Dewy vs Matte Setting Spray: Which Is Best For You?
Which AIRbrush Flawless Setting Spray is right for you? Discover the pros and cons of dewy vs matte setting spray.
- 28th August 2025
- By Charlotte Tilbury
6 minute read
Darlings, a good setting spray will mist evenly over your face, feel weightless on your skin, and help to improve the longevity of your makeup. The number one goal of your setting spray is to help your makeup last longer, but there are different types of makeup setting sprays to choose from, and the formula you choose will influence how your makeup looks and wears on your skin.
Two of the most common types of setting spray are dewy setting spray and matte setting spray – both are formulated to set your makeup into place, however they create a very different skin finish. Discover the differences between dewy vs matte setting spray, then decide on the best setting spray formula for you.
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What is dewy makeup?
Dewy makeup refers to products that give you a fresh, healthy-looking glow. Makeup products with a dewy finish often have a cream or liquid texture and are infused with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid. Dewy makeup looks can include anything from luminous cream blushes and juicy-looking lip glosses to hydrating skin tints for gleaming glass skin.
Tilbury Tip: To give your makeup a dewy-looking glow, reach for cream makeup products like Unreal Skin Foundation Stick, Beautiful Skin Island Glow Lip + Cheek, Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer, Collagen Lip Bath and Eyes to Mesmerise.
What is matte makeup?
Matte makeup has a smooth, soft-blur finish without any shimmer or glitter. Products with a matte finish are associated with a longer wear time because they have less slip than dewy formulas. Matte lipstick, matte blush, and matte foundation are all easy ways to keep your makeup looking matte and are perfect for smoothing and enhancing the look of your features.
Tilbury Tip: Mattify your makeup look with my AIRbrush icons like AIRbrush Flawless Foundation, AIRbrush Flawless Finish, AIRbrush Bronzer and AIRbrush Flawless Lip Blur, and add a pop of matte blush with my Matte Beauty Blush Wand.
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Discover Charlotte’s dewy setting spray
Darlings, AIRbrush Flawless Setting Spray is my original AIRbrush fix! I created my legendary setting spray to set makeup while giving your complexion a fresh, natural, radiant finish. The waterproof formula gently mists over your face, using Flawless Film Formers to create a weightless veil that locks in your makeup look for up to 16 hours!* The multi-tasking formula can be used to prime, set and refresh your makeup – mist over moisturised skin to create a smooth, radiant canvas for makeup, use it as the finishing touch for your makeup look to help it stay all day, or spray on throughout the day as a dewy makeup refresher. If you want to set your makeup without dulling your glow, darlings, AIRbrush Flawless Setting Spray is the one for you!
Discover Charlotte’s matte setting spray
To keep your makeup looking matte, discover AIRbrush Flawless Setting Spray Matte! My matte setting spray is inspired by my original formula, delivering my signature AIRbrush Effect with a magical matte makeover. Infused with a Dual-Action Oil + Shine Control Complex, my matte setting spray is designed to give your complexion a smoothing, blurring, mattifying, removing unwanted shine and controlling excess oil while locking in your makeup look for up to 16 hours!** This formula mirrors a lot of the benefits that you know and love about my original setting spray: it waterproofs your makeup, prevents creasing, fading and melting, and extends makeup longevity, however, the matte finish is perfect for blurring the appearance of pores and makes skin look airbrushed in real life! If your foundation starts to look greasy or shiny throughout the day, you need my matte setting spray!
Who should use dewy setting spray?
The main benefits of a dewy setting spray – aside from helping your makeup look to last longer – is to top up hydration and to give your makeup a glowy appearance. Dewy setting sprays can be useful if:
- You have a dry skin type: Dry skin is prone to feeling tight and rough, becoming dehydrated, and experiencing dry patches, so using a dewy setting spray is a beauty trick for adding more moisture into your makeup routine.
- You have dehydration lines or dry patches: Becoming dehydrated can cause symptoms like dehydration lines and dry patches to appear. Dewy setting can be the moisture boost that skin needs to look healthier and refreshed.
- You have mature skin: Mature skin is prone to fine lines and wrinkles which can sometimes be accentuated by matte makeup. I recommend using a dewy setting spray to give mature skin a youthful glow that doesn’t emphasise signs of ageing.
- You love to glow: I love gorgeous, glowy makeup looks, darlings… They call me the Queen of Glow! If you love your skin to look radiant and glowing, dewy setting spray is the secret to giving your complexion the beauty glow you adore.
- You wear light-coverage makeup: Light-coverage makeup like skin tints and tinted moisturisers tend to have a dewy finish, which means they pair expertly with a dewy setting spray to create an everyday makeup look with an effortless glow.
Perfect pairing: Unreal Skin Hydrating Foundation Stick + AIRbrush Flawless Setting Spray
Who should use matte setting spray?
- You have an oily or combination skin type: Oily and combination skin produces excess oil which can cause foundation to become shiny and slide around the face. Applying a matte setting spray can help with oil control and removing unwanted shine, helping your foundation to look flawless for longer.
- You have enlarged pores: Matte setting sprays have a super-flattering blurring effect which can help to vanish the appearance of enlarged pores, making your complexion appear flawless and poreless.
- You skip setting powder: If you prefer makeup looks without setting powder, I suggest adding a matte setting spray to your routine. Matte setting sprays marry the smoothing, blurring and mattifying effects of makeup powder without creating a powdery residue.
- You love a matte look: Do you love a matte makeup look, darling? To keep skin looking matte but never flat, reach for a matte setting spray to perfect the look of your matte complexion and help it to last all day.
- You wear full-coverage makeup: Full-coverage makeup often leans more matte – if you want that flawless, poreless, superstar skin, spray on a matte setting spray to look airbrushed in real life!
Perfect pairing: AIRbrush Flawless Foundation + AIRbrush Flawless Setting Spray Matte
Shop Airbrush Collection
Item 1 of 34
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AIRBRUSH FLAWLESS SETTING SPRAY DUO
Face Kit
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2 Medium
£39.00£31.20Item 5 of 34
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Author Details
Charlotte Tilbury
Founder, President, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty
With over 30 years experience, Charlotte Tilbury MBE is the world's number 1 makeup artist and British beauty entrepreneur. Charlotte established Charlotte Tilbury Beauty in 2013, which is now a record-breaking beauty brand that has won over 400 awards.
