8 Setting Spray Makeup Hacks You Need to Try Immediately

1. Pair with setting powder.

It may seem counterintuitive to mix liquid and powder, but pairing these up gives you the ultimate makeup insurance. “Layering setting spray under setting powder is my major hack,” says Sara Wren, Milk Makeup’s Director of Artistry. Combining the two formulas helps you get an extra locked-in look that ensures your makeup won’t go anywhere all day (or night). Just make sure your setting spray fully dries down before you go in with powder. 

This hack also lets you adjust the finish of your makeup. If you want to go super matte, pair our alcohol-free, non-drying Pore Eclipse setting spray with your shade of Pore Eclipse Matte Translucent Setting Powder. And if you just want to matte down your T-zone while keeping the rest of your face dewy, spritz on a coat of Hydro Grip setting spray, let it absorb, then hit your T-zone with a dusting of setting powder. Sara especially loves this technique for anyone with oily skin. “For oily skin, I recommend spraying Hydro Grip first, then taking Pore Eclipse setting powder on a puff and pressing it into the skin,” she says. “This gives the effect of ‘setting your setting spray’ and makes skin look flawless while keeping oil under control.”

2. Sandwich your Spray.

Another great hack to help your makeup lock in is sandwiching each layer of base makeup with a coat of setting spray. Sara calls this technique a “game changer” that she usually reserves “for looks that need to last all day or night.” (Of course, you can also use it for your daily base if you don’t mind adding an extra step.) Here’s how to hack it: “After I apply foundation or skin tint, I do one spray. Then blush, another spray, finish the makeup, and a final spray.” Remember to go light on the application if you use this technique; you definitely don’t need more than a single spritz between layers. “By creating light layers and sandwiching your setting spray, your makeup gets extra insurance,” she says. If you try this technique with Hydro Grip, it has the added benefit of giving your base a dewy glow.

3. Spritz your sponge.

We usually recommend spraying both of our setting sprays directly onto your skin after you do your makeup. However, there are a few exceptions to that rule, like when you want to spritz your makeup tools instead of your face. Know the TikTok makeup hack of wetting your makeup sponge with water before you blend your base products for an especially dewy finish and seamless application? Next time, try it with a spritz of our Hydro Grip setting spray. You’ll get the same effect of a damp makeup sponge with extra skincare benefits and makeup-gripping properties.

4. Swap out your face mist.

Sara taught us this tip while experimenting with ways to pack the best travel makeup kit, and it’s become a Milk fam fave. “I also keep a mini Hydro Grip setting spray in my carry-on because it doubles as a setting spray and hydrating face mist,” she says. If your skin feels parched after a long plane ride or while you’re in the air, a single spritz of it will restore your glassy glow seconds. That’s thanks to ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide (vitamin B3), which hydrate and refresh skin for a non-greasy dewy finish. Plus, it’s packed with aloe and hemp seed extract, which calm, soothe, and add moisture for a visibly dewy glow.

Super Setters Setting Spray Duo

5. Get glowy (all over).

Here’s a reminder that your setting spray doesn’t have to stay on your face only. “I love spraying Hydro Grip on my neck, chest, shoulders, and arms for hydrated, glowy, red carpet skin all over,” says Sara. Similar to how you’d use our Highlighter stick or Bionic Glow liquid illuminator to add extra sheen to collarbones and shoulders, you can do the same with Hydro Grip in just a couple sprays. It’ll give your skin a healthy, dewy, just-got-back-from-the-spa glow.

6. Boost your concealer brush.

Take your makeup tools out again: We’re giving them a little mist. This setting spray hack is especially helpful when you’re concealing under your eyes or spot-concealing pimples. “I spray directly onto my concealer brush first to prime my concealer and give it extra staying power,” says Sara. You can recreate this technique with both Hydro Grip and Pore Eclipse depending on what makeup finish you’re going for. No more caking, creasing, or fading concealer—promise.

7. Intensify eyebrow.

If your eye makeup isn’t quite giving the intensity you want, try dialing up the pigment by wetting your eyeshadow with a spritz of setting spray. This also works great for turning powder eyeshadows and loose pigments into liquid liners—the more setting spray you add, the more fluid the final result will be. For this hack, we recommend either spritzing directly onto an eyeshadow or eyeliner brush, or picking up product first and then spritzing once it’s on the brush. You may have tried this makeup hack with water before, but using setting spray will give it extra-grippy benefits, kind of like an eyeshadow primer.

8. Fix makeup mistakes.

Whether you’ve got some stray eyeshadow fallout or one eyeliner wing is looking a little crooked, setting spray can help. “I love using setting spray on a Q-tip to fix eye makeup mistakes without disrupting the makeup underneath,” says Sara, who recommends using Hydro Grip for this hack. Just another reason to always keep a full bottle around—better buy that backup now.