These Setting Sprays Are Guaranteed to Keep Your Makeup in Place All Day Long

Tester feedback: “This is hairspray for your face in the best way possible,” says shopping market editor Angela Trakoshis. “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).”

Key ingredients: green tea extract, witch hazel extract, synthetic ester | Finish: matte | Waterproof: yes | Fragrance-free: no

Best Waterproof: Urban Decay All Nighter Waterproof Setting Spray

Why It's Worth It: Urban Decay's All Nighter Waterproof Makeup Setting Spray is makeup artist-approved and a tried-and-true Allure editor favorite. Take it from Glazer, who calls the product "a soft, scentless, and lightweight setting spray that keeps your makeup looking perfect for any occasion." The microfine mist is sweatproof and waterproof, guaranteed to keep makeup in place for up to 16 hours. So, dance the night away without worrying about your foundation melting off or your eye shadow or concealer creasing.

Tester feedback: “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,” senior news editor Nicola Dall’Asen tells Allure. “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.”

Key ingredients: aloe, vitamin E, glycol | Finish: matte | Waterproof: yes | Fragrance-free: no

Best Matte Finish: Milk Makeup Pore Eclipse Matte Setting Spray

Why it's worth it: Milk Makeup's Pore Eclipse Matte Setting Spray (a 2024 Best of Beauty Winner) sets makeup without drying out your skin or precious foundation. In addition to staving off smudging, caking, and fading, this mattifying mist softens the look of pores with niacinamide, reduces shine with lentil extract, and evens texture using bakuchiol. One caveat is that its spray nozzle does clog every now and then, but a quick rinse under warm water will do just the trick to remove any buildup.

Tester feedback: Senior editor Jesa Marie Calaor is a bonafide fan. "[It] ensures my makeup stays put in, no matter how sweltering my environment is,” she says. “It kept my concealer from moving during my most recent concert experience—as I jumped and danced for hours."

Key ingredients: niacinamide, lentil extract, bakuchiol, witch hazel | Finish: matte | Waterproof: no | Fragrance-free: yes

Best Fixing Spray: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray

Why it's worth it: Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray has a filter-like effect and pore-blurring finish that's won over Allure editors 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 time 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. As it locks your daily glam in place, expect skin-loving ingredients like aloe vera and green tea extracts to cool your face and calm redness and irritation.

Tester feedback: “The fine mist on this setting spray is simply unmatched: It seems to float through the air before landing gently on your skin,” says content director Kara McGrath. “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.”

Key ingredients: polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP. a film-former), green tea extract, aromatic resin, aloe vera | Finish: demi-matte | Waterproof: yes | Fragrance-free: no

Best for Dry Skin: Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist

Why it's worth it: Tatcha’s radiance-inducing Luminous Dewy Skin Mist is proof that the brand reigns supreme in the glowy skin department. A couple of sprays of this product gives your skin a supple, dewy finish and keeps your base makeup from looking cakey and dull. Though it doesn’t contain any film-formers, its hydrating combination of Okinawa red algae, hyaluronic acid, and green tea extract extends the life of your look by replenishing much-needed moisture throughout the day to minimize creasing and dry patches that can mess with your makeup. Bonus: You can apply the Luminous Dewy Skin Mist onto hair for a quick shine boost or as a detangler.

Tester feedback: “Gotta be honest: I don’t wear enough makeup to merit a dedicated setting spray,” says contributing editor Deanna Pai. “However, there’s nothing that makes me feel fancier than this mist, which I feel locks in my makeup, gives my skin extra hydration, and also just smells really nice. I keep it at my desk for a refresh between meetings or to resist the afternoon slump.”

Key ingredients: Okinawa red algae, hyaluronic acid, green tea extract, rice extract | Finish: dewy | Waterproof: no | Fragrance-free: no

Best Long-Lasting: L'Oréal Paris Infallible 3-Second Setting Mist Spray

Why it's worth it: Quick English lesson: Infallible is an adjective that means "never failing; always effective," and L'Oréal Paris's Infallible 3-Second Setting Mist Spray stays true to that definition. With just three seconds of misting over your makeup, you get 36 hours(!) of budge-free coverage that feels like nothing on the skin. This viral formula won't settle into fine lines or leave behind any white cast, so you can be confident your look is the main event.

Tester feedback: "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," says Bianca Richards, Allure’s social media manager. "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.”

Ingredients: alcohol, copolymers | Finish: natural | Waterproof: yes | Fragrance-free: no

More setting sprays we love:

Best for Oily Skin: Tarte Life Lock Setting Spray

Why it's worth it: Though the Tarte Life Lock Setting Spray is branded as ultra-hydrating, its fast-drying finish and inclusion of mattifying Amazonian clay in its formula make it ideal for oily skin types in need of a weightless hydration boost. This luminosity-enhancing setting spray moonlights as a skin-loving cocktail of hydrating hyaluronic acid and brightening antioxidants, which guarantees your makeup won’t budge an inch for up to 16 hours. “I love using it to marry the makeup into the skin so it becomes one,” says Dresher. “I spray in a snowflake formation across the face and spray a bit onto my makeup sponge and press along the skin to create the most beautiful skin-like finish.”

Ingredients: hyaluronic acid, Amazonian clay, cloudberry extract | Finish: radiant | Waterproof: yes | Fragrance-free: yes

Best Alcohol-Free: MAC Fix+ Original Setting Spray

Why it's worth it: If alcohol-based formulas are too drying or sensitizing for your skin, MAC’s Fix+ Original Setting Spray is here to mist without irritation. This alcohol-free mister is a tried-and-true favorite amongst editors and makeup artists because it grips everything in place while replenishing moisture with a soothing combination of green tea, chamomile, and cucumber extracts. “Fix+ takes away the ‘powdery’ look and allows my clients’ makeup to look like their skin again,” says Shervonne Kitto, a makeup artist based in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Ingredients: green tea extract, chamomile extract, cucumber extract | Finish: natural | Waterproof: yes | Fragrance-free: no

Best Budget: Milani Make It Last Original Setting Spray

Why it's worth it: If the low price of Milani’s Make It Last Setting Spray caught your eye, just wait until you try its prestige-level formula. It provides a 24-hour grip on your makeup as glycerin and niacinamide take your complexion to glowier, more hydrated levels. “It's an affordable drugstore pick that delivers super high quality without creasing, smudging, or feeling tacky and heavy,” says Amanda Gabbard, a New York City-based makeup artist. A quick tip: This spray is also formulated to act as a primer, too.

Ingredients: glycerin, niacinamide | Finish: natural | Waterproof: yes | Fragrance-free: no

Frequently Asked Questions

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 give long-wear [benefits]," she explained.

Polymers and forms of glycerin are often used to form these protective films. Vohland added 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, King advises looking 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," Dobos previously told Allure.

• Ashlee Glazer, a makeup artist
• Ginger King, a cosmetic chemist
• Natalie Dresher, a New York City-based makeup artist
• Shervonne Kitto, a makeup artist based in Secaucus, New Jersey
• Amanda Gabbard, a New York City-based makeup artist
• Victoria Vohland, a Los Angeles-based cosmetic chemist
• Tommy, a New York City-based makeup artist
• Kate Lee, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist
• Kelly Dobos, a Cincinnati-based cosmetic chemist

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.

More makeup essentials for long-lasting looks? Ask and you shall receive:

• Lock in Your Look With These Star-Status Face Primers
• 19 Best Setting Powders for Shine-Free Makeup Looks
• 14 Best Moisturizers With SPF That'll Plump and Protect Skin

Now, watch Sabrina Carpenter do her 10-minute makeup routine for natural light:

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