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Best Setting Spray for Longer-Wearing Foundation/Base

What's the Best Setting Spray for Longer-Wearing Foundation/Base that you've tried?

I love Clarin’s Fix’ Spray! It feels great, takes down any powderiness, and adds a couple of hours of wear to my base.

— Christine

48 Comments

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Christine Avatar

Oh my goodness, I think they might have discontinued it… because just a regular Google search seems to turn-up almost no U.S. sites. Nordstrom’s page says no longer available for it 🙁

Lord & Taylor still has it: http://rstyle.me/n/br9dc9ndyw

Edited to add: Did more digging. Clarins’ website has it, but it is touted as a new formula and has totally different packaging — http://rstyle.me/n/br9deandyw

Stephanie Avatar

Clarins has launched a new replacement for fix. I can’t attest to a different formula or effectiveness vs the old, but the new one sure smells nice. I bought it strictly on the scent. It does seem to take the “powderies” which is what I use it for.

Anna Avatar

I tried the new formula in store and liked it. It felt moisturizing and smelled like roses. I never tried the old one though so not sure how it compares.

Mariella Avatar

Agata, it has been repackaged and reformulated only very slightly to smell of roses now. The bottle has changed shape and it’s PINK (so pretty). It should be out with their new summer collection (you can see it on the Canadian website if it’s not showing on the US one) and it is every bit as lovely as the original.

LMM Avatar

Oldie but goodie: Urban Decay’s All-Nighter is my go-to. I’ve tried their De-Slick, but the results aren’t as long-lasting. NYX’s sprays didn’t seem to extend wear beyond a normal day, 6-8 hours. All-Nighter will take me 14-16 hours, a necessity at times in my field.

Gillian Avatar

I love the Urban Decay setting sprays. Both the All Nighter and De-Slick work wonders at improving the look of my base makeup and helping it to stay in place longer. There is another spray they do called Chill but it doesn’t sound suitable for my oily skin so I’ve never tried it.

I have tried the Clarins Fix’ Make-Up spray and it works well too, but I feel that the Urban Decay sprays work better for me. ?

Nancy T Avatar

So far, I have only tried one: e.l.f. ‘s. It definitely tamps down powderiness and extends the wear by a few extra hours. But its real test lies ahead. Monsoon is coming. So while it worked pretty well last summer when I was using (and loving!) a mix I made daily of Lumene BB in Medium, Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation Medium Honey and GA Fluid Sheer #14; this year will be different. As most days it will be MAC Pro Longwear with a smidge of Strobe Cream, set with last year’s same powder, WnW Reserve Your Cabana.

Mariella Avatar

Another vote for Clarins Fix Makeup. Don’t be dismayed…it has been repackaged, quite beautifully, I might add. It is now in a pink bottle shaped more like their Eau Dynamisante spray, rather than the frosted cylindrical bottle it used to come in and it now smells ever so gently of ROSES. I have 2 bottles of the “old” Fix Makeup but can’t wait for an excuse to buy this new one, which I’ve tried in store and it is LOVELY>

Pearl Avatar

Urban Decay All-Nighter: My current go-to; it doesn’t really leave any kind of finish which is what I want since I get the finish I want with my foundation, setting and finishing powders. Or maybe it does and it’s just consistent with how I’ve applied/set/finished my makeup so it doesn’t look like it leaves a finish? I like that it mists out instead spraying big droplets. My makeup stays put for 6-10 hours, depending on my (harried) schedule.

Here are what I’ve also tried:
Urban Decay Chill: Was my go to for dewy look but I like a more natural/satin finish these days.
Make Up Forever’s setting spray: This didn’t extend wear, sprayed out unevenly with misting and big droplets and my face felt a little tacky afterward.
Boscia White Charcoal Mattifying MakeUp setting spray: It didn’t help with extending makeup wear – it ended up making me oily because I overproduced oil to compensate, so I looked greasy after a few hours. NB: if you don’t shake it vigorously before applying, it will spray out deconstructed, serum+white charcoal flakes and they don’t wipe away or come out of hair easily. It sprayed out/misted evenly after shaking – no big droplets.
Supergoop’s Defense Refresh Setting Mist SPF 50: I loved the smell – it’s herbal and minty – but because it sprayed unevenly with the mist and big droplets, I got it in my eyes a few times (even though they were closed) and it burned. I had to make sure I applied my mascara after I sprayed because I really had to close my eyes tightly. It has a ball that rattles around in the bottle to help with the mixing when you shake it. My makeup looked great for a few hours but seemed to do the normal fading so while it may have set it nicely, it didn’t help extend wear.

Rachel R. Avatar

I have only tried three: 1) E.l.f. Original Mist & Set , which I love and is my most used. 2) Nyx Matte, which is also great. 3) E.l.f. Illuninating Mist & Set, which I hate. It’s sticky and isn’t really illuminating. It just made my face look kind of shiny and sticky.

Because the Original Mist & Set works so well and is so cheap, I haven’t bothered to try more expensive brands.

Susan Avatar

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Marine Boosting 4-in-1 Spray. Tarte claims it is a “4-in-1 primer, makeup setting spray, hydrating mist and skin refresher” and I wholeheartedly agree!

Kylie5 Avatar

I have some of them but they Are all unused. It may be silly but I am a Little bit afraid that it has a negative effect on my makeup and I have to take Off everything and Start again.
I think I have tried the Face atelier matte spray sometime and it was not so good. But maybe I just did not use it the right way. I don’t know.
Has anyone tried skindinavia, have Heard a lot of it recently.

Cat Avatar

If you’ve tried UD’s setting spray, specifically All Nighter, then you’ve tried Skindinavia. The difference between the two is the price, as Skindinavia is less expensive per ounce than UD. UD’s is $30 for 4oz, Skindinavia is $29 for 8oz.

Kylie5 Avatar

Good to know.
I have an UD Travel Size Spray somewhere. But I Do not know which one it is.
Plans for the Weekend: find the UD Setting Spray

Wednesday Avatar

Jane Iredale D20. It is supposed to be a hydration spray, but I use it as a setting spray and it adds wear time and knocks down powder perfectly. I just purchased another spray, Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist, and it is not for me..at least not in the summer. I had been loyal to D20 for years, and thought I would try something different since I am at the bottom of the large refill bottle of the D20. The Tatcha product makes me over dewy and therefore reduces wear time. It might be really nice for winter when my skin runs a lot drier.

Wednesday Avatar

Not right now. I was a big fan, but thinking circa 2006-2009 when I was in my early 40’s. My skin was youngerr (could pass for early 30’s without problem), I was still healthy, and I really liked her pressed minerals compact…a lot! I was riding and needed something with spf, had a lot of colour on my skin from routine sun exposure riding in a sand ring (sun bouncing off the sand..OY!. I rue the day now). She had a line of minerals in a colour selection called ‘Global’.. well suited to complexions from mixed heritage, I needed something that was super quick…used her tinted moisturizer daily as a base and if I wanted a bit more cover, topped up with a brush or two of the pressed minerals. I still had really really great skin at that point which leaned quite oily and those were my ultra low maintenance makeup days too. Didn’t wear much more than a quick base and a flick of mascara. Powder mineral foundations no longer work for me. I thought they were excellent products and fit well with my skin for that period of my life. Tried her liquid foundation and despised it.

Cat Avatar

I’m very thankful for the information in this post! I have loved using Skindinavia and UD setting sprays to extend the life of my makeup or to freshen up. However, because they both contain aloe, I slowly develop bumps on my face that turn into hives before I remove my makeup. It doesn’t happen every time, and sometimes doesn’t happen all over my entire face. It seems dependent on which products I’ve used beforehand (moisturizer, primer, foundation, etc..)

Deborah S. Avatar

I have tried so many setting sprays and love so many of them that it is hard to keep them straight. I think strictly for prolonging the wear time of my makeup and knocking back powderiness, which I don’t always need, I would go with UD All-Nighter or the Clarin. For shear joy of spraying I have to say Mac Fix Plus. I don’t know what it is about that spray but I love the scent which I know is cucumber based but I don’t get cucumber from it. A lot of people say it wreaks of cucumber and for that reason don’t like it but I could bathe in the stuff and frequently spray it before makeup, in between makeup and at the end. My daughter says I am crazy. I have also made my own spray from a DIY on YouTube and enjoy that also.

Pteetsa Avatar

I’m reading everyone’s suggestions with interest. I’m a little wary of setting sprays; someone once likened them to “hairspray for your face” and that freaked me out. I may check out this Clarin’s Spray, though. I probably need something – I’m oily and I do get a bit overzealous with the powder.

gina Avatar

Pteetsa,
oh hon, setting sprays are wonderful! They are nothing like hairspray! They are very refreshing, and depending upon which one you choose, really help give you a “no powder glow”. I’m totally not kidding, I’ve had my makeup last as long as 16 hours and look just like it did when I left in the morning – and that is outrageous! Maybe go for the one I commented on at Sephora – it’s only $16.00 for 2.7 ounces, and will last a long time. I think you’ll really be glad you did, especially now with it being summer. They are so refreshing!!!! Gina

Marta Avatar

I only used the Inglot Makeup Fixer and it worked well. I used it mostly during the hotest days to keep my foundation in place and for eyeshadow wet application and liner (it did not irritate my eyes). I got the small version (50ml)) for last summer so it’s almost all gone and I am going to repurchase it..

Anime Avatar

Blue Marble Setting spray — I have put this baby TO THE TEST. I do drag makeup, and it usually takes 3 hours if I really want to go HAM. I’ve gone bicycle riding in my makeup, I have gone swimming/hot tubbing, I’ve even gone hiking and THEN showered after. To get my makeup off after applying this, I either have to use Albolene or straight-up coconut oil. When I have this on, I feel as though someone could shoot me in the face, and the bullet would just ricochet!

Sam Avatar

Skindinavia – works great , keep my makeup set for 10-12 hrs – while working in a hospital. Usually they have deal and you can get 2 travel size sprays free.

Claire L Avatar

UD All-nighter does very well on my makeup but I react to it so it’s a no-go ?. I’ve Tatcha’s face mist and it didn’t do much for me apart from my face feeling quite nice. It’s expensive for what it is, for me. I have just bought Pixi’s Glow Mist, will see how that pans out.

gina Avatar

HI – I just recently tried Sephora’s new one..it’s called “Beauty Amplifier”. It has mixed reviews on the website, but I love it. It smells lovely – like lemons – and holds my make-up wonderfully for HOURS. It can be used throughout the day as a “pick-me-up” as well. Very inexpensive – 2.7 ounces, for $16.00…. which is a much better prices that so many of the others. I’m usually a Urban Decay girl, but this one has stolen my heart!!!

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