Believe it or not, there was once upon a time where no such thing as setting sprays even existed. Make-up was something that looked good for a few hours until it slid off your face like melting plastic. With those days long gone, I bring you the battle of the setting sprays - which one will win?
The infamous mist that 99% of beauty lovers have owned at some point in their lives, MAC Fix+ is likely to be a setting spray you’d consider when looking to purchase one. Having used it myself multiple times, I find that it makes the skin look extremely dewy and fuses with your base to look like skin - or as close as it will do with makeup on. For this reason, I am here to bash why it shouldn’t be labelled a setting spray. Yes, it makes your skin look beautiful but after a few hours the skin appears greasy, in my experience anyway, and the makeup slides off your face as it would without a setting spray. So, a pointless £18, in my opinion, unless you use it to refresh your skin throughout the day (I must admit this is amazing while abroad) or to spray onto your brush when enhancing your shimmer shadows or highlight. So, do I hate the product? No. Do I hate the fact it’s often referred to as a setting spray? Yes. So, we can rule this one out.
Rating: 5/10
With an admitted bias in favour of this spray, especially during the summer months, I have to say I love it. At just £7 a bottle that will last a good few months, I’d say it was a bargain. Like MAC Fix+, it makes the skin look natural and dewy and it can also be used to enhance highlighters or shimmer eyeshadows. The difference is, however, that it actually makes the makeup last. Admittedly, with skin that’s sometimes a little oily but more on the ‘normal’ side, this spray might not work for you very oily-skinned gals out there. So, even though I, quite frankly, adore this spray (and brand), it isn’t for everyone and therefore can’t stand a chance against the other setting sprays out there that suit all.
Rating: 8/10 (for dry/combination skin)
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Smashbox Photofinish Primer Water
As a slave to the Smashbox Photofinish Foundation Primer, I was desperate to try this. Claiming that it can be used as both a primer and setting spray that primes, hydrates and elicits radiance, I had high hopes - and I wasn’t disappointed. This spray made my makeup last for hours and wasn't at all too mattifying nor too dewy. I really enjoyed how this made my skin look generally, but I did find that not using a silicone-based primer made my pores very apparent. So, the fact it advertises itself as a duo product, yet didn’t satisfy me as a duo product, meant my search for the best setting spray continued.
Rating: 7.5/10
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
Though pricey, I cannot give this setting spray enough praise. It sets my face like a dream, all day. I mean, the Smashbox one lasts all day, but this, this really could make your makeup last 48 hours (if you manage to stay awake that long). It smooths and airbrushes away those imperfections while making your skin look like skin that’s not overly dewy or greasy. I know for a fact, too, that this spray works on all different skin types. My flatmate who has oily skin in contrast to my combination skin swears by it. I cannot recommend this enough! If you feel the price is a bit steep for one spray (I did at first too), there is a travel-size version for £10 so you can try before you buy. This is also handy if you’re low on cash and need a new spray; because trust me, once you go there, you'll never go back.
Rating: 10/10