14 best setting sprays that keep makeup in place all day without smudging – tried and tested

Part setting spray, part skincare boost, this mist helps lock in your look and leaves your skin feeling fresh and hydrated. The formula is packed with hyaluronic acid, squalane, and aloe to help balance and plump the skin while giving makeup a dewy and fresh finish.

One Cosmo editor says: “The spray mist is the finest I’ve ever come across and in turn, the constant reminder to avoid drenching my skin is needed – though, at times it’s hard not to, seeing as how refreshing it feels on the face! In terms of wear, sans-setting spray, I often feel that my makeup separates around my nose and on the T-Zone (my oiliest features), however, with a few spritzes of E.l.f’s mist, I need not worry.

My makeup was pretty much unscathed after a full day in the office – including a three-hour commute on the central line! Impressive, much? While it’s not my favourite setting spray of all time, it’s definitely a steal for those on a budget. I mean, at £11, you simply can’t go wrong.” – Lia Mappoura, Beauty Writer.

I'm a big big fan of the Huda Beauty Easy Bake Setting Powder; it's one of the only makeup products that I've re-bought time and time again due to its ability to keep my oily complexion at bay. So, naturally, I had hopes for its sister setting spray. Thankfully, my expectations were met and my makeup – though it needed blotting throughout – stayed in place all day.

One Cosmo editor says: “When putting this to the test, my day started in the office with a meeting, followed by six hours filming Beauty Lab. And boy, do those Cosmopolitan studio lights get hawt! Even still, my makeup felt fresh and intact, with my boss (hi Keeks Reid) even complimenting how great my base looked, hours into wear.

The spray itself is a wet yet unintrusive mist and doesn't have a strong scent – a win for us sensitive girls. While I wouldn't say it particularly blurred my pores, I did notice a soft focus finish to the skin, which, as a matte-loving girlie, I adored.” – Lia Mappoura, Beauty Writer.

It’s tricky to reinvent the wheel when it comes to setting sprays. I’ve tested so many in my years as a beauty writer, and only a select few have delivered noticeable results. When news dropped that Saie was launching the CitySet Setting Spray, I was very intrigued to see how it performed. And after five years in the making, here we have a nonaerosol, ultrafine, lightweight mist that’s formulated with skin-loving ingredients.

One Cosmo editor says: “I have always been a Saie stan. I’m obsessed by the brand’s “make beauty better” philosophy with its clean yet high-performing products that leave the skin looking glowy af. This setting spray encapsulates that ethos perfectly.

It layers on a super fine mist that’s packed with skin-kind ingredients; we’re talking humectants to hydrate and mandarin orange extract to soothe. Then there’s hydrolysed corn starch to lock everything in for 16 + hours – yep, you read that right. It feels refreshing to apply, locks makeup in all day and leaves my favourite finish – neither matte nor dewy, just a lovely in-between.” – Clare Stephenson, Senior Beauty Ecommerce Writer.

I read the reviews on this setting spray before trying it for myself. From what I saw online, it’s fair to say my expectations were high – and I am pleased to report, they were met. Not usually am I the kinda gal to opt for a blurring finish, but this gave my complexion a smooth, healthy-skin radiance as opposed to something matte and flat – like my bronzer, blush and highlighter blended into one seamless canvas.

One Cosmo editor says: “The mist is super fine, so it doesn’t tidal wave my face with setting spray, and it doesn’t have a noticeable scent – which I love. As for how well it kept my makeup on? Literally my face looked untouched by the evening. The foundation I was wearing was also mattifying, so I didn’t feel the need to top up my powder – which I often do – and by the time I was at home, chilling on the sofa, my complexion still looked as blurred as it did at 10am.” – Clare Stephenson, Senior Fashion and Beauty Ecommerce Writer.

Jamie Genevieve is a legend in the makeup game and having interviewed her IRL (a big flex, IKR), I can attest that her beat is flawless. So, if that's anything to go by, you best believe we're all for her very own beauty brand, VIEVE. As a big fan of the entire VIEVE line-up (and per my earlier declaration), I had high hopes for this setting spray and thankfully, it did not disappoint.

One Cosmo editor says: “Despite taking my initial 'setting spray trial run selfie' at 10am, it's important to note that I did, in fact, apply and set my makeup an hour (ish) before, so, all in all, I rocked this makeup look for over 10 hours. And as shown, despite my usual foundation erasure around the nose and chin (I am, unfortunately, a face toucher when sat at my office desk) and lack of lipstick, my entire face lasted throughout – including a full day of meetings and three hours on the central line! Impressive, much?

On first spritz, this formula smells so good – in a luxurious Harrods beauty hall type'a'way – and is light and unintrusive on application. The wet splats dried down to nothing and did not disturb my makeup one bit, nor did it make my face feel tight, sticky or uncomfortable. It's an all-around winner for me and a fail-safe option for all-day (and night!) wear.” – Lia Mappoura, Beauty Writer.

How could I possibly round up the best setting sprays without this O.G.? This changed the entire game and still holds up as one of the best setting sprays for keeping my makeup in place all damn day. There's a reason brides have been swearing by this for over a decade, because it instantly sets down your powders and extends makeup wear.

It doesn't mattify my makeup per se, but it doesn't add any dewiness either. Instead, it just takes away some of the excess powder on my face and makes my skin look cohesive. The real shining star is how long it makes makeup last.

One Cosmo editor says: “I've been using this since school – prom, graduations, concerts, bar crawls, you name it – and it holds my makeup on for every single one of 'em. Typically, with this on top, I get an extra five or six hours of wear out of my products, which is a strong feat.” – Beth Gillette, Beauty Editor.

Reminder: Beyoncé used this on the Renaissance Tour to lock in her makeup for a full three-hour sesh of performing. And ya know what? After testing it myself, I genuinely believe I also could perform for three hours on a hot stage in the middle of summer and look like Queen Bey, as long as I had this setting spray on. Because the longevity with this sucker is real.

One Cosmo editor says: “One/Size's formula comes in an aerosol can with an ultra-fine mister that basically feels like I'm spritzing myself with hairspray. And honestly, maybe I am! Because this makes my makeup last longer than any other setting spray on this list, because it really nixes shine, thanks to a slew of oil-absorbing polymers in the formula. It makes my makeup completely sweat and waterproof.” – Beth Gillette, Beauty Editor.

This formula is ultra-lightweight, so it just feels like I'm basically spritzing on water. However, it really helps take down a powdery finish if I've overdone it with setting powder, without completely mattifying my skin. It leaves behind a natural, skin-like finish that looks like I didn't even put anything on.

I also often spray it all over before makeup as a primer to help give my skin a juicy, more hydrated look before blending on any products. IMO, using it as both a primer and setting spray definitely increased longevity to about eight hours without touch-ups.

One Cosmo editor says: "I wish I was kidding when I tell you that I wore this setting spray over my makeup during a night out last year in the south of France, then I took a red eye flight, and my makeup was still in tact when I landed. Not my proudest moment, but it really proves the power of this setting spray.” – Jasmine Hyman, Assistant Beauty Editor.

Listen to me: If you want your face to look like you just came up for some air after galavanting around the sea like a mermaid, shake this bb up and spray it all over yourself.

Don't worry, it's not filled with chunky glitters. Sure, there are some itsy-bitsy-teeny-tiny shimmers in there, but overall, it offers the most stunning radiant sheen all over my skin (see the pic above of me last summer in Aruba, living my glowiest life). Surprisingly, with all that shine, it actually does extend my makeup a bit too.

One Cosmo editor says: "Iconic London knows a thing or two about making me look glowy as all hell (ahem, their highlighters are my fave), and this setting spray fits the bill. This spray leaves my face illuminated, but still locks down and lasts for a few extra hours than when I don't use any setting spray at all." – Beth Gillette, Beauty Editor.

Using a mix of hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and emollients – like moringa, olive, and hemp seed oils – this setting spray is basically the opposite of drying, alcohol-filled formulas. But it also helps your makeup stick on all day, whether you spray it on before your makeup as a primer or afterward to set. And it made my makeup last shockingly well, considering how much it moisturised – I didn't touch up my concealer for a full 12 hours when I used this.

One Cosmo editor says: "I've been a fan of the Milk Hydro Grip Primer since school, so I knew the coinciding setting spray was gonna be great at clinging to all of my makeup. I spritzed this atop my makeup for the office at 9 am and it lasted well beyond a work dinner that ended at 10 pm." – Jasmine Hyman, Assistant Beauty Editor.

Spritzing this on midday feels straight-up excellent. It has a bi-phase formula (meaning it uses a mix of water- and oil-based ingredients that have to be shaken up before application) filled with skincare that my face drinks the heck up. We're talking hydrating hyaluronic acid and squalane, plus soothing niacinamide and allantoin, along with a slew of botanicals to nourish.

One Cosmo editor says: "When my face is looking or feeling a bit dull, I just give it a few sprays of this, and feel a bit more put-together now that my makeup has some extra hydration with less noticeable redness." – Beth Gillette, Beauty Editor.

This setting spray really does create the illusion that my makeup was airbrushed onto my face like a painting. A couple sprays as the last step of my makeup routine, and it helps blur my pores and make my skin look smoother. And it lives up to those 16-hour longevity claims, FYI. I've tested this in hella conditions – including hot, humid, and raining – but my makeup always stood up to the challenge.

One Cosmo editor says: “This setting spray is my go-to when I want my makeup to look extra dewy. When I spritz this on, everything somehow looks smoother – like you can't tell where my blush stops and my concealer starts. Plus it's super hydrating and doesn't create any patchiness on my dry skin." – Jasmine Hyman, Assistant Beauty Editor.