DIY Makeup Setting Spray: 10-Step How To Guide For 2021

Written by Skye Rhodes Last Updated: Apr 9, 2025

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Here we go with an all-natural beauty post and a 10 step guide on how to DIY makeup setting spray.

Ever wondered what can help you minimize the need for makeup retouch at noon?

Yes, it’s the simple product; makeup setting spray that helps your foundation, contour, concealer, or whatever product you’re wearing on your face to stay longer and prevents creasing, fading, and smudging.

Making your spray at home with cheap and natural ingredients will help you enhance your skin, and get a refreshing face even on no makeup days.

A quick mist is the last step in your daily makeup routine to lock your makeup and ensure your look for hours.

There are many options to pick when it comes to makeup setting spray and not all of them contain the same ingredients.

Rather than picking up the first setting spray you see, check out the details of all products to make sure that it will go well with your skin type, or try to DIY makeup setting spray by following our guide.

MAC Cosmetics

Prep + prime fix + makeup setting spray.

What I love about this spray is that it’s a mist that refreshes your skin the moment you apply it over your face.

It helps to mattify your skin, control the oiliness which is such a great blessing for people having oily or combination skin type.

It feels super light like you’re wearing nothing on your face and it has infused vitamins in it.

You can check out more ingredients here!

It’s acne-proof in that it doesn’t cause breakouts to any skin types, it also soothes and hydrates your skin.

This product is also used as a primer to absorb the makeup, it contains vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for your skin.

Additionally, it intensifies the pigments and colors probably go up about 10-12 times.

In contrast, it also works to lighten and sheer your makeup.

Mac setting spray merges your makeup very well so this is truly my favorite ever spray.

Urban Decay

All-nighter long-lasting makeup setting spray that works to last your makeup all day long.

It’s best for oily or combination skin as it has alcohol that works for evaporation, it doesn’t let your makeup melt for up to 6 hours.

This setting spray works like magic!

It doesn’t make your face look oily, unprofessional, and sloppy, you won’t need any makeup touches but I will not recommend this for dry skin.

Tip: If your skin type is oily, then use this spray as your first and final step of your makeup routine.

Estee Lauder

Set + refresh perfecting makeup mist.

This fine, lightweight mist works as a primer and dewy setting spray.

You can use this before and after applying the makeup for the best results, this is a bit pricy than others but it’s well formulated for dry skin.

It doesn’t dry your skin out, and other sprays may make your skin tight, but this one will make you feel hydrated without messing with your makeup.

If you’ve got oily skin, it may leave your face shiny and a bit sticky.

Also, the smell is too strong!

NYX Professional Makeup

One of the best sprays for oily skin to lock your makeup, minimizing the pores and giving a matte look.

It has good quality at a reasonable price, it does allow the makeup to stay longer especially eye makeup.

You can get a great result if you pause for 1-2 minutes after doing spray on your face and then repeat the process.

It will neither create a crease nor a powdery finish.

If you’re looking for a refreshing and hydrating finish, you must check out NYX professional dewy finish spray.

It will give you glowing skin, this is highly recommended for dry skin because matte finishing spray may cause dryness and cracking.

E.l.f Studio

It soothes and moisturizes the skin with vitamins and other natural ingredients.

What I love about this setting spray is that it’s an alcohol-free formula, so it will not harm your skin in any way.

Though the spray smells so bad, you won’t feel the scent after application.

It isn’t a lightweight formula and takes some time to dry up, you can also use tissue paper to dry it quickly.

It gives you a shine-free look and by locking your makeup in place, you won’t even feel the makeup after touching your fingers on your face.

Moreover, you will not face any of the creasing and fine lines on your face.

L’Oréal Paris

This lightweight setting spray locks your total eyes, lips, and face makeup look and keeps it fresh for hours after application.

This drugstore spray is designed for all skin types, and it extends makeup wear.

It will take away your powdery look, giving you a bit of dewy finish.

Spray once before applying the foundation and once again after applying the powder for excellent results.

The smell is slightly alcoholic.

L’oreal products always blow with the quality at such a great price.

Bobbi Brown

Bobbi Brown is the one you will choose as a hydrating product.

The extra repair line is phenomenal!

This product is great to smoothen out the makeup especially the bumps, it’s very refreshing and dries up very smoothly.

This works amazing when you want a dewy and glowing look, so it’s not recommended for oily skin as it tends to get oily sometimes.

Although it doesn’t have SPF, it does make your makeup stay in place.

Maybelline Newyork

This lightweight spray just keeps your applied makeup fresh for up to 16 hours.

This spray is a super fine mist.

Despite it dried down quickly, it doesn’t give you a terrible matte look.

But if you’ve oily skin and you’re looking for a more mattifying look, this isn’t the one!

Oily skin types will gonna need to use this again after some hours.

If you are allergic to scents you will love this one as it has a small amount of fragrance.

This product arrived with no cover to prevent any kind of contamination which was the disappointing part.

Seeking Out To Make D.I.Y Organic Setting Spray

Branded makeup setting sprays containing minerals can give you a dewy look but it may irritate your skin especially alcohol to evaporate the makeup but it can lead to breakouts and dryness to acne-prone and dry skin.

You can also use essential oils rather than fragrances that prevent clogging the pores.

Additionally, they are quite expensive to afford and these products work great with a light mist but they aren’t meant for daily use.

These DIY makeup setting sprays can help your skin stay hydrated and fresh all day long and keep your makeup in place.

Let me show you how to save a bunch of cash and making your own natural makeup setting spray.

You can store them in your fridge and whenever you feel your skin dull and dusty, you can just spray your face to enhance the look.

6 Easy & Cheap DIY Makeup Setting Sprays

Water

For this, you will need water.

I would not suggest using tap water because it will go directly into your skin and you should use as minimum contaminants as possible.

Try using a purified water bottle or distilled water.

Aloe vera gel

It helps to keep the skin’s surface matte and de-vilified plus holding your makeup in place throughout the day.

It also delivers essential nutrients to your skin and moisturizes the skin.

Besides, it controls shine and gives you a flawless look.

Aloe vera also hydrates your skin and nourishing your skin with vitamins and antioxidants that will keep your skin soft, fresh, and radiant.

Rosewater

The next ingredient is rose-water but if you are unable to afford it, feel free to skip it.

Rosewater has been used as a beauty product for thousands of years, it improves your complexion, its anti-inflammatory properties reduce skin redness, irritation, and puffiness.

Its antibacterial properties reduces may help reduce acne.

Vegetable glycerine

This is the last and essential ingredient for your simple makeup setting spray.

It works like magic.

Many primers also contain glycerin as it helps the makeup to stick for a longer period!

In most skincare products, glycerin is used as a moisturizing agent, hence if you are choosing vegetable glycerin, you can feel free about using a product that doesn’t involve animal harm.

By drawing moisture to the top of the skin, it helps in reducing the appearance of wrinkles and keeps skin youthful and soft.

How To Make a Setting Spray

Okay!

So if you’re ready with all your supplies, let’s get started.

I’ll let you know how to make a spray at your home.

Rosewater + Aloe vera + Glycerine

All you need to do is to take a half glass of water.

Then you have to add rose-water and the amount is up to you because it will not gonna harm your skin.

I’ll prefer adding 3 tbs of rose-water to easily pour the spray in a small container.

Now you’ve to add a teaspoon of aloe vera gel into it.

The last ingredient you’re gonna use will be glycerine.

Start with adding a small amount because adding more glycerine will promote oil, shine, and making your face look a bit cakey.

If you have dry skin, you can increase the amount of glycerine to prevent dryness.

That’s it! Now pour the mixture into a spray bottle.

Put the cap on, shake well and spray!

I want to mention that give it a little shake every time you’re using it to make sure that all ingredients are well combined.

Rosewater + Geranium oil

You’re gonna need rose-water which is great for your skin and makeup.

Start by pouring it into your spray bottle and then add the exact amount of Geranium oil to it.

Geranium oil will cling to your skin so that your makeup sticks to your face and look natural.

Geranium oil’s antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiseptic properties make it beneficial for reducing acne, skin irritation, and skin infections.

Shake the spray bottle well before every use.

Water + Glycerine

For water and glycerine solution, you will need distilled water to avoid any kind of contamination and glycerine to the ratio of 4:1.

Glycerine will stick your makeup and moisturize your skin.

Glycerine pulls water out of your skin from deeper levels of your skin, this is great for people who have dry skin.

You can cut the amount of glycerine if you’ve got an oily skin type.

Make sure you shake it well to make a homogeneous liquid.

Green tea + Rose oil

For this, you will need strongly brewed green tea, just pour it in your spray bottle and drop a pump of essential rose oil into your green tea.

Green tea contains a powerful antioxidant EGCG that fights DNA damage from UV Ray to prevent skin cancer.

So this setting spray will anti-oxidize your skin and make your foundation look so good and rose oil is amazing for clearing acne, reducing the signs of aging, minimizing the appearance of the scars, and hydrating your skin.

Aloe vera + Lavender oil

Alovera is a great primer for your skin plus it will give you a matte look.

Add aloe vera gel into the distilled water and add 5-6 drops of lavender oil into the spray bottle, just shake it up to make a homogeneous mixture.

Now use it as your setting spray for makeup.

Lavender oil help reduce redness, blotchy patches, and anti-scarring.

Witch hazel + Aloe vera + Tea tree oil

If you have oily skin and you want your spray to give you a matte finish look then try this recipe instead of using drugstore ingredients.

Take 3 parts witch Hazel which is very beneficial in relieving inflammation, irritation, and protects against skin damage.

Now add two parts aloe vera gel for moisturizing and sticking your makeup in place.

Add a few drops of tea tree oil.

It’s a great choice for treating acne because of its anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties.

To be honest, I have used this for 5 months and it’s truly helpful in clearing up my acne, reducing the blemishes, and giving me clear skin.

Choosing The Right Makeup Setting Spray

Choosing the right makeup spray is essential as everyone has different complexions and skin types.

Just like other makeup products you wear, you need to choose the right kind of makeup setting spray according to your skin.

Oily skin

If you have a natural combination (oily in the T-zone but dry around cheeks and jawline area) or oily skin (shiny and greasy all over the face especially in T-zone), you have to find the oil-free spray.

Find an oil-free spray that may contain alcohol and other mattifying ingredients, this won’t clog your pores and of course, won’t causing you pimples.

Dry skin

If you have a dry skin type ( feels itchy and tight with noticeable flaking), you need to stay away from setting sprays containing alcohol because it can further dry out and irritate your skin.

Fortunately, there are many makeup setting sprays containing soothing and moisturizing properties to heal and moisturize the skin, and yes! holding your makeup in place as well.

Hot days

You should always consider the weather while choosing your makeup spray.

During summertime, makeup melts away as the day progresses due to moisture in the air, and applying sunscreen over makeup is also a big problem.

So there is a variety of cooling, sweat-resistant, and sun-resistant sprays for humid and Bright days.

You can reapply the SPF makeup setting spray if needed to make sure that your face doesn’t get greasy and prevent sun damage.

Cold days

You should go for a hydrating setting spray during winters, to make sure that your skin is protected from the drying effects of cold wind and giving yourself a nice refreshing mist.

You can find a bunch of setting sprays to nourish your skin, heal dry, and prevent cracking and flaking on your face.

How To Use a Makeup Setting Spray

Step 1: Choose The Final Look You Want

First of all, consider what kind of finished look do you want?

Do you want a matte and oil-free final look?

Or you’re in love with the glossy and highlighting look?

Whatever you want, pick up your favorite makeup setting spray according to your taste.

Step 2: Apply It As Your Final Step

Applying the setting spray is the final step in your daily makeup routine so make sure that you are already with your foundation, concealing, contouring, mascara, highlighting, and other makeup steps you love to do!

Let’s get into the final step to lock your makeup look and avoid retouching your makeup the whole day.

Step 3: Shake It Well

Shake your spray bottle well whenever you are using your spray to make sure that all of the oils and other ingredients are mixed well into a homogeneous solution and none of the ingredients are settled at the bottom.

You don’t need to shake it energetically, just give your bottle a few gentle shakes.

Step 4: Apply In X And T Shaped Motion

Once you are ready to apply the setting spray, hold the bottle 6-8 inches away from your face, and start sprinting.

You have to cover the face so don’t spray it closely.

Sprint the spray a few times to get the entire coverage.

Just make sure that the spray doesn’t get into your eyes.

To further make sure you are covering the complete face, spray first in an X-formation and then a T-formation.

Although you won’t need to spot spray you can if you need it.

Step 5: Let It Dry

After applying the spray, let it give some time to dry completely.

Never attempt to use a blow dry to dry it quickly even if you are in a hurry because it can irritate your skin.

Don’t try to blend the makeup setting spray with your fingers or tissue, it can end up ruining your makeup look.

Step 6: Put It In Your Bag

Keep your makeup setting spray with yourself so you can use it whenever you need it because it depends on the setting spray you’ve chosen how long it gives you the best results.

Tip: If you reapply or retouch your makeup, don’t forget to reapply your favorite makeup setting spray.

Final Thoughts

Spritz a bit of your DIY makeup setting spray on to your eyeshadow brush to brighten up your eyeshadow color, and keep it vibrant for longer.

Choose any SPF formula like Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Mist Sunscreen Broad Spectrum to get 2-in-1 results.

Apply it to your foundation sponge to stick your foundation well.

Don’t forget to apply the setting spray under budget-proof makeup, no matter what!

Because they’re useful for nights out, long days, and even your everyday routine.

But one trick that’s going to harm your skin is using your hairspray to set your makeup, this beauty hack is quite detrimental to your skin.