e.l.f. Discovery

Setting Spray Guide: What It Does & How to Use It

By Victoria Benitez

Setting spray is the secret weapon in many makeup lovers' arsenals. But what exactly does setting spray do? With the right setting spray, you can lock in your makeup all day and night for all your activities. Whether you're looking for a dewy, matte, or natural finish, we’ve got a setting spray for you. Our range of setting sprays and powders cater to all skin types and locks in makeup while creating a flawless canvas that will keep your makeup looking fresh and glowy all day. Trust us, you’ll only need one wear test to prove why you shouldn’t skip this essential step in your beauty routine. Lock everything into place and opt in for full, skin-like coverage that lasts. Grip and set your makeup in no time with a few sprays with added skincare benefits.

Ready to ditch patchy and melted makeout? Find your perfect setting spray match. Let’s go!

What is Setting Spray Do?

Long days call for long wear setting sprays. We love multi-use products, and our setting sprays are best known for prolonging makeup wear and maintaining a flawless appearance. Each setting spray comes in a liquid form and is a fine mist. The spray creates a protective layer over makeup, helping it to create smudge-proof looks, prevent fading, and transfer throughout the day. To apply setting spray, simply mist your preferred setting spray evenly all over the face, holding the bottle 6 to 8 inches away. This technique ensures your setting spray locks in makeup all day. For best results, allow the setting spray to dry naturally before touching your face or applying additional products.

e.l.f.'s Different Types of Setting Sprays

  • Discovering your makeup’s saving grace for long-lasting looks and all-day wear just got much simpler. Take the guesswork out of your beauty routine with five of our best setting sprays with different benefits and ways to customize your routine for your dream makeup base. Let’s meet your match!

    Power Grip Dewy Setting Spray offers a dewy finish, hydrates, and enhances makeup grip with ingredients like aloe leaf, hyaluronic acid, squalane, and green tea seed oil.

  • Stay All Night Blue Light Micro-Setting Mist: Provides a matte finish, absorbs blue light, and sets makeup with elderflower and aloe.

  • Stay All Night Micro-Fine Setting Mist: Ensures a matte finish and long-lasting makeup for up to 16 hours and contains cucumber fruit, aloe, and green tea leaf extract.

  • Dewy Coconut Setting Mist: Imparts a dewy finish, hydrates, and sets makeup using coconut, green tea, and cucumber.

  • Suntouchable All Set for Sun: Does double duty. A sunscreen makeup setting spray with SPF 45.

What’s not to love!?

Should You Put Setting Spray on Before or After Makeup?

The secret to ensuring a long-lasting makeup look starts with skin prep. After your skincare routine, we suggest using a setting spray before and after your makeup application for longevity and a flawless finish. Applying setting spray on a clean face can prime your skin and set the tone for how your makeup will wear throughout the day. We’ve found this makeup hack provides the best results as makeup adheres best to your skin when a setting spray both before and after applying your makeup.

Another great beauty tip is to apply your preferred setting spray directly to your damp makeup blending sponge while applying foundation to your skin to enhance longer wear. We’ve found that this combination of mixing a setting spray directly with a foundation also allows for true complexion perfection—it’s our personal favorite power duo for long-lasting looks.

Do You Need to Use Both Makeup Primer and Setting Spray?

The short answer will always be yes! The two products we always recommend for every skin type can (and probably should) use both primer and setting spray together! Why? These powerhouse makeup products were made to work together so your makeup is long lasting.

The face primer will blur the skin and fill in fine lines and pores. Its primary job is to prep the skin for a flawless base. A setting spray is also an essential step to grip and lock in makeup to last throughout the day. Both products help adhere the makeup onto the skin to extend wear time and withstand unexpected daily struggles such as sweat, humidity, and other environmental elements. When combined, this makeup duo helps ensure a seamless makeup application and a natural finish to all your signature looks.

Setting Spray vs. Setting Powder: Which is Better?

Depending on your desired finish and application preference, you can opt for a light mist setting spray or a setting powder. The Power Grip Dewy Setting Spray might just become the most-used item in your makeup bag, and we don’t blame you. Its unique bi-phase formula combines moisturizing oils with makeup-gripping water, When shaken, the spray is activated to ensure your makeup sets and stays in place while providing hydrating benefits with its infused ingredients. Simply shake the bottle, mist all over the face 6” inches away pre-makeup to prep the skin and post-makeup to set your makeup. Dewy skin is in – this setting spray’s formula doesn’t mess around and will leave your skin radiant and hydrated.

Our Halo Glow Setting Powder is another option if you’re looking for a more semi-matte to matte finish. This setting powder will smooth over pores with its silky texture, giving a natural complexion finish with its weightless formula. This soft, loose powder blends into the skin for a velvety, soft finish, leaving your skin to appear airbrushed.

Whether you're a makeup novice or a seasoned pro, incorporating a setting spray into your routine can make a world of difference. From extending the wear of your makeup to providing additional skincare benefits, the right setting spray or powder can elevate your entire look.

Explore e.l.f.'s best setting sprays to find your perfect match and experience the power of locked-in, long-lasting makeup.

Related Article: What is Makeup Primer and What Does it Do?