I was always someone who believed setting sprays to be a little bit of a gimmick — a placebo product pushed to milk an extra $50 from the makeup girlies. It wasn’t until I started working full-time and found myself wearing makeup for up to 16 hours that I knew setting powder was no longer enough to keep my makeup locked in.

Between commuting on stuffy public transport, sitting in an air conditioned office for 8 hours, and occasional after-hours dinner, drinks, and dessert with friends, I’d come home looking like Salvador Dali’s “The Persistence of Memory” painting personified. The constant changes in temperature throughout the day and long hours spent out ended with my makeup greasy and separated, and me looking like a surrealist version of the girl who had applied it that same morning.

I started thinking there could be something more to setting sprays. So, I picked up bottles of setting spray here and there when I happened to come across them. But none I tried drew me in. I noticed a minor difference in my makeup wear, but it wasn’t enough to hook me in to repurchase. On my ongoing quest to finally put a stop to the midday makeup meltdown, I picked up the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray while in line for the register at Mecca.

Touting the slogan, “Party all night, stay all day”, it claims to lock makeup into place with no melting, no fading, and no creasing. While I’m by no means partying and am instead hopping on a train and heading on the arduous commute to work a 9 to 5:30 job, the question remains — is the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray worth buying?

Luckily, I’ve tested it so you don’t have to. Here’s my Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray review.

A bit about the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray

Before I get into my opinion on whether it’s worth buying, there are a few things you need to know about the product. I’ve broken down the basic information for you below.

What it claims to do

The Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray by Charlotte Tilbury is a lightweight, hydrating, and oil-free makeup spray that’s long-lasting. It promises to “lock in your look for the airbrush effect” by priming and setting makeup for up to 16 hours with no melting, no fading, and no creasing. The complexion-enhancing formula creates a weightless veil of hydration over the skin to create a smoothing, pore-blurring effect.

Is it cruelty-free?

Yes, Charlotte Tilbury is a Leaping Bunny-certified brand.

How to use it

There are 3 ways you can use the setting spray — to prime, intensify, or set and refresh. Here’s how to use the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray:

• PRIME: Before applying any makeup, hold it 6 to 8 inches away (that’s 15 to 20cm, for my fellow metric system friends) and mist it over your entire face to hydrate, prime, and smooth the look of your complexion.
• INTENSIFY: Want more colour payoff from your eyeshadow? Spray your eyeshadow or eyeliner brush with the setting spray before using it to apply eyeshadow all over your lid or along your lash lines.
• SET AND REFRESH: After applying your makeup, mist it over your entire face to lock down your makeup look. You can also give your makeup a refresh throughout the day by spraying it when needed for a fresh, weightless veil of hydration.

Clinically-proven results

The Charlotte Tilbury website states the setting spray was tested on 100 women. From this sample, the following was found:

• 99% of users agree the product is lightweight
• 99% of users agree the product creates a weightless veil
• 96% of users agree the product weightlessly sets your makeup
• 94% of users agree the product improves makeup longevity

In a sample of 30 women, the waterproof formula was found to prime and set makeup for up to 16 hours.

The ingredients

The Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray ingredients listed on their website (and the back of the packaging) include the following:

AQUA/WATER/EAU, AMP-ACRYLATES/ALLYL METHACRYLATE COPOLYMER, PVP, PHENOXYETHANOL, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, PROPANEDIOL, POLYSORBATE 20, CITRIC ACID, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, ALOE BARBADENSIS (ALOE VERA) LEAF JUICE POWDER, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), POTASSIUM SORBATE, GLYCERIN, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, CAMELLIA OLEIFERA LEAF EXTRACT, PISTACIA LENTISCUS GUM, HYDROGENATED LECITHIN, LEUCONOSTOC/RADISH ROOT FERMENT FILTRATE, PHENETHYL ALCOHOL.

Magic ingredients

There are 4 key (or “magic”) ingredients:

• Flawless film formers act as an invisible shield to help set makeup all day without melting, fading, or settling into lines.
• Aloe vera contains vitamins and minerals to leave the skin feeling smooth, moisturised, and supple.
• Japanese green tea helps soften and hydrate the skin.
• Aromatic resin is derived from the bark of a tree grown on the Greek Island of Chios and helps to keep pores clear.

Price point

The 34mL mini spray comes out to $31 (AUD) and the 100mL bottle is $54 (AUD). A 200mL option is available for $82 (AUD). The price for the spray is the same across both the Charlotte Tilbury and Mecca websites.

Is the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray worth it?

I went through two of the mini sprays before deciding to buy the 100mL. This setting spray promises to prime and set your makeup for up to 16 hours and it definitely delivers on its promise!

For reference — on a workday, I apply my makeup around 7:30AM and typically come home at 6PM, so I need it to last for a minimum of 10 hours. Using this setting spray has quickly become a no-skip step in my everyday makeup routine.

My first impression

The setting spray comes in the signature Charlotte Tilbury rose gold and purple packaging. This makes it feel like a luxurious, high-end product. Even though the bottle is plastic, it doesn’t feel cheap or flimsy. Plus, because it’s plastic, there’s no fear of it breaking if you accidentally drop it. I also really love the frosted look of the bottle.

The spray comes out as a very fine mist. Out of all the setting sprays I’ve tried, I’d say it has the finest mist. When sprayed over makeup, it doesn’t feel sticky or heavy on the skin. I find it leaves a more luminous finish compared to other sprays I’ve used. It’s perfect if you want a little extra glow without looking shiny or oily.

In terms of the scent, it does have a slight fragrance but it’s not too strong or offensive. I found that once it settles on your skin the fragrance disappears.

How it holds up

After consistently using it over the last 6 months, I can say it holds my makeup in place really well. I find my foundation (or concealer, depending on the day), powder, and blush aren’t separating or fading as the day goes on. My skin also doesn’t look shiny or greasy at the end of the day. Overall, it’s helped with the longevity of my makeup by prolonging the wear time and also adding a subtle, healthy glow to the skin.

In terms of the bottle itself, I’ve had no issues with the nozzle and find it sprays well with no leaking.

Final verdict – Should you buy it?

Do you want a setting spray that leaves a luminous glow and holds your makeup in place for upward of 8 hours with next to no melting, fading, or creasing? Then the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray is a great option! There’s a reason it’s a Beauty Election Finalist at Mecca and a best seller on the Charlotte Tilbury website.

However, if you have oily skin and need a more mattifying setting spray (or you simply just prefer a matte finish), I’d probably steer clear of this spray and opt for one like the Urban Decay Ultra Matte Setting Spray.