Mac is launching its first ever setting spray – here’s our review

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Setting sprays are one of those staple products you don’t realise you need until you have to go without. Not only do they help meticulously-applied make-up stay put, but choose the right formula and you’ll get the extra added benefit of kind-to-skin ingredients that could have cumulative effects.

Of course, setting sprays are ten-a-penny these days, and while some are definitely better than others, there’s one brand we’ve been hoping and praying would launch one – and our wish has finally been granted. All hail the arrival of the Mac Cosmetics fix+ stay over long-lasting setting spray.

For years, people have used the brand’s prep + prime fix+ (£24, Maccosmetics.co.uk) as a setting spray, but that’s not actually what it’s supposed to be. Instead, it’s more of a hydrating mist that soothes skin and helps refresh the look and feel of make-up rather than promising to keep it in place.

So to say we’re excited about this new product is an understatement – but how does it really fare? We managed to get our hands on it a couple of weeks before its official launch on 7 July to give our honest review.

Our tester used Mac’s setting spray in place of her usual one, spritzing it over make-up after application. She didn’t top up any of her make-up – or powder – throughout the day in order to really put the product through its paces.

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Unlike most setting sprays on the market, this one is made without alcohol which is a huge tick straight away; simply because that will reduce the chances of it drying skin out, making it look cakey or parched throughout the day.

Promising to set make-up in place for 16 hours, fix+ stay over is formulated with a blend of antioxidants to protect against both environmental pollution and blue light damage. The brand also says it’s an “innovative, hydrating formula” that uses tiny film-former particles to weightlessly keep make-up in place.

It’s worth noting that we’re quite specific about the type of misting mechanisms on products: we don’t like anything that’s too heavy and causes droplets of product to sit on the face, or anything that spits out of the nozzle. Instead, we’re all about a super fine mist of product that creates a light veil on skin – and so we’re happy to report that fix+ stay over does exactly that.

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We only needed to use two or three sprays to ensure our whole face was covered and once applied and dried on the skin, it was weightless. The spray didn’t change the look or feel of our final make-up look either, and we especially liked that it didn’t dry down matte – the dewiness of our foundation and highlighter were still there. This is a tough feat, as many other setting sprays sacrafice glowiness for longevity.

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Overall, our tester was incredibly impressed. It was applied at around 9am (which is when the first photo was taken) and the final photo was taken around 7:30pm – and there were absolutely no foundation or powder touch ups throughout the day.

So, not only did make-up last through hot, muggy, sticky weather, it also survived taking both sunglasses and normal glasses on and off multiple times, along with travelling across London (on tubes, trains and buses), an Abba concert, and even some rain.

While our make-up definitely didn’t look as fresh at the end of the day, it still looked acceptable, foundation hadn’t faded, disappeared or oxidised, eye makeup was still almost intact and skin even had a slight dewiness to it.

Having tried many setting sprays over the years, our tester would say that this is immediately up there with some of the very best and most effective that she’s tried – but really, would you expect anything less from one of the world’s best make-up brands? Probably not.

Available from 7 July at an introductory price of £20 (usually £26) at Boots.com

For discounts on fashion and beauty buys, check out the links below:

Use your new setting spray in combination with our pick of the best lightweight foundations to keep your make-up in place all day