For oily skin types, makeup setting products aren't just a luxury, they're a necessity. Not only do they keep your makeup from sliding around your face (or worse, from disappearing entirely), but the best setting sprays for oily skin will also help you stay shine-free throughout the day.
It kind of goes without saying, but if you have oily skin, you want to skip the setting sprays that call out moisturizing benefits or a "dewy finish." While they can still include a hydrating and soothing ingredient or two, you want to concentrate on finding a setting spray that offers a matte finish and/or oil control.
To use setting spray correctly — it should always come as the last step in your makeup routine — shake the bottle first and hold it at least 6 inches (or further, depending on the directions) from your face. To make sure you cover your makeup while concentrating on areas where oil shows the most, mist the spray in an X and T motion. Many mattifying sprays are intended to work for up to 16 hours, but if you find you still get greasy by midday, you can prep your skin with a mattifying primer or keep blotting papers on hand.
If you need even more grease prevention, you can combine your setting spray with a setting powder. After applying your foundation and/or concealer, apply a mattifying setting powder using a fluffy brush by tapping off any excess product and pressing it onto the areas of your face that need it most (typically, your T-zone). Once you've finished the rest of your makeup, reinforce it with one of the best setting sprays for oily skin on this list and keep shine from sneaking through for as long as 24 hours.
1The Best Setting Spray For Oily Skin, According To Amazon
Pricier doesn't always mean better, and this NYX Makeup Matte Finish Setting Spray is proof of that. The drugstore product is vegan and cruelty-free, and it keeps makeup from moving all day long with its matte finish that soaks up shine. The best-selling spray also contains niacinamide to soothe skin while helping to refine enlarged pores, and it even has thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon to back up its mattifying claims.
"I have very oily skin, but when I use this I notice I have zero shine ALL DAY LONG, [it's] seriously amazing. No running, no smudging, NO SHINE!!!!" reported one reviewer.
Another fan of the spray commented, "I have very oily skin and my makeup will literally slide off my face. I use about three pumps of this and it keeps my makeup on nearly all day! Like my highlighter is still ~popping~ when I get home in the evening. Seriously, for the price, you can't beat this."
2A Primer & Setting Spray In One
This drugstore spray works before and after you apply your makeup to help product adhere to your skin better and keep it there longer — all while providing a matte finish. Mist the Rimmel Stay Matte Fix & Go setting spray over clean skin just prior to putting on your makeup, and then spritz it on again before you head out the door to seal your makeup and soak up shine. The oil-free formula also contains cucumber extract to keep skin soft, despite the mattifying finish.
One reviewer commented, "If you want your makeup to stay put, this stuff is AWESOME! I have a very oily face and I have been looking forever for something to work. I will definitely be purchasing this again!" Another fan wrote, "This stuff really works [...] And once dried my makeup literally STAYS ALL DAY."
3A Setting Spray For Oily Skin With Temperature Control Technology
Going beyond a simple mattifying spray, Skindinavia looked into the causes of makeup loss and shiny skin to create The Makeup Finishing Spray Oil Control. Not only does it absorb excess oil throughout the day, but this setting spray uses patented temperature control technology to lock makeup in place all day long. Basically, the spray forms a lightweight web over your skin that that slowly evaporates over the span of 16 hours, helping skin retain moisture while drawing away heat to leave makeup undisturbed. If all of this sounds like a recipe for clogged pores and future breakouts, have no fear; Skindinavia's setting spray is noncomedogenic in addition to being hypoallergenic, oil-free, and paraben-free.
"This product does everything it claims to. I am extremely oily to the point whenever I am barefaced I am always asked if I have shea butter or coconut oil on. It has been extremely hot where I live and I felt like my face was melting off, but when I looked in the mirror my makeup didn't budge. This spray is literally a barrier and doesn’t allow your oil to come through! I have tried other sprays but this is like no other," raved one reviewer.
4The Best Water-Resistant Setting Spray For Oily Skin
There are long-lasting setting sprays, and then there's this Ben Nye Final Seal Matte Makeup Sealer. Originally designed for theatrical performers, this spray is powerful enough to allow heavy-duty makeup to withstand harsh stage lights (and the sweat that comes with them). The matte finish is smudge-proof and water-resistant, so it won't mess with your makeup even if you're working up a sweat at the gym or find yourself getting caught in a downpour.
"This. Is. Amazing," wrote one reviewer. "I have extremely oily/greasy skin & live in the deep south where the humidity is at least 200% -my makeup rarely lasts an hour after I leave the house. But with this!? This my makeup not only will last all day but into the next as well with just a touch up! It is a LIFESAVER & I cannot do without it anymore!"
5The Best Soothing Setting Spray For Oily Skin
Another cruelty-free and vegan formula, the The Body Shop's Mint Mattifying Face Mist helps refresh your skin while keeping it matte thanks to its combination of winning ingredients. Kaolin clay helps absorb excess oil to keep skin shine-free; mint extract, which is a natural astringent that refines pores, refreshes skin; and seaweed extract soothes and softens with its natural mix of vitamins and minerals. The Body Shop also included organic aloe vera in the mist for further skin-soothing benefits, and the setting spray is noncomedogenic, so you don't have to worry about it clogging your pores.
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