10 Best Makeup Setting Sprays and Powders

ByCordelia

10 Best Makeup Setting Sprays and Powders

It’s a top ten Tuesday! Today I’ve got the 10 Best Makeup Setting Sprays and Powders to share with you, with options for every budget. All cruelty free and many are vegan, of course.

10 Best Makeup Setting Sprays and Powders

This post contains a mix of products purchased by me and press samples.

1. Urban Decay All Nighter Spray (vegan) – $30
This vegan formula is famous for keeping your makeup in place for up to 16 hours, no matter the weather conditions. You just need to shake it well, then apply your makeup, then mist your face 4 times, in an X shape, then in a T Shape. Not gonna lie, sometimes I mist it a few more times.

2. Urban Decay Chill Spray (vegan) – $30
This vegan formula is less famous but still quite formidable, as it works for up to 12 hours. I recently bought it to try it out since it’s made with time-release cooling ingredients. It’s supposed to be ideal for dry skin like mine. You apply it the same as All Nighter.

3. Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist – $48
This is a super lightweight mist that will hydrate the skin, softening and smoothing things without streaking your makeup.

4. Nyx Dewy Setting Spray – $7.99
I like this spray! This is the budget friendly version of the hydrating UD Chill Spray. Nyx recommends closing eyes and spraying in a downward motion over your face 3 times.

5. e.l.f. Studio Makeup Mist & Set (vegan) – $3.00
This is the ultimate budget friendly makeup spray. It’s got skin soothing, moisturizing ingredients including green tea, Vitamins A, C & E, aloe and cucumber. It’s alcohol free (making it ideal for sensitive skin). It helps your makeup to meld together, prevents it from streaking, and to last longer. I love this spray, though I hate the container it comes in. I recycled an old MAC Fix+ bottle and put this spray in it. I use it to dampen a brush to work with eyeshadow too. It’s a cruelty free dupe of MAC’s Fix+.

6. Lunatick Cosmetic Labs High Definition Microfinish Pressed Powder (vegan) – $20
I LOOOOVE the packaging on this item – it’s like a ouija board planchette. It can be used on bare skin to blur imperfections, or to set your makeup for a matte finish. It can be used to mattify lip products too. The powder works wonders, too.

7. Silk Naturals Illuminating Powder in Flattery or Close-Up (vegan) – $9.95
Flattery and Close-Up both perk up a dull complexion and adds a bit of shimmer. Close-Up is a cruelty free dupe of MAC’s Lightscapade. I love both of these and find them flattering on me.

8. NARS Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder & Pressed Setting Powder – $37
This has been a holy grail product for me.This is great for blurring fine lines, wrinkles, pores, etc. It has microfine particles loaded up with Vitamin E and glycerin, making it comfortable for dry skin like mine to wear. Make sure you use a puff, tap off the excess, and then roll it onto the skin.

9. Cover FX Illuminating or Matte Loose Setting Powder (vegan) – $32
I love the illuminating! The Illuminating powder is filled with antioxidants to help reduce redness, soothe the skin, moisturize it and extend foundation wear. The matte helps to minimize shine and extend wear.

10. Tarte Smooth Operator Pressed Finishing Powder – $34
I bought this in Fair. It contains Vitamins A and C, antioxidants and soothing ingredients to help the skin and blur imperfections.

Bonus
Nyx HD Setting Powder – $9.99
I haven’t tried this one but it’s on my wish list. Available in translucent, banana or mint, this works before or after foundation. It can set concealer without caking, too.

Be sure to check out 10 Life Changing Beauty Hacks You Need to Know!

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Cordelia Frost is the creative force behind Phyrra, a treasure trove for cruelty-free indie and goth makeup enthusiasts. She's the author of the game-changing 'Hooded Eyes Makeup Manual' a must-read for hooded eyes makeup.

Cordelia's world is a kaleidoscope of alternative beauty, gothic fashion, and life-enhancing tips, making every visit to Phyrra a journey into a more colorful and inspired self.

22 Comments

    1. Hi, that’s absolutely true that NARS is no longer cruelty free. This post was written in 2016. I have written about NARS since 2011-2012 (possibly before, since I started blogging in 2008). With over 2,600 posts on my blog, I have not gone through each post since NARS started selling in China in 2017 to add a note that they’re no longer cruelty free. That information is in my cruelty free brands list here https://phyrra.net/cruelty-free-makeup-brands-list.html

  2. I will have to try some of these. My current favorite setting spray is Skindinavia from b-glowing.

  3. Sooooo glad I read this before I left for LEB, I’m going to grab a mini of UD all nighter-hello wedding, I have the Velvet Loose Powder from NARS totally must have, I need to try the original Light Reflecting as well, for the undereye espec to maximize your press and roll tip! I have to show you this puff thingy from musebeauty and see what you think of it 🙂 xo The Velvet Loose is great for combo/oily it mattifies, while still smoothing and also color corrects! I need to find the right brush for it, or maybe get that puff from ESUM!

  4. I Have Never Used a Setting Spray Before b/c I was Always Scared it Would Make My Makeup Curdle or Separate but I Think I am Going to Reconsider After Reading Your Post! I Know Sometimes (but not Always) it’s Better to Go for a Higher End Product for Certain Things Like Foundation or Powder is That the Case Here or Can I Find a Another Good Option that is Maybe Less Costly? I Usually Don’t Spend a Lot on Makeup but When I Do it’s Usually On a Good Eye Shadow Palette or Foundation! Anyways Thanks for Sharing and I Hope You Have a Good Weekend! – Jana

  5. I’m trying so hard to learn how to wear makeup after 30 years of just doing eyes/lips and your posts in this series couldn’t have come at a better time. THANK YOU!

  8. Good stuff! The Lunatick Labs packaging is so cool. I usually use e.l.f. HD Powder in Translucent, and it’s exactly like the MUFE version, only much cheaper and CF. Mist & Set is a staple as well. I also love BareMinerals Mineral Veil in Original and Illuminating.

  10. I was thinking about the Nars when I wrote my article. I know I’d love it. I think I have the ELF but haven’t used it. That’s called disorganization!

  11. I love the NARS Loose setting powder but not on my nose because it has light reflecting particles. I used just a plain pressed power for the nose and chin area.

  14. I love e.l.f setting spray! I’ve bought mine a few months ago and still half a bottle left! I use hydrating primer by elf and the spray when I do a full face of makeup and lasts so much better than when I used to just use foundation; oh the joys of learning how and when to use makeup! Is NYX still cruelty free? I have such a hard time finding the truth? I’ve heard so many different stories I don’t know what to believe anymore!?

    1. Nyx is cruelty free but their parent company is not. Urban Decay is cruelty free and Leaping Bunny certified but their parent company is not. NARS and Tarte are cruelty free but their parent companies are not.

  15. I love setting sprays all the way. I am a bit wary of powder working for all oily skin types, just based on my experience. Also, I like the powder-less versions of Eve Pearl and Young Blood, they work super well to touch up.

  16. I’ve got the Tatcha spray, but I hate spraying myself in the face. Gotta figure out how to get used to it

  17. So happy to see this post. There are a few sprays on here that i use – I mostly set with powder but a spray just seems like a good overall fix.

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