You primed your skin and applied your contour perfectly in the morning, yet it’s creased and faded well before dinnertime. Sound familiar? It may be time to add setting spray or setting powder to your routine. These finishing-touch formulas are like insurance for your makeup, keeping your look secure and fresh for longer.
Setting spray and powder both keep your makeup in place – but in slightly different ways. Ahead, we’ll compare setting powder vs. setting spray, share how to use them, and offer our best setting spray and powder recommendations to add to your makeup bag.
Setting Spray Vs. Setting Powder: Key takeaways
- Setting spray is a water-based mist that helps blend makeup and keep it in place. It’s ideal for adding a glossy finish to your look and reducing makeup transfer.
- Setting powder is a powder that helps to set creams and liquid makeup, controlling shine and reducing the amount that makeup moves around.
- You can use setting spray and powder together for long-lasting makeup hold and a balanced shine.
- For setting sprays and powders that hold makeup in place and make your morning makeup look last, browse NYX’s setting sprays and setting powders.
Setting Spray vs Powder: What’s the Difference?
Put simply, a setting spray is a face mist designed to set your makeup in place, while setting powder refers to a loose or pressed powder that helps lock in the rest of your face makeup. Consistency is the biggest differentiator between the two, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Both setting spray and powder can help keep your makeup masterpieces from smudging and fading while providing additional beauty benefits (think plump-looking skin or blurred pores), depending on the formula.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the difference between setting powder and setting spray:
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What is setting spray?
Makeup setting spray is a water-based mist that helps blend your makeup into your skin, providing a smooth, flawless-looking finish. Setting sprays also help to lock makeup in place, extending the longevity of your look.
Setting sprays help to mesh the layers of makeup you apply, and reduce the visibly powdery look that some products can give you. Depending on the type of formula chosen, some setting sprays work double duty to help mattify your skin, impart a glowy finish, or reduce makeup transfer. These differ from finishing sprays, which are designed solely to help prevent smudging, fading, or transferring throughout the day.
What is setting powder?
Available in loose or pressed form, setting powder is lightly dusted on top of your makeup to boost its longevity. A setting powder may appear similar to a classic powder, but the former often has a thicker consistency, while the latter is lighter and more finely milled to give skin a soft, smooth texture. Loose setting powders can also be used to bake your makeup and help prevent creasing throughout the day.
Setting powders help to set creams and liquid makeup, controlling shine and reducing the amount that makeup moves around. Though they’re sometimes confused with finishing powders, the two products differ as setting powders help keep makeup in place, while finishing powders simply help blur the skin to create a smooth, airbrushed-like finish.
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When to Use Setting Powder vs Setting Spray
There are loads of ways to use setting spray and powder, including using them together to bring out their best qualities. Here’s our top tips for a couple of options you have when using setting spray or setting powder.
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Option A: Powder first, spray last
One of the most common ways to use setting spray and powder is to apply powder first, then spray last. This way allows your powder to set any cream or liquid makeup and gently reduce any overbearing shine that could happen from it.
Applying your setting spray prolongs the setting effect and adds a glamorous and subtly shiny finish to your set makeup look. This method is best for long days where you need your makeup to be seamless throughout, think weddings, parties, or big celebrations.
Option B: Spray only
Just because you’re in a rush doesn’t mean your makeup has to be. Using a setting spray instead of powder is a quick and simple way of adding a fresh look to your face with minimal texture. It’s hard to know when to use setting powder vs setting spray, but a spray only look is best for lightweight looks and shorter evenings.
For a sparkly shine, use a few sprays of our Dewy Makeup Setting Spray and enjoy a fresh and glamorous look. Or, for a more lowkey approach, try our Makeup Setting Spray - Matte, which keeps your look in place without even the tiniest hint of shine or gloss.
Option C: Powder only
Setting powder only is a great choice for long-lasting, liquid-based looks that need to be kept from running off. Try our Wonder Snatch Lifting Setting Powder, designed to set, lift, and brighten, and experience up to 16 hours of wear!
Option D: Both
Stuck on setting powder vs setting spray? Why not use both!
Try using your powder on areas that are typically more glossy, even without makeup, think your T-zone or underneath your eyes. Here, the powder can gently reduce the shine, so your glow feels natural and understated.
Then, spray your cheeks or dryer areas of the face with a little bit of setting spray to ensure an even glow across the face and well-set makeup all around.
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Setting Spray and Powder Together: The “Long-Wear Combo”
If you’re using setting spray and powder, then there are a few tips and tricks you need to know:
- Layer up: If you’re using setting spray and powder across your face, then you need to work in layers. Start with your powder, then follow with the spray; don’t use them at the same time.
- Don’t cake: Sometimes, less is more, and that’s definitely the case with setting powder. Though powders like our Mineral Finishing Powder are designed to give a flawless finish, using too much can still make your face look too textured and uneven. Start small and go from there.
- Let the setter set: Before adding another layer, always give your first layer a minute to set. Adding more spray or powder too quickly could cause an overly glossy or textured look.
- Always powder first: For best results, when using both setting spray and powder, use your powder first, then your spray to lock in your look and add a final layer of gloss and protection.
Setting Powder vs Setting Spray: Key Differences & When to Use
| Setting Spray | Setting Powder | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A lightweight, water-based mist that sets and blends makeup | A loose or pressed powder applied on top of makeup to lock it in place |
| Primary function | Melds makeup layers together and extends wear | Sets liquid and cream products to prevent movement and creasing |
| Finish | Dewy, natural, or matte depending on formula | Matte to soft-focus, helps blur pores and texture |
| Texture on skin | Invisible, weightless, no added texture | Adds a slight layer; can feel more textured if over-applied |
| Best for skin types | Dry, normal, or mature skin (adds hydration and freshness) | Oily or combination skin (controls shine and oil) |
| Transfer resistance | Helps reduce makeup transfer | Helps prevent slipping but less effective on transfer alone |
| Makeup stage | Final step after makeup application | Applied after liquid/cream products, before spray if layering |
Keep your look intact with NYX’s setting sprays and powders
Whether you’re heading on a big night out or just to work, setting sprays and powders can keep your look intact and your makeup from running away. For a dewy, fresh finish, try a few squirts of setting spray; for a matte, lowkey touch, try a setting powder; or for a long-lasting, glamorous makeup, why not use both?
Discover our setting sprays and setting powders
