These are the 10 best makeup setting sprays, according to a beauty editor

Like a topcoat for the face, the best makeup setting sprays help keep your complexion looking flawless for longer. If you don’t already use one of these magical glam-extending mists, here’s why you need one in your kit.

Similar to the best setting powders, makeup setting sprays promise longevity, keeping your foundation, eyeshadow, blusher, and lippy locked down and protected against sweat, humidity, and an unexpected downpour. But unlike powders, which don’t always play nicely with dry complexions, makeup mists offer a hit of hydration and cater to different skin types. Some even offer extra good-for-skin benefits like built-in SPF and blue light protection. 

“Setting spray can be used in multiple ways,” explains Carly Utting, National Artist M·A·C Cosmetics UK & Ireland. “I use it as the last step in my makeup application after I have powdered. However, during the warmer months, I like to spritz my makeup sponge with setting spray and use it to apply foundation for added staying power.” 

Once you’ve finished your glam, shake the spray and hold the nozzle 8-10 inches away from your face. Spritz in a criss-cross motion, as if you’re spraying an ‘X’ across your face to ensure a full, even layer. Ready to put your makeup into lockdown? Here are the best makeup setting sprays to avoid a makeup meltdown.

The best makeup setting sprays, chosen by a Beauty Editor

Whenever I get asked for a recommendation for makeup setting spray, this is always the one I first mention. It is the OG, the MVP, and any other admiring acronym you can think of. It claims to keep makeup looking fresh for up to 16 hours, thanks to its Temperature Control formula. This patented technology actually lowers the temperature of your makeup to keep it in place. You won’t be able to feel any cooling sensation, but it definitely works. My T-zone is the problem area for me - even the best foundation usually slips off the tip of my nose after a couple of hours - but this spray keeps any redness nicely squirreled away. 

The pump-action nozzle dispenses a fine, airy mist that dries within a few seconds. The finish is neither matte nor glowy but somehow it makes skin look smoother and more polished. I have found that whatever foundation I’m wearing, adding this over the top means it’s less likely to gather in my lines and wrinkles. It's also incredibly long-lasting - I have had my current bottle for months, and it’s still going strong. 

This magic mist is a real twofer, offering long-lasting makeup perfection and broad-spectrum UV protection. Dry skin will lap up the hydration provided by Hyaluronic Acid. On the surface, light-diffusing silicone powder performs like an Instagram filter, softly and subtly blurring the look of lines and wrinkles.

I always carry a can in my handbag to reapply sunscreen throughout the day (experts recommend reapplying every 2 hours). The aerosol spray is so delicate it won’t disturb your makeup. In fact, it helps ‘set’ everything and pares down excess shine. That being said, the mist is so fine, you’ll need a good liberal layer to ensure you’re getting adequate sun protection. Let’s not forget this is a top-up spray, rather than a dedicated facial sunscreen so treat it like a bonus layer of defense on top of your regular SPF. The best sunscreen for you is the one you’re most likely to wear, and UncompliKated SPF Makeup Setting Spray is a pure pleasure. 

Oily skin and foundation don’t always gel, even with the help of the best foundations for oily skin. That’s where this mattifying setting spray comes in. Immediately, it knocks out shine so complexions look soft and velvety. I started using this last year and I may just be its number one fan. I used it until it had nothing left to give but a stuttery wheeze.

That’s not to say I can’t see its faults. I find the pump-spray action a little gung-ho. It’s the excitable little sister to Kate Somerville’s grown-up, super-fine mist. This just means it’s best applied a little further from the face to ensure you don’t end up soaking your makeup off. For a mattifying makeup product though, it is surprisingly comfortable to wear, and not at all drying. And the makeup-extending performance punches well above its price point. 

The big selling point for this spritz is the blue light protection. Also known as high-energy visible light (HEV), blue light can harm the skin, causing inflammation, discoloration, and aging. Blue light is present in sunlight but is also emitted from devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, and televisions. Basically, it’s everywhere. Elf’s formula is infused with Glucosylrutin, which absorbs blue light to help protect the skin. It’s hard to put a measurable test on its efficacy, but I’m grateful for the extra layer of defense. 

It’s a pump spray that somehow produces an aerosol-fine mist. The formula dries down quickly and despite its near-weightlessness, it also feels cosseting on the skin thanks to the soothing blend of Aloe and Elderflower Extract. My face has a tendency to devour blusher but this helped my cheeks stay rosy for most of the day. 

If you want a hard-wearing manicure, you double up with a base coat and top coat. The same is true of makeup, which is why Rimmel’s 2-in-1 primer and setting spray makes sense when longevity’s the name of the game. After your skincare, go in with a spritz of the setting spray to create a smooth and hydrated canvas ready for foundation et al. Then once your glam’s finished, go in with a final flourish to set.

The jet spray is quite concentrated, and therefore takes longer to sink in than others on our list of the best makeup setting sprays. I can’t say I noticed much of an improvement in the endurance of my makeup using this as a primer plus setting spray, compared with others on our list, which function solely as setting sprays. But this makes a very pleasant facial mist for a burst of hydration and watermelon fragrance when needed.

I cannot believe how good Morphe’s setting mist is. I am shocked that you can pick this up in the drugstore. And I am also slightly bereft that I was today years old when I started using it - trust me when I say this really is worth the hype. The air-powered aerosol mist is micro-fine and quick-drying and imparts a smooth finish and subtle radiance. It just makes your skin look better. 

Like Rimmel’s 2-in-1 Spray, Morphe says this can be used before makeup application to prime, and even between layers to really set things in place. This was one of the more hydrating setting sprays on this list - it doesn’t contain alcohol, like some of the others, and packs on the hydration with vitamin E, vitamin B5, and fruit extracts. If you want to fight caking, fading and general makeup fatigue, this is a magical mist. 

Proof that a finishing spritz needn’t cost more than the entire contents of your makeup bag, 17. Dewy Prep Setting Spray is a steal. Its main objective, besides locking in your makeup, is dialing up the glow with a subtle glossy finish. Thankfully, it is a gleam rather than anything sparkly or shimmery, so this is a perfect pick if dewy makeup is your beauty goal.

The bottle is small, so if you're using this every day, you're going to get through it fairly quickly. However, for the price, I found the pump to be one of the better applicators, dispensing a nice even layer of product. It’s infused with coconut water to hydrate, and for this reason, we’d definitely recommend using it as a facial mist throughout the day. 

“I look for setting sprays that do not contain alcohol,” explains Carly Utting, National Artist M·A·C Cosmetics UK & Ireland. “As someone with sensitive skin, I find a lot of setting sprays that contain alcohol can irritate and have a tendency to dry the skin out.” Mac’s option is made without alcohol, so it’s a safe bet for reactive skin. Even better, antioxidants help protect against environmental damage and blue light. 

The pump-spray applicator dispenses a nice, fine mist that dries within seconds. It promises 16 hour-wear, thanks to microscopic film-former particles that seal your makeup. My foundation looked in pretty good shape by the end of the work day, which also included a soggy school run. I'm impressed.

As an ardent fan of Milk Makeup’s iconic Hydro Grip Primer, I had high hopes for its post-glam finale - the Hydro Grip Setting Spray. Like its priming counterpart, it promises a death grip on foundation, blusher, bronzer, etc, as well as a welcome slurp of moisture and an airy glow. You’ll notice that it’s a two-phase formula that has to be shaken like a martini to combine the mixtures - one designed to grip, the other designed to enhance skin's glow. It doesn’t take much to combine the two, and the pump dispenses a nice even halo of mist across the face. 

The guidance suggests allowing one minute for the formula to ‘set’ your finished look, but in reality, it only took a few seconds for everything to dry down, and then it was game over for slipping, smearing and fading. Because of all those yummy hydrating ingredients, this works well as a refreshing facial mist to top up moisture levels (and your ‘I just got back from a quick jog’ dewiness) throughout the day - especially when it’s hot. It is quite expensive for a makeup setting spray, which is the only reason it's been marked down slightly.  If you ask me though, it's really worth the price - it's one of the most effective buys on this list.

This has one of the strongest glam-extending claims of any of the best makeup setting sprays on this list - it will lock your makeup in place for up to 18 hours. And I can confirm my makeup barely budged throughout a full workday. Finish-wise, it doesn’t lean one way or the other. If your foundation is matte, this setting spray will keep it shine-free and velvety. If your base is glowy, it will stay that way. 

Like Elf and Mac’s versions, Too Faced Makeup Insurance helps protect against the skin-harming effect of blue light with a cocktail of antioxidants. It’s formulated without alcohol and feels deeply hydrating, so it’s a great option for dry skin. Equally, the online reviews are glowing from those with oily skin, waxing lyrical about the spray’s grip on makeup. And on a purely superficial note, it smells like holidays, which j'adore!

How we tested the best makeup setting sprays

As someone with a passionate love of makeup (I wear foundation, blusher, eyeshadow, liquid liner on the reg) AND an oily T-zone, I am well-placed to test the effectiveness of setting sprays that stop everything sliding southwards by lunchtime. For the last few weeks, I have been testing sprays, assessing which ones helped to keep my makeup in place over the course of a full 8-hour work day. Some of the setting sprays on this list have been in my own makeup arsenal for years, and naturally these are ones that rank highly. 

Aside from the obvious glam-extending benefits, I wanted to select a variety of makeup setting sprays that would serve different skin types - for example, mattifying ingredients for oily complexions. The actual applicator was also a big consideration for me. Heavy-handed pumps that soaked the face were ruled out, while delicate aerosol mists ranked highly. What is left is a list of the 10 best makeup setting sprays that work for all skin types.

Do professional makeup artists use setting spray?

“Makeup artists always have setting sprays in their kits, especially bridal makeup artists,” admits Carly Utting. “We need the client’s makeup to stay put throughout the day so a setting spray is a must for any makeup application.”

Is finishing powder or setting spray better?

“Powder and setting sprays both have their place at the table,” says Utting. “Most powders also add a fine veil of colour and coverage, as well as ‘set’ a makeup, so you have the benefit of adding an extra layer of smoothness to the skin.”

If your skin is on the dry side, you might want to skip powder and lock down your glam with one of the best makeup setting sprays. Utting tends to use both. “I use a setting spray after I have powdered skin to set the whole makeup and ensure longevity throughout the day.”