I'll be honest, it literally took me a hot, very melty second to officially board the setting-spray bandwagon, but after hearing the advice of more beauty editors and makeup artists than I could possibly ignore, I handed over my ticket of skepticism, hopped aboard, and have been an honorary rider ever since. That said, although being a diligent spritzer over the years has done wonders for my makeup application in terms of both finish and stamina, it's completely depleted my bank account. Not many budgets can withstand that kind of consistent $30 or $40 financial carnage, and instead, I was left scouting the aisles of the drugstores for the best, less bruise-inducing setting spray formulas. And I was pleasantly surprised by what I found.
There are plenty of cult-loved, iconic setting sprays out there which I'll never tell you not to buy (they're fantastic, after all), but as my product sleuthing below will support, there are just as many affordable alternatives with lots of the same ingredients and formulaic perks. Luscious botanicals! Alcohol-free! Twelve-hour wear! I found dupe-worthy all-stars that I support just as much as their pricier counterparts. Keep scrolling—you need not crack your face or budget.
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Sure, Urban Decay's setting spray is iconic, but if you're looking to save money without sacrificing the stamina of your makeup application, we recommend NYX's formula. Just like Urban Decay's, it contains essential hydrating ingredients like aloe. Plus, it has a shorter, less complicated ingredient list.
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We love a great multitasking setting spray, but Too Faced's cult-favorite isn't the only outstanding, do-it-all formula. This drugstore find from Catrice is also paraben-free, infused with hydration-prolonging castor oil, and can be used to prime, set, or refresh anytime, anywhere. And it's one-fourth the investment.
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This top-selling setting spray from Make Up for Ever is one of the few alcohol-free setting sprays on the market, let alone one of the few that actually work. Satisfyingly less expensive (by $21!), E.l.f. Cosmetics' drugstore version follows the same alcohol-free premise and is also vegan, void of silicone, and cruelty-free. Plus, it's AMAZINGLY hydrating—saturated with purified water, antioxidants, cucumber, plus a skin-enhancing kick of vitamin B. It can also act as both a primer and setting spray.
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We won't deny this signature mist from MAC is a makeup artist staple and unbelievably amazing when it comes to prepping and priming our face. We love how lightweight it is, appreciate the pretty melding of vitamins, minerals, green tea, chamomile, and cucumber, and—best yet—thank the heavens it doesn't clog our pores despite how well it keeps our makeup in place. Alas, this beloved formula from Mario Badescu is spiked with much of the same botanical fare (e.g., cucumber, green tea) and is roughly half the price.
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You'd think this Urban Decay setting spray would be in a league of its own as far as its signature luminizing effect and makeup-enduring perks. (It's like spritzing your favorite IG filter across your complexion.) And yet, we've found a very satisfying dupe in the above pick from NYX. Like all products from the brand, this drugstore setting spray is PETA-certified, cruelty-free, and dusted with a radiant mix of ultra-fine micro-pearls for a makeup application that plays harder for longer while remaining glowy and healthy-looking.
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It's true—Cover FX makes some of the best, favorably rated setting sprays in all the land. And it's this dew-dripping spray that's the line's best seller. In addition to being alcohol-free, promising 12-hour makeup wear, and brimming with other nice things like shea butter and prickly pear, it's not hard to understand why shoppers love it. However, we have a drugstore formula we love just as much (or dare we say more?) for less. Like Cover FX's formula, this vitamin C- and mineral-rich setting spray from Pacifica keeps makeup in A+ condition; and has loads of amazing ingredients to brighten and provide sun protection.
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Name a more iconic face mist—we'll wait. Tatcha's Dewy formula has gone gangbusters in terms of customer demand and devotedness, but the formula is, indeed, expensive. (Half of $100 is a lot to spend for something we spray on our face 24 times a day, and we go through our pretty bottles fast.) Of course, you probably won't find a drugstore setting spray with as lovely ingredients as Tatcha's Okinawa "Kucha" Clay, Japanese wild rose and seagrass, or Hadasei-3 Complex (the brand's proprietary threesome of anti-aging superfoods), but Milani's mattifying setting spray has the same goal: a mattifying, oil-absorbing, and long-lasting makeup application. However, the brand uses strategic ingredients like honey, micro-fine charcoal powder, silica, and grapefruit seed extract as formulaic magic.
This article was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
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