Setting MistWhy we love it: As its name suggests, the soothing, lavender-scented spray doesnât just set makeup. It also acts as a protective shield, guarding the skin against damage from blue light and pollution.
Key ingredients: Marine actives, mastic, tara extractSize: 1.69 ozTatcha Luminous Dewy Skin MistTatcha
Luminous Dewy Skin Mist
Why we love it: Formulated for dry skin, the silky mist soothes and hydrates the face while giving makeup a boost of luminosity.
Key ingredients: Botanical oils, humectants, Tatchaâs Hadasei-3 (a patented complex of superfoods, amino acids, and AHAs)Size: 1.35 fl ozOne/Size by Patrick Starrr on âTil Dawn Waterproof Setting SprayONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr
On ‘Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray
Why we love it: With witch hazel to absorb excess oil and green tea extract to tighten pores, the spray gives the skin a blurred, matte finish.
Key ingredients: Green tea extract, witch hazelSize: 3.4 ozMorphe Continuous Prep & Set Setting MistMorphe
Continuous Prep & Set Setting Mist+
Why we love it: Formulated with ceramides and electrolytes, the fine mist hydrates the skin and improves its elasticity while sealing makeup in with a luminous finish.
Key ingredients: Ceramides, rosehip fruit extract, panax ginseng root extract, licorice root extract, cucumber fruit waterSize: 6.5 ozMAC Prep + Prime Fix+ Primer and Setting SprayMAC Cosmetics
Prep + Prime Fix+ Primer and Setting Spray
Why we love it: This multipurpose spray refreshes the skin and gives makeup a pearlescent glow. Available in rose, coconut, or lavender scents, it also perks up the spirit with a touch of aromatherapy.
Key ingredients: Glycerin, cucumber fruit extract, caffeine, panthenolSize: 3.4 fl ozHourglass Veil Setting SprayHourglass
Veil Setting Spray
Why we love it: This ultra-fine mist gives skin a soft-focus finish and ups the ante on makeupâs staying power; should you wish to keep your glam intact for a full 24 hours, this water-resistant formula will help you achieve it.
Key ingredients: Glycerin, dimethicone, Ethylhexyl palmitateSize: 4.5 ozUrban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting SprayUrban Decay
All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray
Why we love it: Waterproof and transfer-resistant, the spray relieves you of the need for makeup touch-upsâeven on long and leisurely pool days.
Key ingredients: Alcohol denat., PVP, dimethicone, Ppg 3 benzyl ether myristateSize: 4.0 ozRare Beauty Always an Optimist 4-in-1 Prime & Set MistRare Beauty
Always An Optimist 4-in-1 Prime & Set Mist
Why we love it: Infused with niacinamide and sodium hyaluronate, the multitasking mist gives skin a plumper, smoother appearance. Plus, a soothing blend of botanicals calms the complexion.
Key ingredients: Niacinamide, sodium hyaluronate, lotus, gardenia, white water lilySize: 2.87 ozSkindinavia The Makeup Finishing SpraySkindinavia
The Makeup Finishing Spray
Why we love it: Add this to the packing list for your next tropical getaway. The long-lasting spray prevents makeup from smudging or budging for up to 16 hours, even in hot and humid environments. It also has a cooling effect on the skin.
Key ingredients: Alcohol denat., PvP, aloe barbadensis leaf extractSize: 4.0 ozNyx Matte Finish Setting SprayNYX
Matte Finish Setting Spray
Why we love it: Ideal for oily skin, the niacinamide-enriched spray locks makeup into place with a matte finish that makes the skin appear poreless.
Key ingredients: Niacinamide, sodium salicylate, plantago lanceolata leaf extractSize: 2.03 fl ozBenefit Cosmetics The Porefessional: Super Setter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting SprayBenefit Cosmetics
The POREfessional: Super Setter Pore-Minimizing Setting Spray
Why we love it: The hydrating spray has a blurring effect on the skin, wiping away any trace of pores and giving makeup a fresh, just-applied effect for up to 16 hours.
Key ingredients: Butylene glycol, PvP, DimethiconeSize: 4 ozCaliray Surfproof Hydrating Setting SprayCaliray
Surfproof Hydrating Setting Spray
Why we love it: Formulated with ingredients that leave the skin bouncy and hydrated, the lightweight mist extends makeupâs wear and gives it a natural-looking finish. According to the brand, itâs also passed a âsauna sweat test,â staying intact through a whole high-temp session.
Key ingredients: Glycerin, agave, prickly pear, niacinamide, transdermal magnesium, zinc lactate.Size: 3.4 ozToo Faced Hangover 3-in-1 Replenishing Primer & Setting SprayToo Faced
Hangover 3-in-1 Replenishing Primer & Setting Spray
Why we love it: Packed with hydrating coconut water, the spray works equally well as a primer and a setting spray. Plus, mist it on at any point to feel refreshed.
Key ingredients: Coconut waterSize: 4.0 fl ozWhat is a setting spray?
âA setting spray is a spray that prolongs longevity to makeup, and acts like a sealant,â says makeup artist Natalie Dresher, who works with social media personalities like Dylan Mulvaney and Remi Bader. âIt works by spraying a mixture of polymers and water to the face, preserving the makeup and setting it in place on the face.â Dresherâs go-to setting sprays are Cover FX High Performance Setting Spray for all skin types and One/Size by Patrick Starrr On âTil Dawn Waterproof Setting Spray for clients without sensitive skin.
How to choose a setting spray
âYou have to know your objective for setting spray before making your selection,â says makeup artist and brand founder Jenny Patinkin. âLooking for keywords like âdewy,â âoil control,â âwaterproof,â or âlastingâ will help you get to the right formula for your desired outcome. There are also setting sprays that are marketed as protection from blue light.â
How do you know if a setting spray is working as it should? âIn general, the spray should not feel drying, or make your skin feel itchy and taut,â says celebrity makeup artist Nick Barose, whose clients include Lily Gladstone and Lupita Nyongâo. âYour makeup should look fresh, and never dull, once the mist settles.â
How (and when) to use setting spray
âMy favorite way to apply a setting spray is in a snowflake motionâup and down, in an X formation, and horizontally across the faceâto ensure 100% of the face has been sprayed,â Dresher notes. She advises using a setting spray as the âvery last stepâ of a makeup routine, though other facial sprays can be used at various points throughout the day to freshen up skin and makeup.
Alternatively, a setting spray can be used for targeted shine control. âI like to apply a mattifying setting spray to one of my damp Jenny Patinkin Green Tea Makeup Sponges, and then gently press it into the T-zone, only where oil and shine control is needed,â Patinkin shares.
Who is a setting spray best for?
âSetting spray is for anyone who knows that they need extra long wear time or wants their makeup to look perfect in any weather condition,â Patinkin says. âI use it more in the summer to protect makeup from melting off in heat and humidity, and I always recommend it for brides and bridal parties so that their makeup looks perfect in photos from start to finish.â
Whatâs the difference between a setting spray and a finishing spray?
Though the two terms are often used interchangeably, setting sprays and finishing sprays do have some differences. âSetting sprays create a barrier to help your makeup last longer,â says film and television makeup artist Vasilios Tanis, who has worked with Sydney Sweeney, Dakota Johnson, and Jennifer Coolidge. âThey can save you time as youâll need fewer touch-ups.â Some of his go-to setting sprays include Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray and Hourglass Veil Setting Spray.
On the other hand, Tanis says: âFinishing sprays provide more emollients to moisten the skin and create a dewy look, with or without makeup. They can also be used as a skin revitalizerâa pick-me-up for your skin.â His skin-rejuvenating picks include Lotion Yon-Ka Phyto-Aromatic Treatment Mist and Byroe Hibiscus Tea Glow Mist.
Meet the experts
Nick Barose is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Lily Gladstone and Lupita Nyongâo.Jenny Patinkin is a beauty expert, makeup artist, and brand founder.Vasilios Tanis is a celebrity makeup artist who has worked on film and television sets with Sydney Sweeney, Dakota Johnson, and Jennifer Coolidge.Natalie Dresher is a celebrity and influencer makeup artist whose clients include Dylan Mulvaney and Remi Bader.
