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Sweltering summer weather won't stand a chance against these highly-rated makeup setting sprays. Designed as the final step in a cosmetics routine, setting sprays create a fine, invisible seal that locks in makeup on the skin, eyelids, and lips. They're a must-have for any occasion because they prevent tears, sweat, humidity, and other elements, from ruining artfully applied eyeliner, contour, and foundation. Regardless of the weather, the final results will always be the same: prolonged makeup that lasts from sunrise to sunset. The best part? As our beauty editor, I tested most of the featured products on this list, so users can rest assured they are hype-worthy. As for the rest, I asked a few makeup artists to share their favorite setting sprays, and I'm confident that your next beauty must-have is definitely on this list — and starts at $10.
The Best Makeup Setting Sprays
What to Consider
When shopping for a makeup setting spray, there's one (obvious) goal to keep in mind: setting makeup. However, formulas can be designed to impart a matte or dewy finish, and some serve multiple purposes, too, such as a primer and a setting spray.
Makeup Setting Spray Vs. Finishing Spray
Some brands call their products makeup setting sprays or finishing sprays, but what do these names actually mean? To find out, I asked celebrity makeup artists Jenny Patinkin and Jenna Apel to explain the real differences between the two product types.
- Makeup setting sprays leave a light film to help lock in the makeup and prevent it from smudging or evaporating no matter the weather.
- Finishing sprays melt the makeup into the skin for an “I woke up like this” radiant glow and boost hydration.
Thankfully, plenty of brands have combined the long-wearing properties of traditional setting spray with the makeup-melting and moisturizing properties associated with finishing spray, so users can enjoy the best of both worlds.
Skin Type
Before gifting a setting spray, consider your loved one's skin type and if they want their face to look matte or dewy.
- Oily and combination skin will benefit from a makeup setting spray that offers a matte finish and should look for shine-control ingredients like witch hazel and kaolin.
- Dry, normal, and mature skin should look for a makeup setting spray with hydrating and soothing properties such as hyaluronic acid and aloe vera for a luminous, second-skin finish.
How We Chose
Another important factor is cost, so I included top-rated picks at various price points, highlighting both cheap Amazon buys and luxury makeup setting sprays. I've been actively covering the beauty space since 2016, so it's safe to assume that I've tried pretty much every setting spray available at Ulta, Sephora, and Amazon over the years. For this piece, I revisted the Best Products beauty closet and my home vanity to spritz on several of these products. After two weeks of testing in the real world, I feel confident in sharing my beauty editor-approved picks. For added guidance, I asked Patinkin and Apel about their no-fail recommendations — and their selections are highly rated. Here are the best makeup setting sprays for every skin type.
Charlotte Tilbury is a true legend in the beauty game, so of course, her spray had to be put to the test. The TLDR is simple: I haven't met a Charlotte Tilbury product I didn't like, and her TikTok-famous Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray deserves our best overall distinction for several reasons.
Airbrush Flawless has been my go-to setting spray since its 2021 launch. Ultimately, it delivers on its key promise: it actually prolongs my makeup for up to 16 hours.
I have oily skin and find the Airbrush Flawless spray doesn't cause any irritation or breakouts. Zero makeup patches, no annoying T-Zone greasiness seeping through at lunchtime, and it can withstand various weather, ranging from humid Florida and dry Nevada to extreme seasons in New York.
Its winning formula is infused with polymers to create a breathable film that locks everything in place, while Japanese Green Tea hydrates the skin and aromatic resin helps blur the look of large pores.
Plus, who doesn't love supporting a woman-owned business whenever possible?
Key Specs
Finish | Soft matte |
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Skin type | Normal, dry, combination, and oily |
Rating | 4.4-star average from 1,342 Sephora reviews |
Patrick Starrr is one of my favorite beauty YouTubers, and I've been a longtime fan of his line One/Size since its debut in 2020. One of the hero products from the brand is On 'Til Dawn which recently has been blowing up on TikTok — and consequently lead to his product selling out at Sephora.
An older clip of Starr has been circulating on TikTok that helped the product sell out. He's in a swimming pool and rocking a full face beat. After a quick mist of One 'Til Dawn, he dips underwater, comes up for a breathe, and his makeup is still on point!
So does this makeup setting spray actually work, or is it just online noise? I'm happy to report the One/Size Setting Spray is legit! Since it's too cold to go swimming in NYC, I can't test it in chlorinated water, but I am very confident in its ability to keep my oily skin under control and lock my makeup in place even when it's rainy and humid outside. Ultimately, whenever I mist on this product, I feel confident knowing that my makeup looks the same as it did in the morning.
Key Specs
Finish | Matte |
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Skin type | Combination and oily |
Rating | 4.1-star average from 808 Sephora at Kohl's reviewers |
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Infused with a light-diffusing shimmer that's attention grabbing, but not over the top like a disco ball, Prep Set Glow Hydrating Spray is an excellent finishing spray worthy of everyone's routine.
The refreshing spray is made with vegan ingredients, such as soothing cucumber, antioxidant-rich green tea, and conditioning vitamin E that leaves my skin feeling supple and soft whenever I use it.
Since I enjoy how my face feels when I use this product, I like to keep it in my skincare fridge and spritz it onto my bare skin for a cooling revitalizing sensation.
Prep Set Glow Hydrating Spray is also the only tinted setting spray on this list. Both shades work with most skin tones, but those with deeper complexions will likely appreciate Glow, which leaves behind a bronze glow to the complexion. There's also Original for a champagne pop that makes the skin radiant.
Key Specs
Finish | Glowing |
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Skin type | Normal, dry, and mature |
Rating | 4-star average from 106 Sephora reviews |
Makeup artist Kenyata Gant of Pink Lipps Cosmetics called the Urban Decay All Nighter spray her all-time favorite setting spray. “It locks in the makeup literally for hours through sweat and anything that I do. My makeup is smudge-proof when I use this spray,” she says.
This innovative formula, suitable for all skin types, features patented Temperature Control Technology to lower the temperature of someone's makeup to keep their look in place, even in the most humid conditions.
Just spritz on a few pumps in the morning, and wearers can go from desk to dinner looking as fresh as when they woke up.
Key Specs
Finish | Natural |
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Skin type | Oily, combination, normal, and dry |
Rating | Rating: 4.4-star average from 12,080 Sephora |
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This cult favorite is one of the O.G.s of makeup-setting sprays, and experts and online reviewers say it always performs well. Not only does this makeup spritz have a no-budge hold on makeup, but it also comes in five different variations, including hydrating coconut and calming lavender. Regardless of whichever delicious scent someone uses, their skin will be treated to a refreshing and soothing blend of cucumber, green tea, and chamomile.
For Apel, MAC’s Fix + is a tried-and-true makeup setting spray for light makeup days. “It’s great for making makeup look like skin again and helps the makeup stay on for longer as opposed to not using a spray,” she says.
Not only does it set makeup and prevent your face makeup from caking, but it also helps intensify your powder eye shadows. So for a more pigmented look or to DIY eyeliner, spritz eyeliner and eyeshadow brushes with Fix +, dip into powder shadow, and apply like usual. The final look will be brighter and more dramatic shadow and feline flick.
Key Specs
Finish | Natural |
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Skin type | Normal, combination, dry, and oily |
Rating | 4.4-star average from 2,160 Ulta reviews |
When Too Faced launched its hangover-themed collection, online reviewers fell in love. One of the stars of that stellar batch of products is this amazing, multiuse spray that primes, sets, and refreshes makeup.
I can apply this one before makeup, and it doubles as a primer to build my foundation. I can, of course, spritz again after makeup application as a finishing touch and then mist it throughout the day to refresh my look. Whether someone is headed to an all-day event outdoors or just trying to trek through a heatwave, this setting spray will keep their makeup intact all day long.
As an added bonus, this product has a refreshing spa-like smell that helps me feel relaxed whenever I mist it onto my face.
Key Specs
Finish | Radiant |
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Skin type | Normal, combination, dry, and oily |
Rating | 4.2-star average from 1,492 Sephora reviews |
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Milani products perform similarly to higher-end products we can order from Sephora and Nordstrom. Their setting spray is less than $10 and Apel says it is a fantastic addition to any beauty lover's trusty makeup bag.
Apel loves that it has a refined mist, works with all skin types, and is incredibly long-lasting. Users can also streamline their beauty routine with this 3-in-1 setting spray. Use a spritz of this before makeup to prime the skin and control oil, and then spray one more time when they're finished with their makeup to create a crease and smudge-free look from day to night.
"It has a nice mister on it that doesn't drench your face and make it splotchy. It truly locks in my makeup and makes it last really long even when I'm outside in the heat or sweating," says one 5-star review. "I spray this on my face before and after makeup application, and it keeps the shine away the entire work day," adds an Amazon reviewer with extremely oily skin.
Key Specs
Finish | Illuminating |
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Skin type | Normal, combination, and oily |
Rating | 4.4-star average from 38,826 Amazon reviews |
Thanks to its neutral 7.2 pH balance, Evian's Mineral Water Spray offers a balanced boost of hydration to all skin types, including ultra-sensitive skin.
Loaded up with nourishing French thermal water, I find it provides a beautiful, radiant finish to my skin. The lightweight, alcohol-free formulation also ensures my complexion feels supple and stays plump.
Hundreds of Sephora also reviewers enjoy applying this light mist over makeup to look fresh-faced throughout the day. One 5-star review advises spritzing this on before applying their skincare products to help lock in extra hydration and before and after applying makeup for a lit-from-within glow.
Key Specs
Finish | Radiant |
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Skin type | All skin types, including sensitive |
Rating | 4.4-star average from 380 Sephora reviews |
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For the ultimate dewy effect, reach for this hydrating, water-based setting spray is like a glass of water for dry skin. Instead of just locking everything into place, this water-based setting spray leaves the skin looking refreshed and revived.
The gold glittery bottle is attention-grabbing, but the spray itself leaves behind a sheen not glitter to prevent the skin from looking powdery. The results are luminous, supple skin in just one mist. "This product is fabulous for those who want to leave a subtle, yet sexy highlight on their entire face," says Apel.
A bonus: ABH's award-winning setting spray has an enticing vanilla and coconut scent that fades relatively quickly, so those with sensitive noses can use it if they don't want to go totally fragrance-free.
Key Specs
Finish | Luminous |
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Skin type | Dry, normal, and combination |
Rating | 4.3-star average from 175 Ulta reviews |
Say hello to this skin-mattifying setting spray that earned snaps from our experts and Amazon reviewers. Patinkin says it is perfect for oily and combination skin types, thanks to its oil-balancing formula that won’t weigh down the face throughout the day. “This is the spray I keep in my kit when I am doing makeup in the summer or when it’s very humid. It does not budge,” she says.
According to several 5-star Amazon reviews, CoverFX's setting spray will help a face beat last at least 10 hours, and it prevents makeup from transferring onto face masks. Plus, it helps reduce the look of pores and cut down on shine.
Apel adds it provides a fine mist that hits all of the areas of the face in one go and seals your makeup, and provides a matte finish. Makeup will look flawless for hours, with no caking, fading, or streaking.
Key Specs
Finish | Shine-free |
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Skin type | Oily and combination |
Rating | 4.6-star average from 87 Amazon reviews |
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Shopping for someone who prefers the glazed donut look over dull, matte skin? As its name implies, Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist has glazed donut devotees covered. Tested by dermatologists (and yours truly), this makeup setting spray works in just a few seconds. It can be spritzed on before and after makeup application for a quick boost of hydration and a long-lasting dewy refreshment throughout the day.
Made with 20% moisturizing humectants and natural botanicals such as hyaluronic acid and red algae, this makeup setting spray is a certified winner for Apel. “Yes, yes, yes! A thousand times, yes. If you want that glowy, dewy look, this one is for you. The high price point may be a scary sight at first, but honestly, it’s worth it if you’ve been wanting to feel like a glowing goddess,” she says.
It's worth every penny, and I find the hydrating formulation is best suited for people with normal, dry, and mature skin. Those with combination or oily skin could use it in the winter when their face could use a boost of moisture.
It also boasts an enticing jasmine scent that's noticeable, but not overwhelming. With that being said, anyone not into smells or have sensitive skin, should probably skip this one.
Key Specs
Finish | Glowy |
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Skin type | Dry, sensitive, normal, and combination |
Rating | Rating: 4.6-star average from 974 Amazon reviews |
Nicole Saunders
Beauty Editor
Nicole Saunders is the beauty editor at Best Products with over eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing lifestyle content. She specializes in breaking down complicated topics, like high-frequency wands and microcurrent devices, into easy-to-understand guides. Saunders takes great pride in heavily researching and testing featured beauty products, — such as hairdryers and foundations — on our site, and spotlights her all-time seasonal favorites in her quarterly column Best New Beauty. And she tests quite literally thousands of launches for our Best New Beauty Awards package. You can follow her on Instagram to stay in the loop on her product testing adventues.