In the pursuit of long-lasting, flawless makeup, setting sprays have become a staple in many beauty routines. However, with a market flooded with options ranging from luxury to affordable, it can be challenging to discern which products truly deliver on their promises. This review delves into the performance of 16 top-rated setting sprays, tested rigorously during a humid Sydney summer, to help you make an informed decision.
Our editors handpick everything we recommend. We may receive revenue for sharing this content or when you shop through our links. ELLE Australia’s senior fashion and beauty writer tested 16 top-rated setting sprays during a humid Sydney summer. Sprays ranged from luxury to affordable, with viral setting mists from Charlotte Tilbury, Maybelline, Urban Decay, and L’Oreal included in the test. Some of the best setting sprays included Morphe, Nars, One Size and Maybelline.
As a former makeup artist and beauty journalist, I am frequently asked, “Is X product a marketing hoax?” and, despite their reputation, setting sprays are at the top of the list of eyebrow-raising “necessary steps” in a beauty routine. And I get it! Spraying liquid on your carefully applied base can feel as counterintuitive as showering after a blow-dry. So, I decided to put 16 of the top setting sprays to the test, so I could definitively report back on how they perform and whether they’re actually worth your money. From long-wearing and mattifying sprays to dewy and hydrating mists, of the 16 I tested, only five became a permanent part of my beauty routine. Find my full review below, including my holy grail.
Top Setting Sprays Tested: In-Depth Reviews
1. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray
The Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray is an oil-free, lightweight spray that promises to waterproof and set makeup for up to 16 hours, while providing a smoothing effect. It’s a favorite among beauty insiders, from editors to influencers and PR professionals. I suspected my previous half-hearted spritzes before rushing out the door weren’t doing it justice. I gave myself a generous dousing in the morning, and my face was… wet. It stayed wet for longer than I’d like, and I needed to leave the house, so I gave it a blast with the cool shot on my hairdryer. Once it dried, I was transfixed. My makeup transformed from a pretty average rush job to smooth, poreless, and glass-like. Any powdery texture from earlier was whisked away. In fact, it was so luminous I dabbed some extra powder on my nose before floating out the door like an angel.
This spray faced one of the toughest tests in my trial. My day started with a hair appointment, where my makeup endured warm water splashing on my hairline and rogue bits of copper dye being wiped away. From there, I walked to Priceline in 34-degree heat to pick up more affordable setting spray options. I clocked 24,000 steps by the time I got home. Later, I did a quick yoga session before heading to a friend’s for dinner and drinks.
Does The Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray Work? Absolutely. The Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray exceeded its 16-hour claim, delivering a radiant, transfer-resistant finish. While it felt slightly dry after 17 hours of wear, I forgive it.
2. Fenty Beauty (New Launch)
I’ve always associated Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty with matte finishes, but this newly launched product shows Rihanna has branched out. It is glowy. If you don’t like a dewy look, you can skip it - I am glossy in a glass skin/glazed doughnut/every other glowing skin buzzword you can throw at a complexion kind of way. It’s also smooth. My skin is so poreless, it looks laminated. It’s a hot day, and I trot off to have coffee with a friend in Paddington who compliments me on my surreally glowing complexion. There’s a lot of glare outside, so my sunglasses have been firmly in place on the journey. On inspection, there is minimal transfer on them. I wear the spray for 8.5 hours, and by the time I get home, there’s plenty of shine breaking through. I would touch up with powder if I were going somewhere else, but I’m not, and my makeup itself is holding on nicely.
As a finishing spray, this product is next level. I felt like a Victoria’s Secret Angel circa 2003. As a setting spray, it takes my face through a decent day of high heat, quite a bit of walking, and an intense workout. Given how glossy my face was when I applied it, I’m unsurprised that I’m gleaming by 5 pm following intensive exercise, but my actual makeup is intact.
3. Hairspray-like Setting Spray (Brand Not Specified)
A dear friend and fellow beauty editor had her makeup artist use this spray on her wedding day, achieving excellent results, and some of my favourite beauty influencers swear by it. The application felt a lot like using hairspray directly on my face. I strongly advise against opening your eyes or breathing while spraying. Warn anyone nearby, too. The residue left a sticky film on my lips, and some ended up in my hair, which was fine because… It’s essentially hairspray. One upside? I tested it on a 35-degree day during a coffee outing with a friend, a 15-minute walk from my home. By the time I arrived, I knew things were going south. Removing my sunglasses revealed an entire layer of foundation clinging to the frames. Far from being transfer-proof, my makeup was gripping my sunglasses so hard I was surprised I could remove them. When my friend arrived, her expression confirmed my fears. My makeup had cemented to my sunglasses and was separating everywhere else on my face. Attempts to smudge the foundation back into place only made things worse; the spray had turned my base into a rigid, inflexible second skin.
My friend, who achieved flawless natural makeup on her wedding day, suggested that I had applied too much. I gave it another go the next day, this time holding the bottle at arm’s length and spraying in my face’s general direction. The results were marginally better, but the core issues remained. My theory? It’s possible that intense film-forming sprays like this don’t mix well with sunscreen, which also works by forming a film. While this spray is popular and clearly works for some, it’s not for me.
4. Maybelline Lasting Fix Setting Spray
I start my day with Maybelline with trepidation - maybe affordably priced setting sprays just don’t work? The mist promises a flawless shine-free look for 16-hour wear and a matte finish. The Maybelline Lasting Fix has a fine mist and smells like nothing in particular (maybe a hint of plastic from the bottle). While it claims to be matte, the spray instantly melted the appearance of my powder away, leaving a beautifully fresh, natural finish in its wake. At work, I kept catching myself resting my face in my hands. As with sunglasses, I don’t expect cosmetic products to withstand this friction, so I was surprised when I checked in a bathroom mirror halfway through the day to find my makeup completely undisturbed. When I got home around 6 pm my makeup looked fresh but not dry, and my face was comfortable. Moments like these remind me that while love for a man may be fleeting, love for a great beauty product can last a lifetime (or at least until it’s discontinued or reformulated).
5. Milk Hydro Grip Setting Spray
This dual-phase setting and refreshing spray claims to hydrate skin and set makeup for up to 12 hours, providing a glass-skin glow. The Milk Hydro Grip immediately melted my powder into a juicy, fresh finish. My skin looked radiant rather than greasy, and unlike other glowy sprays, I didn’t feel the need to touch up with powder after application. My skin felt deeply hydrated while still being semi-matte, something I attribute to the mystical properties of Blue Agave. The mist is fine but not overly vaporous, and the scent is minimal yet fresh. Again. I found myself resting my head in my hands at work. I felt like I should have brought the bottle with me for deskside refreshes. I probably would have touched up but this was against the rules of the trial. While I didn’t put the 12-hour claim to the whole test, my makeup looked fresh for nine hours, although I would have loved to re-spritz for more hydration (as you can see, the glow didn’t survive the office air conditioning) and touch up my blush. If you’re looking for a setting spray that locks in hydration and gives you a luminous rather than “glossy” finish, Milk Hydro Grip delivers.
6. Morphe Continuous Set & Prep Mist +
A micro-fine mist Continuous Set & Prep Mist + is an evolution of the classic Morphe Continuous Setting Mist, which is my favourite setting spray ever (you will find a review below). This update has the same ultra-fine mist, although it’s slightly “wetter” going on. I had a pretty uneventful day at the office, had dinner with a friend in the city after work, and was home by 10 pm. At the time, I wasn’t blown away by this spray simply because I didn’t think the (beloved) original needed improvement, and I didn’t have a wildly intense day. Looking at the photos, however, I can see that it gives a slightly dewier finish than the original Morphe and still has excellent longevity.
7. Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
The All Nighter spray was the first setting spray I used, long before Urban Decay launched at Mecca in Australia. The mist is fine but not vapour-like. It goes on wet but dries quickly, leaving no discernible scent. This spray holds a legendary status for a reason. Back in my 20s, it carried me through gruelling double shifts at a pub. Fast forward to now: it’s a sticky, 36-degree Saturday, and the thought of makeup makes me want to cry; my skin is breaking out from the inadvisable weeks-long combination of lots of makeup and very hot days. Halfway through a 40-minute walk to the venue -I grossly underestimated the distance -I’m sweating buckets, but my face remains “on lock.” I’m marvelling at All Nighter’s staying power when a minor monsoon hits. Disaster. While my base impressively stays intact, my blush has faded. Despite the rain, I soldiered on and managed to look presentable enough for a long lunch and later meet a friend for a screening of Heretic.
8. One Size by Patrick Starrr Setting Spray
This viral mattifying setting spray is waterproof, rub-proof, and transfer-proof. I approached One Size with some trepidation-the L’Oreal mist is considered a “dupe” for this product, and I was still experiencing flashbacks from my misadventure, so I approached the pink aerosol can as if it were a dangerous animal. Thankfully, my fears were unfounded. One Size Mist is fine and fresh, with a mildly fruity fragrance from ingredients like cucumber and green tea. And, while it offers hardcore hold, any hairspray-like qualities are offset by hydrating ingredients like glycerin and aloe vera that prevent overdrying. The day began with a trip to the markets with a friend, where I found a Gucci Jackie bag for $250 (win!). A friend makes an emotional Instagram post about a divorce she’s going through, and it triggers some feelings - at the time of writing, I’m semi-recently out of a breakup. I shed a few tears. I’m roused from my slide into melancholy when I remember the trial and rush to the mirror to see how One Size is holding up against my heartbreak. Very well! The evening ends with what I would describe as a “Bikram”- style Pilates class because the studio fan is broken. Incredibly sweaty, I of course run into some professional acquaintances on the way home who are the kind of women who always look completely immaculate. As we converse, I grow increasingly concerned about how my full face of makeup is holding up. Yes, and then some! I feel pretty good about how I’m looking, all things considered. Unlike more rigid formulas, this spray kept my skin feeling comfortable and my base intact without cracking or peeling, probably thanks to the hydrating ingredients.
9. Kryolan Fixing Spray
Kryolan is a brand typically sold to professional makeup artists, so I expect results from this product. While it claims not to alter the finish of makeup, this was the only spray that immediately made my skin look visibly matte as soon as it was applied - I didn’t need to touch up with powder at all. This spray got a workout. I have an early start, so apply it at 6:30 am on a 32-degree day. By the end of the 13 hours, some shine is visible in my T-zone, and the area underneath my eye has developed creases. There is also a little bit of flaking around my nose and jaw. I can see why the Kryolan Fixing Spray is a favourite among wedding makeup artists.
10. Hourglass Veil Soft Focus Setting Spray
This setting spray promises to hydrate and set makeup for up to 24 hours while providing smoothing benefits and a naturally radiant finish. As a devoted fan of the Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer, I was eager to try its setting spray counterpart. The mist is my favourite kind-an even, vapour-like spray that feels like being enveloped in a soft cloud. It dries quickly, leaving my makeup looking velvety smooth. After the application, my pores appeared noticeably clearer. Although I didn’t test the spray for its whole 24-hour claim (and honestly, who is?), it held up well during a relatively long day. Throughout the day, my face felt comfortable, and my makeup stayed in place. While my blush faded slightly, the spray’s blurring effect ensured my complexion still looked polished. As for its waterproof claims? It certainly delivered. Nosferatu, as it turns out, is a poignant film that explores themes of love as well as bloodsucking. I cry quite a lot (a developing theme). When the lights came on at the media screening, I realised several professional acquaintances were in attendance (another developing theme). My makeup hadn’t streaked, saving me some embarrassment. Yes!
11. Too Faced Hangover 3-in-1 Replenishing Primer & Makeup Setting Spray
This three-in-one hydrating mist primes, sets, and refreshes makeup while nourishing the skin with probiotics and coconut water. Having used the Too Faced Hangover Spray in the past, I’ve always loved it as a makeup prep product. It’s essentially a serum in a spray bottle, with a milky emulsion consistency packed with coconut water and antioxidants. I found it better suited as an evening pick-me-up or desk-side refresher rather than a morning setting spray. When layered over sunscreen, it felt too wet. I had a friend’s birthday dinner after work, so I decided to use it as I have in the past, as a prep product in my evening routine. I layered it under a bit of Bobbi Brown Face Base ($105) to provide a hydrated base for my makeup. The results? My skin felt lush and hydrated, as if I’d been sipping coconut water and taking probiotics, rather than applying them. Yes! While it’s not ideal for oily skin or high humidity, it’s perfect for anyone seeking a healthy, radiant glow.
12. Morphe Continuous Setting Mist
The Morphe Continuous Setting Mist is my personal gold standard. It’s an air-powered spray with superfine particles that lightly and evenly envelop the face. I love how it seamlessly reaches areas like the under-eye and eyelids without. And, it dries down in about five seconds, leaving makeup intact without making the skin feel rigid. I was in the office but had a lunchtime appointment with my therapist. It’s my three-month “breakup anniversary” (yes, I am that girl). While I knew the relationship wasn’t working, being in love is more enjoyable than not being in love and talking about it makes me sad. The session is quite tearful, and midway through a sob, I remember, horrified, that I need to go back to the office. I shouldn’t have worried. I am pleasantly surprised to find my complexion miraculously undisturbed. Moments like these remind me that while love for a man may be fleeting, love for a great beauty product can last a lifetime (or at least until it’s discontinued or reformulated).