Whats the difference between fixing and setting spray?

We love spray applications, with face mists and spray on sunscreen or moisturisers leading the trend as of late. Many of us have trusty makeup sprays we’ve been using for years, but do you really know what they do?

Any misconceptions are probably not your fault, considering beauty brands themselves might have products with rather misleading names (you’ll see why).

What is a setting spray?
Setting sprays, simply put, blend or emulsify the layers of primer and makeup on your skin. It makes your look more seamless and holds everything together so your makeup doesn’t melt or slide (kind of like hairspray but for your face). The formulas of setting sprays are often water-based, and contain extracts like botanical oils. They also work really well with mineral or powder foundations.

Tip: Don’t use it before your makeup unless you’re experienced with it as it might cause your foundation to cake or streak.

Example: Mac Fix+, $29

What is a fixing spray?
Fixing sprays are the ones that help your makeup last longer. They are primarily alcohol-based and may contain oils but alcohol is usually one of the top four ingredients. If you use a fixing spray without setting your makeup first, the hold will only really work for the top layer of makeup. These sprays also tend to have a stronger perfume fragrance to cover the alcohol scent.

Tip: Use a fixing spray after a setting spray for the most long-lasting coverage possible.

Example: Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray, $48

Want your makeup to truly last all day? Don’t forget to use a primer at the start! Check out 3 best primers for various skin concerns and budgets.

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If you follow any makeup gurus, whether in blog form or video form, you’ve probably heard them rave about one setting spray or another. But what is a setting spray? Also, what the heck is a fixing spray? Is there a difference? Let’s take a look at the science behind these very different makeup items!

SETTING SPRAYS

Setting spray seems to have become the catch-all term for the spray you use as the finishing touch on your makeup, but often times people mischaracterize what setting sprays actually are. The most common mistake I hear is that setting sprays help with the longevity of your makeup look. It doesn’t! This is such a widely held belief that at this point you’re probably asking, “Alex, if setting sprays don’t hold my makeup together, then what the heck do they do?!”

What setting sprays actually do is melt your makeup into one even layer. That might sound a little weird, but hear me out. If you’re anything like me, there’s a lot of powder in your routine. For me personally, here’s all the places I use powder when I do a full face: loose powder under the eyes to set concealer, powder to set full face, contour/bronzer, blush, and highlight. That’s a lot of powder! Sometimes, this can make my skin look dry immediately after I apply all of this. A great solution to this problem is setting spray!

Setting spray is usually a mix of water, glycerine, and oils. Essentially the water and oils mix with the powder on top of your face and create a quick-drying liquid, melting it all into one layer. The glycerin helps trap moisture and keep your face looking moisturized all day. I find it greatly reduces my powderiness and keeps it from coming back throughout the day.

My personal favorite setting spray is MAC Fix+. It’s pricey, but I’ve had mine for over a year and still have 1/4-1/3 of a bottle left, so I can’t complain! My favorite thing about the Fix+ is the sprayer. It creates such a fine mist and evenly coats my face. 3-4 sprays of this after I finish my makeup and I look flawless!

FIXING SPRAY

So what in the name of Samuel L Jackson is a fixing spray? Thankfully, the answer to this is much simpler than my setting spray explanation. Simply put: fixing spray literally “fixes” your makeup, keeping it in place all day. This is what most people are thinking of when they think setting spray. Fixing sprays usually have at least some alcohol to help them dry down faster. If you’re sensitive to alcohols or have dry skin, this might irritate or dry out your skin, so be warned!

BONUS: REFRESHING MISTS

Refreshing mists are often used before makeup to give your face a refreshing spritz and add a tiny bit of extra moisture before makeup. Some people also use refreshing mists throughout the day to add moisture and refresh their makeup.

RECOMMENDED BRANDS

Setting Spray:

• MAC Fix+ ($24)

Fixing Spray:

• Urban Decay All Nighter ($31)

Refreshing Mist:

• Mario Badescu Facial Spray ($7-14)

ORDER OF APPLICATION

1. Apply refreshing mist before makeup
2. Apply setting spray after makeup is finished
3. Apply fixing spray once setting spray is dry
4. Apply refreshing mist as needed throughout the day

Note: I rarely use all of these products at once! I like to keep a small bottle of Mario Badescu in my car or purse for days when my makeup starts caking up and needs some refreshing. I’ll pretty regularly use both fixing and setting spray, but some days I opt for just setting spray if I’m not planning on being out too long.

That’s it! I hope this post was helpful to you and maybe helped you understand setting/fixing sprays a little better! Is there a science topic you’d like to see my talk about? Let me know in the comments below!

Also, check out some of my other sciency posts:

• How do primers work?
• Sulfates
• Pores

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