Spray the Shine Away With This Blotting Mist

I mentioned here that I’m relying on setting spray more and more now that I’m rarely using powder to set my makeup. I still carry the emotional scars of being a greaseball teen, so I can’t fully throw myself into the dewy look, but I’m trying to be a little more accepting of my skin’s natural finish. In my opinion, Urban Decay’s All Nighter Setting Spray is the GOAT, but I’m open to trying new things, especially ones with interesting extra features. The one from Milk, for example, claims to have a blurring effect, and my newest addition, elf Matte Blotting Mist, tackles my nemesis: Oily skin.

This mist contains kaolin clay, which purports to help control oil and shine. All oily folks like me know that clay is our skin’s BFF, so that really drew me in. Plus, elf is so affordable - this bottle costs $8. So if it wasn’t great, no big loss. But it’s actually pretty good! I spray it on my face after applying my foundation/concealer, and then again after I’ve applied all my makeup. It doesn’t mean that I have absolutely no oil, but it helps my makeup stay put, and I reach for blotting sheets less often. The spray isn’t as fine as All Nighter, and I use more sprays to feel like my face is fully covered, but these are little things when you’re paying a fraction of the cost. The bottle, for a budget product, looks very high end, and I don’t hide it away like my ratty old bottle of All Nighter.

This isn’t a dupe, but it’s an alternative, and a pretty good one. Especially when you consider that Urban Decay All Nighter costs $32 ($8 an ounce) and this elf spray costs $8 ($2.10 an ounce).