Why You Need To Fix Your Face

By BR Kellie

It’s Kellie Confession time. Once, a few moons ago, I was doing an unboxing of a Memebox during my brief foray into vlogging. I picked up a package and on it were the words ‘fixing spray’ along with the basic instructions that it was to be used on my face. Well that just tickled my funny bone. A spray to fix my face – because, obviously, my face needed fixing.

I tossed that bad boy back into the box because ‘pffft’ I’m perfectly fine with my face. It is what it is. Sure the nose is a little chubby at the end and likes to tip to the side in photos. Yes the eyes are hooded. Sure there are pimples and wrinkles, but you know I just didn’t think a spray would or could fix them.

Yup. Clearly Kellie did not know what a fixing spray was. 

Then along came a review on Beauty Review of e.l.f’s Makeup Mist and Set, which put me onto setting sprays – then a few months later when going through my stash of products it suddenly dawned on me. That fixing spray wasn’t to fix my face it was to fix my makeup onto my face so it didn’t budge. It was another way of saying ‘makeup setting spray’. Well, duh. 

It got me wondering though, were face fixers a thing that would stick around or were they just another beauty fad?

Well, I’m going to answer that with a big old ‘no’, they are no fad. It turns out setting sprays have been used for years, with their origins being in theatre and film, where it was used to ensure makeup artists weren’t having to touch up makeup every five minutes. According to Wikipedia it was the cosmetics brand Skindinavia who were first to bring out a setting spray for us regular at-home beauty lover types. It caught on and as you know has become quite the thing.

So are all setting sprays the same? Well personal experience has taught me they sure aren’t. Some have lovely fine mists, one had quite big sticky droplets (that wasn’t my favourite even though it still worked), some have left me dewy skinned, others not. Overall though I’m quite the fan – in fact the only downside I’ve found is that if you blink too quickly after squirting it’s a panda eye alert! (Easily fixed with a little eyelash-batting patience.)

So what kinds of setting sprays are out there? Some, like NYX Matte Finish are made to mattify the skin. Others, like Urban Decay’s Chill Makeup Setting Spray are super science-y and work to chill your makeup down using Time Release Temperature Control Technology (!!). Then of course you get the sprays that are designed to give your skin a fresh-faced dewy look, such as my first setting spray, e.l.f’s Makeup Mist & Set, which not only promised and provided radiance but was also alcohol-free (which I liked as it wouldn’t contribute to dryness of the face.) Speaking of dry skin, some products like Clarins’ Fix Make Up even offer a hydrating boost. Basically it appears that there’s a setting spray to suit most skin types – the only one I’ve yet to see is a setting spray that promises to reduce wrinkles while healing pimples while keeping makeup on… but then maybe that’s asking a bit too much…

So are you keen to fix your face? Check out reviews for products here. Are you already on board with the idea? Which setting spray is your go-to?  Chat away!