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5 Best Setting Sprays For Oily Skin To Lock Makeup In Place
Why I loved it: “If you love a matte base, this is the setting spray for you. Promising shine control for oily and combination complexions, what initially seems like a fairly wet spray settles into a perfect soft focus matte finish seconds later. That’s most likely down to the ‘pore-blurring microspheres’ in the formula, working alongside other skincare biggies like niacinamide and bakuchiol.
“There is chance I have a slightly faulty bottle, but the one more negative thing I would level at this setting spray is that the dispensation is closer to water pistol than ultra-fine mister. However, once you’ve doused your face, it settles quickly for that soft matte finish. If I put lots and lots of this on, I can end up with the tiniest bit of patchiness on any dry areas when my skin is playing more towards combination than oily – but you have to look far more closely at my skin than almost everybody is getting and it’s really not that noticeable.
“The main need-to-know is that the results were so good that when they’d settled, I did a bit of a double take in the mirror.”
Your Setting Spray for Oily Skin FAQs, Answered:
Do I need a setting spray if I have oily skin?
It definitely makes sense to call on the setting powers of these makeup sprays when you have oily skin. “Settings sprays are brilliant for all skin types, but particularly oily skins because they contain oil absorbing ingredients, soaking up the excess oil and leaving the skin looking natural or matte,” says Parmar. “They lock makeup in, smooth the skin and increase makeup longevity. There are different finishes from different brands from matte to dewy to suit all skin tones.”
READ MORE: The very best primers for oily skin, tried and tested.
Is a matte or dewy setting spray better for oily skin?
This really depends on the finish you’re after. If you want to keep a matte finish to your look, then it makes sense to reach for a mattifying spray – like Milk Makeup or Charlotte Tilbury’s matte formulas. Other setting sprays are likely to create a natural finish with a little glow. While it’s not a hard rule, bear in mind that those marketed as creating a dewy finish have often been formulated with dry-to-balanced skin types in mind and are designed to add lots of glow, something that may then be supercharged by oily skin.
READ MORE: My honest verdict on the best sunscreens for oily skin.
How to apply setting spray to oily skin
Gently shake your setting spray before spritzing to ensure the formula is well-mixed. Hold it 15–30cm from your face and spray in sweeping motions to evenly cover your makeup in a light layer. Leave to settle.
Using your spray as a final “setting” step in this easy is the method we know well, but sometimes applying a light layer before your makeup, and between layers, too, can create a more cohesive setting effect.
“On oilier skins, I sometimes use a light layer (a huge emphasis on light mist) before makeup as part of prep because it can help create a more balanced base and improve longevity,” says Caldognetto. “Then I’ll use another layer at the end to melt the products together and lock everything in place.” This, she notes, is less about fixing and more about creating flexible layers that will wear well through the day. “These thin layers of product are what gives the best kind of longevity. Let it fully set before touching your skin,” she continues. “Avoid heavy layers of setting spray, as it will have the opposite effect and potentially break your makeup down.”
“I use a setting spray as a ‘moisture sandwich’ at the beginning, in the middle and at the end after powdering,” says Parmar. “This ensures that skin is set, any powder is melted down perfectly and the skin still looks like skin. I also love a setting spray for an inbetween set and refresh on skin. It melts down any cakey makeup without having to start from scratch.” Some of Parmar’s other top tips? Using on your concealer brush to set concealer, or a spoolie to keep brows in place.
My final verdict:
It sounds like such a cop out, but it’s hard to pick one clear frontrunner from my top five. While Charlotte Tilbury and Urban Decay have been favourites of mine for years – and will continue to be – I can see why the ONE/SIZE spray has makeup artists hooked. My base felt comfortable all through the day without going patchy or creasing at all, so it’s going to be used up right to the last spritz. Makeup by Mario’s also gets a shout out as it really helped my blush stand the test of time. Any of these will serve you well in summer.
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