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The 12 Best Clean & Natural Setting Sprays + Usage Tips & Tricks

Hannah Frye
Author:
April 21, 2022
Hannah Frye
Assistant Beauty & Health Editor
By Hannah Frye
Assistant Beauty & Health Editor
Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more.
April 21, 2022
Our editors have independently chosen the products listed on this page. If you purchase something mentioned in this article, we may earn a small commission.

As the weather warms up, foundation-wearers everywhere face the dreaded issue: makeup sliding off our faces. This is due to excess oil production, increased sweating, and in some cases humidity. As annoying as this may be, there are a few ways to keep your makeup intact even on the hottest of days. One essential step in your summer makeup routine should be setting spray, as it can help preserve your base makeup and keep your skin hydrated (besides, what feels better than a face mist on a hot summer day?)

We've been on the hunt for the cleanest and most effective setting sprays so you can feel confident in your makeup look all day long, without worrying about sneaky iffy ingredients. Some of the choices we've selected double as a facial mist, meaning the spray in general works to keep skin hydrated with or without makeup. We'll share our top picks so you can find your go-to summer spray. Let's get into it.

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Best setting sprays

  • Best for combination: January Labs Restorative Tonic Mist ($24); credobeauty.com
  • Best for brightening: Indie Lee CoQ10 Toner ($36); credobeauty.com
  • Best protecting: Ilia Blue Light Protect+Set Mist ($38); iliabeauty.com
  • Best for sensitive skin: Tower 28 SOS Save.Our.Skin Daily Rescue Facial Spray ($28); sephora.com 
  • Best for calming: Ravanat Royal Tonique Hydrating Jasmine Mist ($45); credobeauty.com
  • Best natural option: True Botanicals Nutrient Mist ($24); amazon.com
  • Best for acne-prone skin: Goldfaden M.D. Mist RX Daily Nutrient Facial Mist ($45); credobeauty.com
  • Best dewy finish: Fresh Vitamin Nectar Antioxidant Face Mist ($44); sephora.com
  • Best SPF: Coola Full Spectrum 360 Refreshing Water Mist Organic Face Sunscreen SPF 18 ($36); sephora.com 
  • Best cooling: OSEA Sea Mineral Mist ($38); credobeauty.com
  • Best for all-day wear: Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Setting + Refreshing Spray ($36); sephora.com
  • Best for oil control: Volition Oil Control Mattifying Mist ($29); volitionbeauty.com

Best for combination: January Labs Restorative Tonic Mist

The near five-star review pretty much speaks for itself on this one. Packed with glycerin and aloe vera for ultimate hydration, this tonic mist works to restore your skin's balance without drying it out. Witch hazel and licorice extract work to reduce redness, balance oil, and combat blemishes. When combined with calendula extract (a totally underrated ingredient with anti-inflammatory properties), this spray can really help those with combination skin. This mist isn't only a setting spray and can be used throughout the day, morning and night as well.

Pro: Ideal for both hydration and oil control

Con: Witch hazel can be irritating

January Labs Restorative Tonic Mist ($24); credobeauty.com

Restorative Tonic Mist, January Labs
January Labs
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Best for brightening: Indie Lee CoQ10 Toner

The ingredients in this spray are impressive, to say the least. Here are a few of our favorites and what they're doing for your skin: aloe vera and hyaluronic acid keep skin hydrated, cucumber and chamomile calm redness, and CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant that works to combat oxidative stress.* If you're looking for a skin care product that doubles as a setting spray, Indie Lee has the solution. You can use this toner after cleansing and follow up with another spritz over your makeup or throughout the day for even more hydration. 

Pro: Full of antioxidants 

Con: Large glass bottle that's not travel-friendly 

Indie Lee CoQ10 Toner ($36); credobeauty.com

 Indie Lee CoQ10 Toner
Indie Lee

Best protecting: Ilia Blue Light Protect+Set Mist

Formulated with tara extract, this mist helps protect skin from blue light exposure by neutralizing free radicals. Another standout ingredient, hydrolyzed algae, works overtime to firm, hydrate, and protect as well. Whether you're just wearing some SPF or a full face of makeup, this product is more than just a hydrating mist. 

Pro: Great to keep at your desk 

Con: The spray can be uneven 

Ilia Blue Light Protect+Set Mist ($38); iliabeauty.com

Ilia Blue Light Protect+Set Mist
Ilia

Best for sensitive skin: Tower 28 SOS Save.Our.Skin Daily Rescue Facial Spray

If you find that redness shines through your makeup no matter what (it happens), then this spray may be the ideal choice. Formulated with hypochlorous acid, this mist defends against bad bacteria and redness to soothe sensitive or stressed-out skin. You can spray this on makeup or a bare face to reap its glorious benefits. 

Pro: National Eczema Association approved

Con: Some note the smell 

Tower 28 SOS Save.Our.Skin Daily Rescue Facial Spray ($28); sephora.com

Tower 28 SOS Save.Our.Skin Daily Rescue Facial Spray
Tower 28
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Best for calming: Ravanat Royal Tonique Hydrating Jasmine Mist

This mist is a dream in a bottle. The ingredient list is simple: 100% Organic Jasmine Officinale. Yep, that's it. So if you're looking to keep your mist simple but still want that luxurious feel, this one is a great option. Jasmine does more than just smell divine, though. This extract has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties to ensure your skin is in tiptop shape. Bonus: You can spray this mist on your face before bed, too, for a relaxing boost of hydration. 

Pro: Simple ingredients & smells amazing

Con: Don't use if you are sensitive to fragrance 

Ravanat Royal Tonique Hydrating Jasmine Mist ($45); credobeauty.com

Ravanat Royal Tonique Hydrating Jasmine Mist
Ravanat

Best natural option: True Botanicals Nutrient Mist

If you're trying to keep your cosmetics on the more natural side, True Botanicals in general is a great brand to look to. And this mist stands out among their many great products. This blend of rose, neroli, and jasmine works to give the skin a boost of hydration. It's formulated with green tea and kombucha, which work together to balance the skin's pH and help balance at the same time. This is another one of those two-in-one products; it can act as a setting spray, but it's stellar in its own right. 

Pro: Organic ingredients & travel-friendly 

Con: Contains essential oils (some are sensitive to them) 

True Botanicals Nutrient Mist ($24); amazon.com

True Botanicals Nutrient Mist
True Botanicals

Best for acne-prone skin: Goldfaden M.D. Mist RX Daily Nutrient Facial Mist

If you're worried about setting sprays clogging your pores, you're not alone. The struggle to find products that work well without causing breakouts for those of us with blemish-prone skin isn't an easy feat, but we found an A+ option for you. The base is kale sprout water and aloe vera, which are two light botanicals ideal for blemishes. This blend also has powerful antioxidant properties from the Kakadu Plum, which is extremely high in vitamin C as well. 

Pro: Non-clogging & antioxidant-rich

Con: The mist is on the heavier side  

Goldfaden M.D. Mist RX Daily Nutrient Facial Mist ($45); credobeauty.com

Goldfaden M.D. Mist RX Daily Nutrient Facial Mist
Goldfaden M.D.
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Best dewy finish: Fresh Vitamin Nectar Antioxidant Face Mist

This citrus mist is the perfect vitamin C booster that will leave your skin looking bright and feeling great. Packed with vitamins E and B5, as well as lemon and orange extracts, this vitamin cocktail works wonders for the skin (not to mention it smells fantastic). If you're going for a minimal, no-makeup makeup look, this mist will add the finishing touches a highlighter typically would, but by encouraging your skin to glow from within. It's amazing to keep around for a pre-makeup treatment as well. 

Pro: Fine mist & great smell

Con: Citrus extracts can be irritating for some 

Fresh Vitamin Nectar Antioxidant Face Mist ($44); sephora.com

Fresh Vitamin Nectar Antioxidant Face Mist
Fresh

Best SPF: Coola Full Spectrum 360 Refreshing Water Mist Organic Face Sunscreen SPF 18

If you're one to lounge in the sun, you of course need to be sure you're always reapplying SPF. If you have a full face of makeup on, that isn't the easiest task in the world. This refreshing mist makes it easy to keep your makeup looking great without forgetting to protect it at the same time. Even if you aren't wearing makeup, this spray is a perfect to-go SPF that you'll want around all summer long.

Pro: Easy to reapply SPF

Con: We typically recommend mineral sunscreens, and this uses chemical blockers

Coola Full Spectrum 360 Refreshing Water Mist Organic Face Sunscreen SPF 18 ($36); sephora.com 

Coola Full Spectrum 360 Refreshing Water Mist Organic Face Sunscreen SPF 18
Coola

Best cooling: OSEA Sea Mineral Mist

Nutrient-rich seaweed works wonders for evening skin tone. This, blended together with our summer go-to ingredient aloe vera extract, works to immediately calm skin and replenish any lost hydration. If you're looking for a post-sun calming spritz, this is ideal. If you want to refresh your makeup look and skin throughout the day, you can place this bottle in the fridge for an even more refreshing experience. 

Pro: Plumps skin 

Con: Chlorophyll gives the water a green tint 

OSEA Sea Mineral Mist ($38); credobeauty.com

OSEA Sea Mineral Mis
OSEA
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Best for all-day wear: Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Setting + Refreshing Spray

There's a reason grip is in the name. This spray uses blue agave extract to seal makeup on the skin to ensure it stays put all day long. Formulated with hydrating ingredients like (one of our favorites) hyaluronic acid, cannabis seed extract, and moringa seed oil, this one certainly won't leave you feeling dry in the slightest. If you're looking to leave your look on for more than a few hours, this should be your go-to. 

Pro: True all-day wear

Con: Has a slightly shiny finish, so not great for matte looks

Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Setting + Refreshing Spray ($36); sephora.com

Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Setting + Refreshing Spray
Milk Makeup

Best for oil control: Volition Oil Control Mattifying Mist

If you constantly feel the need to reach for oil blotters, you may want to consider this spray an easier alternative. A natural humectant powder is used to ensure the skin is hydrated but not to the point of showing too much shine. Many mattifying products work by drying out the skin, but this formula is different. The amino acid complex works to maintain the skin's pH balance while hydrating and soothing skin for a mattified, even finish. 

Pro: Keeps skin shine-free 

Con: Small size for the price 

Volition Oil Control Mattifying Mist ($29); volitionbeauty.com

Volition Oil Control Mattifying Mist
Volition

How to use a setting spray.

While you're here, let's do a mini-tutorial on how to use these options, shall we?

  • To set makeup: As we said earlier, when the warmer weather comes, it tends to get a bit more challenging to wear makeup all day long without it slipping off. Using a setting spray can help keep your makeup in place so you don't have to keep reapplying. In addition, the sprays with oil control or mattifying effects can help decrease oil production in general, helping your skin regulate to warmer temperatures. 
  • As a makeup primer: If you want to keep your skin hydrated and balanced, add a spritz of your mist before you apply makeup. This will help your makeup glide on with ease. 
  • To touch up midday: Perhaps one of the worst side effects of warmer weather is that grimy feeling you get on your skin midday. This is, again, likely because of oil production and increased sweat. Nevertheless, you can use oil blotting papers and give your skin a quick spritz to refresh without stripping off essential moisture. Then, go ahead and dab some setting powder over extra oily areas. Voilà! Your makeup is good as new. 
  • As a cooling mist: Trust, nothing feels better than coming home on a hot day and misting your face with a chilly spritz. Simply pop your setting spray in the fridge and enjoy the refreshing mist as a way to help you and your skin chill out. 
  • To manage oil: If your setting spray doubles as a toner, you can use this to your advantage if you have oily skin. When you feel oil coming on, spritz on your mist and wipe it off with a cotton round. If you're wearing makeup, you can dab the areas to ensure you're not wiping off your base. 
  • To keep your skin hydrated: One common mistake when it comes to skin care in the summertime is avoiding moisturizer. You may think hydrating your skin will only increase oil production, but that's actually a common misconception.

mbg review process 

At mbg, high standards are earned—and there are no shortcuts. Our beauty editors stay up to date on the latest ingredient research and innovation. It's a dynamic, continuously evolving space, and it's important we look into the science so we can make informed choices about which formulas earn our stamp of approval (figuratively speaking).

Our high standards also come from testing products—many, many products. Our editors and writers rigorously test and research the products featured in our roundups to offer you the best, most informed recommendations. When we write reviews, you can trust we spend quality time with the formulas: We don't simply rave about products we've slathered on the back of our hands. We endorse products we've tried and loved. 

Learn more about our testing process and clean beauty standards here

The takeaway.

When it comes to choosing the right setting spray, you should consider what benefits you're after. Do you want your makeup to stay all day long? Keep your skin hydrated, or maybe manage oil production? There are tons of options out there, but these are our favorites. Use your setting spray to set makeup, refresh your skin midday, or double as a toner. Many of these sprays can be used both before and after makeup but won't replace a high-quality moisturizer

Hannah Frye author page.
Hannah Frye
Assistant Beauty & Health Editor

Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more. She previously interned for Almost 30, a top-rated health and wellness podcast. In her current role, Hannah reports on the latest beauty trends, holistic skincare approaches, must-have makeup products, and inclusivity in the beauty industry. She currently lives in New York City.