Quick! What’s the most versatile product in your makeup bag? If you guessed setting spray, then you’re absolutely right—at least in my humble opinion. To be honest, I was never much of a setting-spray girl myself. It seemed like an extra step reserved for professional settings and full-glam moments. Then I learned how to actually get the most out of a setting mist, and my routine has been forever changed.
Stay with me here. Yes, setting spray is handy for locking in your makeup look, but it’s also fabulous for blending foundation, making eye shadow appear brighter, creating faux freckles, and so on. See? Setting spray is the multitasking secret weapon of your makeup bag. You just have to learn how to use it to your advantage.
I tapped two celebrity makeup artists to share exactly how to use setting spray and ingenious ways to leverage your hydrating mist. Prepare to be dazzled.
How to Use Setting Spray
It sounds pretty straightforward. Don’t you just spray and go? If you really want to extend the life of your makeup, you might want to spritz a little more strategically.
Celebrity makeup artist Kelli Anne Sewell, founder of Makeup by Kelli Anne, compares it to hair spray. “When you want light hold, you might just hair-spray your full head at the end of styling. If you need heavy-duty long wear, you might prime the hair with hair spray, spray after each curl, and spray at the end. Think of setting spray in a similar manner,” she tells WWW.
Here, find two setting-spray tutorials: one for light, everyday makeup and another for extra-long wear.
For Everyday Makeup
- At the end of your makeup application, give your setting spray a good shake.
- Keep your face still, says Sewell. “No laughing, or you will cement in lines,” she adds.
- “Hold it at an arm’s-length distance from your face and spray in an ‘X’ and a ‘T’ motion,” says makeup artist Steve Kassajikian, head of global artistry at Urban Decay. You should be left with a light layer on your face that feels slightly wet (misty, not dripping), and you’re set!
- Sewell likes to kick off her makeup routine with a layer of setting spray. Give the bottle a shake, then spray your face at an arm’s-length distance.
- After applying your complexion products (foundation, BB cream, concealer, etc.), spritz your face with another layer of setting spray in “X” and “T” motions. Let the layer completely dry before moving on to the next step in your routine.
- You may choose to use setting powder in addition to setting spray to really lock in your glam. After the setting spray dries down, powder the areas you accrue the most shine (likely in the T-zone), then apply another layer of setting spray to cement the powder. Again, let this layer dry completely before moving on with the rest of your look.
- At the end of your makeup routine, give your face a final spritz.
7 More Genius Ways to Use Setting Spray
Oh, you thought we were done? Don’t underestimate your setting spray—that bottle has more uses than you think. In fact, the pros love it for extending the life of your makeup and as a tool for innovative makeup looks.
- To blend foundation: “Spray it on your makeup sponge before blending out your foundation for ultra-long wear,” advises Kassajikian.
- To achieve a dewier finish: Sewell is a big fan of dewy makeup looks. (Same.) “A lot of the time that means I am adding a dewy or cream highlight at the end of looks, in addition to skin prep. If I want to make sure there is no pick-up (sometimes caused by sticky products), I will spray a damp sponge with setting spray, dip into the cream highlight of choice, and then apply. It helps sheer out the product and melt it into the skin better,” she says.
- To set your brows: Setting spray is not just for complexion products! Kassajikian recommends spritzing a clean spoolie and lightly combing it through your arches to set your brow product, like tinted gel, powder, pomade, etc. A little goes a long way.
- To intensify eye shadow: Does your shimmery eye shadow look twinkly in the pan yet fall flat on your lids? Spritz your eye shadow brush with setting spray before dipping it into the palette. The payoff will become way more intense.
- To DIY liquid liner: According to Kassajikian, a little setting spray can “turn powder shadows into liquid to create waterproof liquid liners.” Spray a small, angled makeup brush, dip it into your shadow of choice, then trace it on your lash line. There you have it: DIY liquid liner in any color you please.
- To create faux freckles: You can also use that small makeup brush to dot waterproof faux freckles across your skin. Just be sure to stick to matte shadows instead of shimmery ones—the former looks more realistic.
- To secure an all-over glow: “Mix [setting spray] with your body bronzers and body shimmers to ensure it stays on all day,” encourages Kassajikian. It’s a surefire way to appear naturally sun-kissed.
FAQ
Do I put setting spray on before or after makeup?
“Before and after for a longer hold. Only after when I just need it to last two to four hours,” says Sewell. “I just did Alix Earle’s makeup for her boat party, and we did setting spray before and after glam to lock her makeup in.”
How many sprays of setting spray should I use?
Every product is different, so it’s difficult to give an exact number. “Technically, four sprays should do the trick, but I like to apply a couple extra sprays in the summer or if I know I’m going to be out all day,” says Kassajikian. A good rule of thumb is to spray until your face feels damp but not sopping.
Does setting spray keep my makeup from rubbing off?
“The spray adds a thin, transparent veil on your skin that seals and locks in what is underneath it, making it transfer-proof,” explains Kassajikian. Just make sure you let it completely dry before layering other makeup on top of it. Otherwise, your makeup can smear.
The 5 Best Setting Sprays
If you’re in the market for a new setting spray, I highly suggest you check out our robust, editor-tested roundup, where each product earned a ranking based on its price, application, and overall efficacy. That said, makeup artists do have their own favorite picks—see below for their standout selects.
One/Size
On ’til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray
“If I’m in a humid climate or going out and want to dance all night, I’ll use the One/Size On ’til Dawn Waterproof Setting Spray,” says Sewell. “It makes your makeup waterproof, which means no transfer or rub-off!”
Urban Decay
All Nighter Waterproof Makeup Setting Spray
This Urban Decay number is a cult favorite among editors and makeup artists. (It even secured a winning spot in our Beauty 100 Awards!) “[It] is made with a patented temperature-control technology, which allows your makeup to adapt to your surrounding environment. If it’s hot out, your makeup won’t melt, and if it’s cold out, your makeup won’t cake,” adds Kassajikian. Heads-up for drier-skinned folks: The brand also offers a dewy version of the classic, the All Nighter Hyaluronic Acid Dewy Setting Spray, and it smells like watermelon.
Nars
Light Reflecting Hydrating Makeup Setting Mist
This setting spray has a super-fine mist that feels like a gentle cloud of hydration. I keep it on my desk to refresh my skin between meetings.
Charlotte Tilbury
Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray
It’s TikTok viral for a reason! It leaves behind a luminous finish that’s A+ for dewy looks.
Milk Makeup
Hydro Grip Dewy Long-Lasting Setting Spray
Introducing a setting spray you’ll actually want to reapply all day long. It feels more like a hydrating skin refresher than a makeup product, but its gripping abilities are second to none.
