These Setting Sprays Work as Hard as You Do
Want makeup that looks just as fresh at 8 a.m. as it does at 8 p.m.? Using one of the best setting sprays as the final step of your makeup routine can make that a reality. Designed to create a lightweight protective layer over your makeup, these hardworking mists help prevent fading, smudging, and transfer while often delivering skin-care benefits like hydration and antioxidant protection. No matter what the day has in store for you, setting spray is “essential,” says Ash K. Holm, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles. “It helps makeup hold up through lights, heat, cameras, and hours of wear.”
And these days, setting sprays can do more than keep your makeup from slipping: Depending on the formula, they also hydrate, mattify, add radiance, or blur uneven tone or texture—and sometimes make your makeup look even better. How? “Setting spray can help melt powders into the skin, soften texture, and make the complexion look more seamless and skin-like,” says Holm. And here’s an insider trick from Holm: Don’t be afraid to spritz it throughout the day whenever you feel like you need a makeup refresh.
A great makeup day should stay that way until you’re ready to wash your face and call it a night. Ahead, check out the best setting sprays that’ll help your makeup go the distance, including Allure editor favorites and makeup artist-approved picks.
Why we love it: Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray has a pore-blurring finish that's won over Allure editors and makeup artists alike with every spritz. Beyond that, it scores major points for its multitasking formula as a setting and fixing spray. According to New York City-based makeup artist Natalie Dresher, you can think of fixing sprays as "a setting spray times ten" in terms of their long-wearing hold. This spray’s pore-blurring effect comes from a combination of film-forming polymers and aromatic resin, which create a soft-matte veil over your makeup to seal it in place for up to 16 hours. Bonus: Skin-boosting ingredients like aloe vera and green tea extracts to cool your face and calm redness and irritation to keep your skin feeling like, well, skin. “It helps smooth the look of makeup and gives the skin that polished, airbrushed finish without making it feel dry or tight,” adds Holm.
“The fine mist on this setting spray is simply unmatched: It seems to float through the air before landing gently on your skin. But despite the delicate feel, once the formula coats your face, I can guarantee your makeup is locked in. Recently, I applied around 9 a.m., and when I got out of a particularly sweaty dance class 11 hours later, a friend commented, ’Wow, how does your makeup look so good right now?’ I swear, I didn't pay her to say that.”—Kara McGrath, content director
Why we love it: If your goal is a smoother-looking makeup day, Laura Mercier Translucent Hydrating Setting Spray Ultra-Blur is your match. Unlike mattifying setting sprays that focus on absorbing oil and dialing down shine, this formula focuses on creating a diffused, soft-focus effect while still preserving skin’s natural radiance. And it helps makeup look more seamless overall by instantly blurring the look of pores, fine lines, and imperfections.
What’s more, the alcohol-free formula hydrates all skin types as it sets, thanks to ingredients like hyaluronic acid and white lily extract, preventing any tightness. The ultra-fine, continuous mist melts makeup together for a smooth, airbrushed finish that still looks like skin—just slightly softer and diffused.
"I don't mind a dewy spray, but for longer days, I need a longer-lasting, water-resistant formula that'll keep my pores and excess oil in check. I adore this Laura Mercier formula because I can continuously spray my face with just one press of the applicator. It ensures extra even coverage so I can go on with the rest of my day knowing I've actually covered every inch of my face. I tested this setting spray under the most rigorous conditions: a hot summer day that started at the Bronx Zoo playing with my favorite 2.5-year-old and ended with a sidewalk table dinner next to approximately a million Knicks fans as they started flooding the streets. Needless to say, my full face of makeup lasted and look just as great as it did at the start. (Even my little pools of shine stayed put!) —Sarah Han, commerce editor
Allure former senior news editor Nicola Dall’Asen applying the Urban Decay All Nighter Waterproof Setting Spray
Why we love it: Urban Decay’s recently reformulated All Nighter Waterproof Makeup Setting Spray just leveled up big time. The industry- and editor- favorite now claims up to 24 hours of wear (versus the old 16-hour wear time), with a finer, featherlight mist that melts powders and creams together seamlessly. Take it from Ashlee Glazer, a makeup artist based in New York City, who calls the product "a soft, scentless, and lightweight setting spray that keeps your makeup looking perfect for any occasion." Sweatproof and waterproof, you can dance the night away without worrying about your foundation melting off or your eye shadow or concealer creasing.
“I'm certain I'm not the only one who was first introduced to setting spray via Urban Decay's All Nighter, and I'm even more certain I'm not the only one who still swears by it more than a decade later. That's because, as you can see by the results of my five-hour wear test through a muggy city summer evening, this stuff contains some kind of magic that makes makeup near-invincible. Whether I'm wearing a drag-level full beat or just a little bit here and there, I can (and almost always do) count on All Nighter to keep my makeup fresh at all times.”—Nicola Dall’Asen, former senior news editor
Why we love it: Quick English lesson: Infallible is an adjective that means "never failing; always effective," and L'Oréal Paris's Infallible 3-Second Setting Mist stays true to that definition. This affordable formula—a Best of Beauty Award winner in the Steals category, might we add—is proof that drugstore setting sprays can compete with their luxury counterparts. After just three seconds of misting over your makeup, you get 36 hours (!) of budge-free coverage that feels like nothing on the skin, plus, this won't settle into fine lines or leave behind any white cast.
"When I came across this product on TikTok, I was instantly convinced that this would be my new favorite setting spray. I ran through tubes of the L'Oréal Paris Infallible Matte foundation in college because there's something about that Infallible formula that locks in my makeup for the long run. Since those days are long gone, getting my hands on the spray was the best decision I made going into the summer because my makeup did not budge at all.”—Bianca Richards, social media manager
Why we love it: Some setting sprays are designed to lock makeup down at all costs—and that’s great if you want it. But Saie's CitySet Lightweight Setting Spray takes a more minimalist approach to helping makeup stay put; it has an alcohol- and aerosol-free formula that’s ideal for anyone who wants complexion products to last without dealing with the potential dryness, irritation, or sensitivity that can come with other sprays. (While many setting sprays rely on alcohol to set makeup, this one uses corn starch-derived polymers to lock in makeup.) The best part? It doesn’t sacrifice performance, extending wear for up to 16 hours and delivering a natural, dewy finish.
“I'm perpetually overheating; the second I set a foot outside in the NYC summer, my face immediately starts to sweat. That means if I want my makeup to last from breakfast to dinner (or even just from breakfast to early lunch!), a setting spray is a can't-miss step. I've experimented with many, but have never found a spray that keeps my makeup from slipping and still makes me look glowy until I tried the Saie CitySet Lightweight Setting Spray. The spritz is perfect, not too aggressive and not too light, but also not aerosol. The formula feels hydrating and lightweight, not sticky. Its scent-free formula has not irritated my super sensitive skin one single bit. My makeup looks as if I had just applied it even 10 hours after getting ready. It's some sort of magic in a bottle!” —Alessandra Foresto, managing editor
Why we love it: For a look that truly lasts until the end of the day, our editors recommend the One/Size On 'Til Dawn Setting Spray. The ultra-light formula uses sebum-balancing polymers and oil-controlling witch hazel to deliver a grease-free, matte finish all day long. Beyond this spray’s ingredients list, On 'Til Dawn is an editor-favorite for its weightless feel—it gusts out of its aerosol can like a hairspray and instantly dries down without the crunchy, tacky feel of one.
Need further proof of its abilities? “Beyoncé's makeup artist Rokael credited this exact setting spray for keeping the makeup perfect during a moment of rain during a Renaissance tour show. "Talk about the ultimate test," says Glazer. It’s a favorite of Holm, too, who adds that it’s her go-to choice for “red carpets, long days, humid weather, or any moment where makeup cannot move.”
“This is hairspray for your face in the best way possible. It literally locks in your makeup for hours and hours—no budging, no creasing at all. I sprayed it on my minimal-WFH makeup in the morning, and at the end of the day, I looked the same (just added some lip balm).”—Angela Trakoshis, former shopping market editor
Why we love it: This Korea-born, Best of Beauty-winning setting spray is the best of both worlds, reducing excess shine and greasiness while delivering a soft-focus glow (think radiant and dewy, not oily!). Packed with micro-fine powders, soothing Centella Asiatica, and oil-controlling green apple polyphenols, Tirtir’s Mask Fit Makeup Fixer is sweat-proof and transfer-proof, like it was tailor-made for us to withstand the NYC humidity. We also love the wide-angle mist, which evenly blankets your whole face without clumping or leaving patchy spots. Unlike some dewy setting sprays that can leave skin looking overly shiny by midday or in the T-zone, this formula strikes a happy medium, helping makeup stay fresh while maintaining a healthy, lit-from-within finish.
“This is the dewy setting spray of my combination skin dreams. I get a serious glow but my T-zone doesn’t get as oily throughout the day, as it would with other dewy setting sprays I’ve tried in the past. It’s truly the best of both worlds. I usually scoff at ‘soft-blurring’ claims, but I do actually think my skin looks smoother and my pores don’t look more noticeable as they’d normally do later in the day without setting spray. I also can’t resist respritzing a few times throughout the day for some freshening up—the EOD selfie is after two spaced-out applications (one early afternoon, one late).” —Sarah Han, commerce editor
Allure contributing editor Deanna Pai applying the Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Liquid Blurring Balm Mattifying Setting Spray
Why we love it: We all want a little extra coverage when our skin’s not playing nice, but sometimes foundation only makes bumps, texture, or breakouts look more obvious. Enter Danessa Myricks' Yummy Skin Liquid Blurring Balm Setting Spray: an app-like filter in a bottle. It blurs and smooths imperfections, so your base looks seamless. Our trick is we treat it like a setting powder. Mist between layers of foundation and concealer, let it sit for a minute, then press it in with a sponge for targeted blurring. A few final sprays on top, and your look is locked. The formula is stacked with sweat-absorbing upsalite, pore-refining marine water and silica, hydrating glycerin, and soothing niacinamide, which, when all mixed together, creates a one-stop shop for a good skin day.
"When Danessa Myricks says 'blurring,' she means business. As soon as I spritzed this over my foundation (Armani's Luminous Silk Foundation), my skin looked airbrushed even though I'm dealing with a rip-roaring case of pregnancy acne. I also have pores so large they're practically majestic, but they were nowhere to be found. Even by the afternoon, my forehead, nose, and chin hadn't devolved into the usual oil slick that they typically become—and what's more, my foundation still looked just as natural (if not more so) than it did when I applied it. Miracle! Worker!"—Deanna Pai, contributing commerce editor
Los Angeles-based cosmetic chemist Victoria Vohland explained to Allure that setting sprays create a barrier to prevent makeup from slipping, using primarily a mixture of water, alcohol, and film formers. "A film former is a chemical put into cosmetics to offer long-wear benefits," she said.
Polymers and forms of glycerin are often used to form these protective films. Vohland added that the alcohol in the spray functions as a volatile to repel water. "The setting spray is a more diluted version of a hair gel," Vohland elaborated. "What hair gel does is coat the hair and keeps it in place, similar to what a setting spray does." Despite the chemical similarities, setting spray formulas are tweaked to be safer and gentle enough for use on the face.
Using a setting spray may seem pretty straightforward—spray it all over your face when you're done with your makeup and call it a day, right? Not quite. According to New York City-based makeup artist Tommy, a little technique goes a long way. Tommy suggests applying setting spray in a zig-zag motion, starting on the forehead and moving down to the chin. "I spritz it on the skin from a distance to help rehydrate the face after applying makeup," he says.
Another tip, courtesy of makeup artist Kate Lee, is to dampen a Beautyblender with a setting spray before using the sponge. This tactic helps smooth out dry patches and prevent creased makeup.
Ingredients vary between setting sprays, so keep your goals for your makeup and skin in mind as you browse the backs of bottles. If you want to curb your skin's oil production, look for ingredients like silica to help absorb sebum. Botanical extracts like green tea extract and moringa seed can be a big help if you want to moisturize and condition. Cincinnati-based cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos suggests hydrating, adhesive ingredients like glycerin. "Glycerin can be pretty tacky and may help makeup grip," she previously told Allure.
Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?
For our review of setting sprays, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, makeup artists, and cosmetic chemists to review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product’s performance across four primary categories: formula, wear, longevity, finish, and water resistance. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.