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When I was planning my wedding, there was a period when I thought I’d attempt to do my own makeup. As a beauty editor, I basically have my own Mecca store in my own home, and I am not modest about the fact that I know what types of products and colour makeup suit my complexion. My only problem is that I’m not so good at making my makeup last all day.
Like all of us, I have laugh lines, fine lines, and an expressive face that means makeup can set into the little crevices around my eyes and mouth. I also touch my face quite a lot (can’t help it!), and knew that on my wedding day, I would spend much of the afternoon and evening kissing friends and family on the cheek, cuddling my loved ones, and also drinking and dancing the night away. Plus, the tears. With my sister as MC, there was a 100% chance I would cry throughout the night, and of course, that assumption proved to be true.
About a month out, I decided my worry about making my face last through the night was one I could easily fix. So, I found a makeup artist. After messaging countless, I landed on Sydney-based artist, Montanah Poulos. She had done my makeup at a Mecca event at the beginning of the year, and after one panicked email, she was locked in for a trial and the big day.
As a professional makeup artist, she knew exactly how to make my makeup last all day, and also had a few tricks up her sleeve to help me touch up my face as needed. I expected my lipstick to fade throughout the day, so stashed a lip liner and lipstick pot in my handbag, along with a loaded powder puff that I didn’t end up needing. During my trial, she admitted that one of her tricks for making my makeup last all day would be with the setting spray she finished the look with. Or more accurately, the two setting sprays. Her application technique and the setting spray combo worked a treat, and not only did she nail the brief. but she also ensured my makeup didn’t budge a millimetre.
What Is Setting Spray?
Think of a setting spray like hairspray for your makeup. Designed to use as the last step of your makeup routine, a good setting spray will add a weightless protective film over your glam to help prevent it from sweating or rubbing off over the course of the day. Countless sprays promise to help your makeup last, but there are actually two types that often get lumped together: finishing sprays and setting sprays.
When looking at the shelves in-store, you may not immediately be able to tell the difference between a finishing and setting spray. A finishing spray is designed to change the look (or finish) of your makeup, by helping the products melt into your skin, remove that dry or cakey look that can sometimes come with using a setting powder, or refresh your makeup after a day of wear. It will often contain hydrating ingredients like glycerin, and a good example is the cult product, MAC Cosmetics Fix+, $54.
Conversely, a setting spray is designed to prolong the wear of your makeup and prevent it from transferring throughout the day but usually doesn’t offer the hydrating properties a finishing spray will. Most setting sprays will contain alcohol and a film-forming ingredient that will add a protective layer over your makeup.
When Should You Apply Setting Spray?
A setting spray works best when applied as the final step in your makeup routine. Experts generally agree that a little bit of technique can make all the difference in how a setting spray applies and lasts. Two rules of thumb are to hold the spray 20-30cm away from your face when spritzing (though be sure to read the directions for precise instructions) and to apply in a zig-zag motion from your forehead down.
Some pros also swear by using a setting spray to dampen their beauty sponge before using it to apply base products, and others also apply setting spray between each application of product.
The 2 Setting Sprays That Helped My Wedding Makeup Last
My makeup artist’s trick to achieving longevity for my wedding day makeup was to layer two setting sprays. Her products of choice were the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, $54, and L’Oreal Paris Infallible Setting Spray, $14.99.
01
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray 100ml
$54 at Charlotte Tilbury
The first setting spray Montanah applied to my finished makeup look was the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray. A makeup artist and beauty editor favourite, this oil-free spray is a tried-and-true product that really does make your makeup last. It has a fine mist, so you won’t get any of those annoying wet splotches on your finished makeup. It is also formulated with aloe vera and green tea to hydrate the skin while film-forming ingredients act as a shield between your glam and the elements.
Sizes: 34ml, 100ml, 200ml | Key ingredients: Aloe vera, Japanese green tea, aromatic resin, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP, a film former).
Available at:
- $54 from Charlotte Tilbury
- $54 from Mecca
02
L’Oreal Paris Infallible 3-Second Setting Mist 75ml
$14.99 at Chemist Warehouse
After the coat of Charlotte Tilbury setting spray had fully dried, Montanah applied the L’Oreal Paris Infallible 3-Second Setting Mist. On application, it feels different from other setting sprays I’ve used. For starters, it’s an aerosol product and has an almost hairspray-like smell. The mist is extremely fine and weightless, as you would expect, and despite alcohol being on the ingredient list, it didn’t feel drying or sticky, or give the sensation of having a filmy product on my skin. With a three-second spray, I felt like my makeup was going to last — and through sideways rain, wind, crying, laughing, drinking, and dancing, this proved to be true.
Sizes: 75ml | Ingredients: Alcohol, copolymers (film formers).
Available at:
- $14.99 from Chemist Warehouse
- $18 from Big W
- $29.99 from Adore Beauty
The post The Setting Spray Combo That Helped My Wedding Makeup Last All Night appeared first on ELLE.