Isn’t it annoying when your carefully applied, supposedly long-lasting makeup vanishes by lunchtime?
You take all the effort to prime, carefully apply your best foundation, set it all in place, and still, by 2pm, you’ll catch yourself in the mirror looking practically bare-faced. What a waste of time! I’m someone who really needs my makeup to last - I’m often out of the house for 14+ hours, so when a base promises hours of wear, I’m really testing the paramaters of that claim.
Having learnt a few makeup tips from makeup artists over the years, I learned that the best primers can boost base longevity, as can locking everything in with a setting powder or setting spray. I’ve tried hundreds of these tips and buys for long-lasting makeup, and I think after much searching and post-lunch-mirror analysis, I might’ve found the best makeup setting spray for the job.
This £38 setting spray provides the most impressive staying power
I use a setting spray every time I apply makeup - it's a way to improve staying power of my base whether I've opted for a full coverage foundations or a slightly more slidey serum foundation. I've tried a lot of formulas over the years, but this one has blown me away.
For a long time I thought the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Setting Spray was the one to beat, but I think, having used it for a few weeks, Huda Beauty Easy Bake Setting Spray just about takes the win. I found Huda’s staying power better, and I like the slight mattifying effect it provides, preventing shine or an oily t-zone. It's coming in quite handy during a particularly sweltering summer.
RRP: £38
Promising to lock in makeup looks for up to 16 hours, this lightweight mist provides unbeatable staying power. It keeps skin matte without looking flat, and is blended with rice powder extracts for a flattering blurring effect.
The surprising way its superior staying power was most noticeable was when I was cleansing. I use a cleansing balm to remove my makeup, and I found that a lot more foundation was on my muslin cloth when I used the Huda formula. In fact, I had to go over my face a few times to make sure everything was fully removed - there still seemed to be makeup on the cloths at the first two or three passes. Sometimes it even felt like I was washing away a freshly painted face.
The other, maybe more obvious way of telling the staying power was by documenting how fresh my makeup looked throughout one of my mammoth days out of the house.
Forgive me for the lack of lipstick in the latter two images - I’m normally a diligent topper-upper, but this was a Monday. Anyway, as you can tell, my foundation held up quite well, even into its 12th hour of wear. Even the liquid blusher, usually the first thing to vanish, is pretty present. This is definitely more of a fixing spray than a setting spray - it really locks everything in place for as long as you need it.
Having tried hundreds of setting sprays, I can confidently say that the Huda Beauty Easy Bake Setting Spray is the most effective formula I've tried. It just does the job it's designed to do very well. It's also available as a 30ml travel size for £15, if you want to try before committing to a full size.
If the matte finish doesn't appeal to you, or if you'd prefer a cheaper formula, these three buys have also helped my foundation stand the test of time, impressing me and my fussy list of demands.
3 other setting sprays we love, with different benefits
RRP: £32
Like I said, this was originally the formula to beat, and it's a very close second. This formula provides impressive staying power that provides an airbrushed, almost filtered finish. It's less mattifying than Huda, and it's also £6 cheaper.
RRP: £18
This is fine aerosol mist, rather than a wet pump spray. It's pretty delightful to use - you feel like you're misting yourself with Evian, all while doing an impressive job of fixing your makeup in place. It provides a lovely sheeny - it manages to look radiant, without looking shiny.
RRP: £11
This bargain buy really outperforms its price tag. It's also quite well-named, really gripping the formula to your skin and locking in your base for as long as you need it to, boosting it with a slight dewy finish. Use it alongside their Power Grip Primer for a double whammy of durability.
