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Rant & Rave: Setting Spray

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Setting Spray

Sometimes I am skeptical of their efficacy, but some of them definitely do work, though not necessarily hours upon hours of extended wear! I think figuring out the right distance/amount can be tricky!

— Christine

33 Comments

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Pearl Avatar

Rave: I have 2 that I go back and forth between – MAC Fix+ and Skindinavia Bridal. I find both do a comparable job, and I LOVE the scent of MAC Fix+. I wasn’t having much luck with the MAC Fix+ until I was told I had to hold it arm’s length away and mist 2x, that’s it. Works like a charm now. I do the same arm’s length distance and mist 2x with the Skindinavia and it works much better also. Before with the Fix+, I didn’t feel like it did anything and same with the Skindinavia – it just made me sheeny and oily. I guess the distance and the misting vs. spraying is what does it?

Rant: Most make me oily, even if I do the arm’s length misting. Some of the scents aren’t very pleasant, either.

Celia Avatar

Hehe it’s a misleading name! It should just be Prep and Prime Plus spray or something. Fix+ certainly gives many people the impression that it’s an actual makeup affixing spray when its more of a prepper/refresher/blender. It’s a super common misconception and definitely at least partially on MAC for adding to the confusion with the name/rep it has. I love mine, but for pre-makeup, blending, and of course foiling. In those areas it’s great! But definitely Skindinavia products are going to offer more of a set.

Mariella Avatar

I generally love them, especially during the hot, humid days of summer or when I have a long day at work. My faves are Clarins Fix Makeup and UD All Nighter. What I dislike is when the mist isn’t really fine and you’re left with fairly big drops on your face and eyes, and you have to wait for it all to dry so you can get a move-on.

Eileen Avatar

I think it depends on why you’re using one. I have dry, sensitive skin and so I love Tatcha’s Dewy Mist spray for an extra bit of soothing moisturization during the day. It hydrates without disturbing my makeup. When it comes to using a spray, though, to hold makeup in place, I don’t find it necessary. I think primers and long-wear foundation formulas have made setting sprays obsolete.

Marieke Avatar

I have oily skin and I’m therefore not interested in a dewy look. I like my face powdered and matte. I did however try the L’Oreal setting spray because I heard good things about it for my skin type. The pump squirted a sad amount of water on my face, nothing like a soft mist, more like a water gun.

Celia Avatar

I think they can certainly help, but aren’t magical makeup-proofers in general. Obviously more hardcore cinematic and theatrical makeup I work with on the regular is more effective (and far less comfortable/refreshing) than using my Urban Decay All-Nighter. But I love how general market ones can be super refreshing on a hot day while helping add some stick. Definitely there’s a learning curve for the amount, distance, kind, etc purposes. And I have to use them pre-mascara and lipstick or no matter I’ll have some smudge, even if that smudge dries down better haha. I think prepping/toning sprays more. At work, the amount of pro setting spray can feel gross but look great on camera/from the backseats.

Celia Avatar

Correction: “Think I like* prepping and toning sprays more.”
Obviously a big rave I missed is anything that makes foiling a breeze. Fix+ isn’t a setting a spray, but it’s great for dampening products and in my experience is much gentler on them than many fixing/setting sprays. NYX’s Matte Setting Spray also works well for this but it is stickier (but cheaper!). Fix+ treats my powders better than straight water so I appreciate that.

Wednesday Avatar

I think setting sprays are dubious in their claims to add longevity, but I have limited experience and do not spray down my foundation like many youtubers. I like to use them when I am finished with my whole makeup routine to tamp everything down and settle the face. Waaay back in the 80’s, I used to use the pressurized cans of Evian water for the same purpose. Since about 2006, I’ve been a big fan of Jane Iredale D20 hydration spray. I also use it in winter when I feel my face getting too dry. I purchase in the big refill bottle to save a few bucks.

I have tried
MAC Fix+: meh, didn’t really feel it actually did anything
Tatcha Luminious: yuck, the spray eats away at base layers and not in a uniform manner.. maybe it will work better for me in winter. Doubt it though.

Karen Avatar

I just bought the twin pack of Evian in early July because the idea of misting my face with cold water (I keep them in the fridge) just appealed so much to me on the 106 degree day! I felt a bit foolish buying water in a can but it does feel delightful!

Lulle Avatar

Rave: they can really help keep my foundation intact in higher temperatures, which is always a problem for me because my face gets sweaty very easily. I also love the sprays that include an SPF like the one by Coola: they solve a beauty problem for me, which is how to reapply sunscreen on top of makeup when I’m spending the day outside in the fierce San Diego sun.
Rant: all the ones I’ve tried contained a high percentage of alcohol, which is very drying. So they makeup my skin and the makeup on it look dryer.

Stephanie Avatar

I use MAC MSFN as foundation in the summer heat. Add powder blush and sometimes bronzer and highlighter and my face looks so powdery. I use Clarins Fix to make the finish look nice and natural. I love that the mist is fine and it smells so nice too. I’ve used others with success but prefer the Clarins.

Brittany Avatar

I am oily, but I like a spray that gives me a nice, balanced, “natural” finish. Not too matte or too dewy. Fix+ works great for taking away the powdery look when I overdo setting powder or use an all-over powder foundation, but I’d love to find a dupe of it from a brand that doesn’t test on animals. Most sprays I see from all kinds of brands have alcohol, which I want to avoid because that irritates my skin, unfortunately.

Nancy T Avatar

I have one. And it’s the only one I’ve tried as of now: e.l.f. Makeup Mist & Set. It definitely helps, especially with our extreme weather. But on a herculean level? Not quite… but it DOES add a few extra hours to the weartime and gets rid of any “flatness” that my setting powder may occasionally leave behind. I do want to give the UD All Nighter a try.

Stephanie Avatar

Like the feeling of them as a refresher and to kind of temp down all the dry feeling of multiple powder products but haven’t found that they help longevity at all and that makes me ☹️ Really can’t get much more then 8 hours out of formulas, even long wearing ones.

Kylie5 Avatar

I have some but did not try Any of These yet because I am a Little bit afraid that they Ruin my makeup or that I Do not like how it feels and that I have to Take Off everything and Start again.

Deborah Avatar

Those sprays aren’t for me – it feels strange having my makeup just right and spritzing something all over my face. I look like my face is oily. No thanks.

Deborah S. Avatar

Like many, I am not sure of their effectiveness in prolonging makeup wear. I don’t have a problem with my makeup lasting since I am dry and live in Montana so don’t really use it for that purpose. I do use setting sprays to help with over powdery looking foundations/blushes. They work nicely for me in that capacity. But I mostly use them for refreshing my face and love Mac Fix + and Clarin Fix. As I have stated before in other questions, I am a Mac Fix + addict. I absolutely love the scent. I know it isn’t for every body but I would wear it as a perfume if they could develop one that smells the same. I keep 3-4 bottles ahead at all times and my daughter has told me that I need to get help for my addiction/ dependency issues, LOL.

Mo Avatar

I agree Christine, learning the optimal distance to spray is key to me.

I like it for all the wrong reasons, when i use my Kat Von D setting spray, It gives me a nice almost wet glow that i like… As for it’s capability to set my makeup…it’s 30% useful for setting otherwise pointless aside from my glow. I feel like its the one beauty product that is overhyped and far too expensive. I will not be repurchasing any more unless it’s proven to be stellar.

Stephanie Avatar

Rave: While not a perfect solution, setting sprays can be at least a little helpful in this heat. I’ve also had good luck using setting spray on my brush to help glittery/fallout-prone eyeshadows stay on at least a little better.

Rant: You’re in trouble if you spray it after you apply mascara rather than before, and I’m always forgetting that.

brittany Avatar

I was skeptic about setting sprays until I starting using the Nyx Dewy Finish. I never wanted to use them and would think since sprays are water it would cause my makeup to run (sprays don’t).

I have mixed feelings about setting spray. Even though sprays do work and on using more, I’m still on the fence as to whether or not they are a top beauty necessity. I’ve been applying makeup since High School and started using sprays this year.

Natalia Avatar

Rave: MAC Fix + is the most smoothing thing ever, makes your makeup flawless. The whole process itself plus the scent are sooo calming. As they say in the beauty community – obsessed! 🙂

Rant: The cost. Jeeeze, it costs US $27 here and we are no Norway either 🙂 Considering that one or two pumps will do nothing it feels like spraying liquid gold on your face :)))))))

Lea Avatar

I don’t use them as a means to lengthen the wear of my foundation really. I don’t feel like I have a problem with wear; I do use primers for luminosity and in turn that helps wear. I like finishing sprays for hydration and to help blend my powder products with my cream and liquid products. I have the Tatcha mist but tend to use that more into winter or when I’m using a foundation other than Armani Maestro Glow – it doesn’t need any more luminosity. What I like best is the SK-II Mid Day touch up spray which I keep in my purse. Works well if you do have some sort of foundation issue or are feeling particularly dry. It’s a nice hydration boost and the mist is superfine. I also use my Chantecaille rosewater mist in my prep when I don’t want to use the Tatcha.

Susan Dowman Nevling Avatar

The only setting spray I use is the UD Overnighter on a regular basis. There is another UD setting spray that I use rarely that supposedly prevents shine or oil or something. I must have purchased that when I was out of all nighter and the store was also out. I think it’s reasonably effective. I also use a primer under my foundation and eyeshadow too. I have Caudalie refreshing spray and several others I’ve received as GWP or in beauty boxes. I do buy the Caudalie bc it is so refreshing. I’m not certain that it prolongs the life of make-up though.

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