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What are make-up setting sprays and why do you need one?

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Long gone are the days of spraying hairspray on your face, it's all about a great make-up setting spray to lock in your fabulous make-up. If you follow any make-up bloggers or vloggers, you'll likely have seen them spraying their face post make-up application with a setting spray.

What is it?

Think of a setting spray as a topcoat to your make-up, similar to a primer except it is applied after your make-up. They don't change the colour of texture of your make-up, simply set it to ensure your carefully applied look lasts as long as possible and stops make-up meltdowns.

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Who is it for?

You can use a setting spray on all skin types, but be careful if you have sensitive or dry skin – some setting sprays contain alcohol and will dry out your skin.

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How is it applied?

After applying your make-up, spritz the spray at arm's length. Do not rub in, just allow it to dry naturally.

The best products:

Urban Decay All-Nighter

This is one of the best setting sprays we've ever used. It has the setting power of a hairspray, but without ruining your skin. It also has a patented Temperature Control Technology to lower the temperature of your make-up and keep everything in place. We rarely leave the house without it. Plus, it recently got a sleek new packaging upgrade.

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Clarins Fix Makeup

With zingy plants extracts, this spray acts to revive and stimulate your skin, as well as seal in your make-up. It also has silica microspheres to mop up oil. Sidenote – it's quite heavily fragranced, so if perfume doesn't sit well with your skin, it might be best to avoid.

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Kat Von D Lock 'N Load Makeup Setting Mist

Climate-balancing ingredients prevent make-up meltdowns in the summer and keep you hydrated in the winter - #winning. Plus, it lasts an impressive 16 hours.

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