Setting Powder or Setting Spray? How To Set Your Make Up!
The Laura Mercer Translucent Setting Powder and Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray – two best selling products to set your make up, but which one works best?
After folking out for the most lavish foundation to make your skin look glowing, you want to make sure it’s actually going to stay there all day.
I normally pat on a bit of powder, spritz on the setting spray, and off I pop.
But I found myself thinking one day, which one is it that actually works? If any?
Setting Powder or Setting Spray?
I decide to put them both to the test and wear each one without the other.
Let’s see which one gives the nicest finish to my make up.
And which one, at the end of the day, has kept my make up on the best…
Urban Decay Setting Spray
Before Setting Spray…
After Setting Spray…
This spray definitely gives a dewy finish, and gives your make up a lovely glow.
It’s a healthy, glistening view, that makes you look like you’ve just sauntered out of the Mediterranean sea.
Let’s see what setting powder looks like…
Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder
Before setting powder…
I use a damp beauty blender to dab the setting powder pretty much all over my face.
Under my eyes, down my nose, forehead and all around my mouth.
I don’t concentrate too much on my cheeks as I’m about to put bronzer on, so don’t want to powder overload!
After Setting Powder…
I always find after patting on some Laura Mercier Translucent Powder, it tones down the ‘orangeness’ of the foundation, and gives it a more natural look and shade.
It also gives a more matte finish, which is perfect for my oily skin!
I noticed after a few weeks of using the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Finish foundation (here’s my full review of this foundation), that it wasn’t staying on my forehead as well as everywhere else.
I realised that I had forgotten about my forehead when using the setting powder.
I don’t have any spots up there, and I’m not overly bothered about ‘brightening’ my forehead, so never overly concentrated on this part of my face.
But when standing in the very bright lift going up to my flat at 5.30pm, I noticed that the foundation had started to go patchy on my forehead.
With a closer look, I realised that half of my forehead was pretty much foundation free!
So the following day I made a conscious effort to put some powder on my forehead to see if this made a difference…
Setting Powder to the Rescue
Well it DID make a difference!
When I got home from work and into the lift to assess, I found the normal patchiness that had been there the past few days had gone, and my foundation was securely still in place all the way up to my hairline!
I couldn’t believe a tiny bit of powder could have such an impact!
So lets see if the setting spray can do that…
The next morning I swapped the powder for the Urban Decay Setting Spray on my forehead, and assessed at 5pm.
Unfortunately, the patchiness was back.
It was better than what it had been with nothing on there.
So the setting spray does do something, but not in comparison to the setting powder.
I would therefore use the spray purely for the finish it gives, but I wouldn’t rely on it to keep my make up in place.
Your Skin Type Matters
Now, I have oily skin, so my forehead would be pretty oily throughout the day.
Hence, needing a powder to secure it.
But if you don’t have oily skin, the setting spray might just be enough.
It does keep your foundation in place to a certain degree on an oily base, so if you have dry skin it might just be all you need!
And the Urban Decay All Nighter will also leave you with a nice dewy finish.
However if you do have oily/combination skin like me, you might want to invest in the powder.
But I promise you it is worth the investment!
There’s no point spending all of your hard earned money on a foundation if it’s not still there for your afternoon meetings.
It does also give a lovely glow under your eyes and a matte finish.
