Beauty

Your Makeup Isn’t Going Anywhere With These Setting Sprays


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

Best Alcohol-Free: MAC Fix+ Original Setting Spray

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

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

How does setting spray work?

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.

What’s the best way to apply setting spray?

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.

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