As someone who doesn’t wear a ton of makeup on a daily basis I’ve never been hugely fussed about the longevity of the products I use on my face. After all, there’s only so long that you can expect a bit of tinted moisturiser and a slick of cream blusher to last. However, despite approaching my mid-30s, I’ve noticed that recently my skin has been oilier than ever and any makeup that I apply to my face has all but vanished by the time that lunchtime rolls around. Even on occasions when I’ve pushed the boat out and applied the works—foundation, highlighter, lipstick and the rest—I would experience the same thing. And I wasn’t alone, either. A lot of my friends that I spoke to were experiencing the same thing, but when one asked if I’d ever considered using a setting spray to keep my makeup in place for longer I had to come clean: Despite being a beauty editor, I had never used a setting spray.
Sure, over the years I’ve been sent plenty of setting sprays to try, but I’ve always passed them onto friends and family without much of a second thought reasoning that they were more for special occasion makeup looks or big nights out. Neither of which, as a mum of two little ones, are frequent occurrences in my social calendar right now. But with even the smallest amount of makeup application becoming increasingly pointless I figured it might just be time to bite the bullet and try one. And I have to admit, I was blown away by the difference it made.
Mica with freshly-applied makeup at the start of the day. I was lucky enough to have a bottle of the newly launched Milk Makeup Pore Eclipse Setting Spray (£37) in my stash, so one morning I spritzed it onto my finished makeup look and went about my day as usual. To set the scene, I normally apply my makeup around 7:30am (with the main intention being to cover my dark circles and make my skin look a little brighter and less sleep-deprived) and if I glance in the mirror at around midday then I usually look decidedly tired again.
Mica at the end of the day after using Milk Makeup Pore Eclipse Setting Spray. However, on the day that I used this setting spray, midday came and went and my makeup still looked as fresh as when I had first applied it that morning. In fact, when I went to remove my makeup at around 7pm it was still very much in tact. Albeit with slightly faded lipstick and slightly sheenier skin. To say I was wowed is an understatement. I now genuinely don’t think I will ever do my makeup without using a setting spray again.
And my obsession doesn’t end there. After being so impressed with my new discovery, I have rapidly realised that I’ve been missing a trick when it comes to doing my makeup for years and have made it my mission to try basically every setting spray on the market. Thankfully, with the help of some very kind PR’s and beauty editor friends I have tried a ton of them over the last few weeks and can confidently say that I now have a comprehensive list of the best setting sprays on the market right now. (That’s the good thing about a setting spray—it either works or it doesn’t, so you’ll know for sure by the end of the day if it’s been worth your time and money.) Ahead, my list of the 10 best setting sprays that will genuinely keep your makeup in place all-day long.
First up, the product that converted me to setting sprays. Designed with oily skin in mind, this oil-free mist uses pore-blurring microspheres alongside lentil extract to absorb excess sebum and niacinamide to smooth pores. It’s described as a mattifying setting spray which initially put me off, as despite having oily skin I’ve always liked a glowy finish to my makeup, but I’d describe the finish as velvety rather than totally matte. Not only does it keep my makeup looking pristine for around 12 hours at a time, but I’d say it actually gives the overall finish of my makeup more of a polished finish. It’s truly brilliant and already has plenty of 5-star reviews singing its praises despite being such a new launch.
Without a doubt this was the setting spray most raved about amongst my beauty editor friends, and I can see why. It’s also an oil-free formulation, but it’s also brimming with hydrating ingredients like Japanese green tea and aloe vera so drier skin types will love this. However, even if you’re on the oily side like me, this stuff really works. It’s ultra-lightweight and leaves makeup looking fresh and radiant for hours and hours. Oh, and it smells really good too.
I tried this on the recommendation of a friend who embarked on her love affair with setting sprays at the same time as me and it really is good. Most notably, the mist itself is ultra-fine which makes it easy to spray over your entire face without disrupting the makeup beneath. And while it definitely improves the longevity of my makeup, it’s the finish that I love most about this product—it leaves skin dewy, smooth and healthier-looking than without it.
Honestly, I’d recommend this setting spray based on smell alone—it has a juicy watermelon fragrance that is basically like summer in a bottle—but, thankfully, it delivers on staying power too. Perfect if you like your makeup with plenty of glow, this mist somehow manages to keep products in place without compromising on the dewy finish that so many of us love. If you’re ultra-oily then you might not love the sheen that it imparts on skin, but if you’re all about the glow then it doesn’t come much better than this.
Typically, in my testing I have found that it pays to spend a little more on a setting spray if you want longevity, but this one from e.l.f. blows that theory out of the water. Coming in at under a tenner, this affordable mist uses a universally-appealing blend of green tea, cucumber and aloe to set makeup in place for the long-haul. In actual fact, it’s so damn good that it sells out really fast so this is one to add to cart when the opportunity presents itself.
When I think of setting sprays it’s this one from Urban Decay that always springs to mind first. Probably because it’s been on the market for well over a decade and as such is the best-selling premium setting spray in the UK. It’s truly a cult product in the beauty community with makeup artists and editors alike swearing by its staying power and I can attest to how well it works. The finish is neither glowy nor matte, it’s totally skin-like and ensures that your makeup stays exactly where you’ve put it until you wash it off.
Launched just last year, this is MAC’s first-ever setting spray—and it was definitely worth the wait. It combines all of the benefits of the brand’s cult Fix+ hydrating spray with the added benefits of increasing the longevity of your makeup and preventing transfer. (Mask wearing was still in full effect in the UK when this product launched and so many of the brilliant reviews say that it stopped makeup from transferring onto face masks.) While I don’t think the longevity is quite as impressive as my favourite fro Milk Makeup, it feels lovely on the skin and definitely kept my makeup looking good for hours.
In the interest of offering up setting spray recommendations that work for all skin types, this mist from It Cosmetics was much-recommended by my beauty editor friends with dry skin. I’ve tried it for myself and while my skin felt beautifully hydrated thanks to the quenching blend of hyaluronic acid and coconut water I found this to be slightly too juicy for my oily skin. However, if you want a setting spray that takes away that chalky finish that makeup can sometimes have but leaves your finished look with an all-day dewy finish then you’ll adore this.
This setting spray has been my gateway drug to the rest of the Jason Wu Beauty line which I’m now very much obsessed with. Formulated with vitamin C and rose water, it not only smells like a fancy facial treatment but it is one of the few setting sprays I tried that actually made my skin look brighter. (Ideal if, like me, you look near-constantly tired.) It definitely has a matte finish—partly why it’s so good at keeping your makeup sticking around—but it doesn’t compromise on that healthy skin look that I love. This is a real hidden gem.
This is increasingly becoming a go-to for me on mornings when I look absolutely shattered. (Rather sadly, not from a hangover but courtesy of my baby who hates sleeping!) It’s got lots of skin-friendly ingredients like coconut water and probiotics to deliver a soothing burst of hydration to tired skin, but it also adds a veil of luminosity to your finished makeup look. Basically, it fakes the illusion of sleep while keeping your handiwork in place. Genius.
