I Tried 7 Viral SPF Face Sprays & Found My Summer Must-Have

Some facial sunscreens are also setting sprays, meant to lock in your makeup for the day. The e.l.f. Suntouchable SPF is one of them. With more than 1.7 million followers, e.l.f. is a beloved brand amongst BeautyTok. Mikayla Nogueira’s review of another sunscreen primer in the Suntouchable collection has more than 1.5 million views.

The spritz version has a quick-dry formula you can use as both a primer and setting spray. It’s made with hydrating and calming ingredients to benefit your skin while protecting it from the sun.

Key features:

• SPF 45
• Cruelty-free and vegan
• Skin-loving ingredients like watermelon fruit extract, prickly pear seed oil, and bisabolol for soothing and firming

Pros:

Greasy skin? Don’t know her. While e.l.f.’s Suntouchable spray is recommended for all skin types, oily-skin girlies like me will love the quick-dry feel. This provided a clean matte finish on top of my makeup that lasted outside for at least seven hours.

Another pro: the tiny bottle. It fit right into my fanny pack for Stagecoach, and the bright yellow cap made it easy to spot at the bottom of my bag when I needed to reapply.

Cons:

The smell was not it for me. After testing several “fragrance-free” SPFs, I’ve determined that’s not really the case.

The ones that don’t have a specific smell assigned to them end up having an alcohol or generic sunscreen scent, so you’ll have to decide whether you’d rather go that route or have your face smell fruity. My nose appreciated the latter more. Though other TikTokers, like @amandafrisch, and I disliked the alcohol scent, that’s the only major con here.

Overall Score: 4.5/5

Another setting spray option that leaves a matte-like finish is Supergoop’s (Re)setting Refreshing Mist. Supergoop is a go-to product in TikTok GRWMs, and celebrity-approved as well.

Kelsea Ballerini shared the brand’s SPF is one of her festival season must-haves, and this setting mist version is perfect for makeup lewks you want to stay on all day. The lightweight spray can be applied over your makeup, and it is formulated to be water- and sweat-resistant for those long hours in the sun.

Key features:

• SPF 40
• Cruelty-free and vegan
• Aromatic blend of rosemary and mint

Pros:

Similar to the e.l.f. spray, this provided a matte finish to my look, which was nice for my oily skin. It also had more of a spritz-like spray that felt like it provided more coverage than something super concentrated.

Cons:

Though the product is supposed to have a subtle rosemary and mint scent, it really just smelled like chemicals when I applied it to my face.

Five hours into the festival, it started to irritate my eyes. If you’re just going to the beach for a few hours or a backyard BBQ, maybe it’d be OK, but I wouldn’t suggest it for anything too long.

It also comes in an aerosol can, so you may not even be able to bring it to a music festival. TikToker @abigalesonline had her (Re)setting Mist confiscated at the Eras Tour, so check the bag policy before you pack it.

Overall Score: 2.5/5

Sun Bum is a beloved sunscreen brand with more than 21,000 posts on TikTok — even Outer Banks star Chase Stokes includes the brand’s SPF as part of his daily skin care routine.

While Stokes prefers the lotion, Sun Bum also has a face mist for on-the-go applications.

Key features:

• Recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation with SPF 45
• Cruelty-free and vegan
• Anti-inflammatory witch hazel

Pros:

I was iffy on scented facial SPFs, but the Sun Bum banana-like fragrance is so iconic and nostalgic that I quite enjoyed it. It may not be for everyone, but if I had to choose between an alcohol-scented spray or something light and banana-y, I’d go with this.

It also left a nice glowy shine on my face. I usually prefer a matte look, but fans of Hailey Bieber’s glazed skin aesthetic will appreciate it.

Cons:

A face mist that you can’t spray directly on your face... OK. The directions say to spritz it onto your palms, then apply it to your face with your fingers. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of getting a facial mist?

Pretending like I didn’t read the directions — since I’m sure some won’t — I tested it as if it were a traditional mist, spraying it directly on my face. I didn’t notice any irritation, and it applied evenly. For TikToker @cappybears, being unable to mist your face made the product lose its appeal.

Overall Score: 3/5

TikTok loved Pacifica’s Set & Protect Matte Sheer Setting Mist SPF 45 last summer, but it’s no longer available. Instead, Pacifica has a Glow Baby Brightening Setting Spray as its only facial SPF mist. It’s a three-in-one skin care, sun care, and makeup product.

This formula leaves more of a shine on your skin for that sun-kissed appearance, so creators like @dazeemaee don’t necessarily recommend it for oily skin babes.

Key features:

• SPF 45
• Cruelty-free and vegan
• Vitamin C to brighten your skin tone

Pros:

As much as I would prefer the matte version, I did enjoy the nice glow this setting spray gave my skin. Even though it left some transfer on my clothes, it wasn’t too greasy and was quick to dry, which are big wins in my book.

It also didn’t irritate my eyes, even after wearing it for several hours and spraying it throughout the day.

Cons:

I did experience a slight sting when I first applied it, but it didn’t appear to cause any redness or irritation. I would caution anyone with extra sensitive skin like mine.

This also had an alcohol-like scent with subtle tropical fragrances. Is it scented or not? Choose a side.

Though I didn’t experience any issues on festival grounds, and it fit perfectly in my bag, the bottle is made of glass, which certain venues may not allow.

Overall Score: 2.5/5

Vacation is another beloved SPF brand — even for Poosh’s Poolside Party — and the brand’s Super Spritz is a fave among beauty TikTokers like Toni Bravo and Karla Cruz.

Though it’s not a setting spray, it’s great for using over your makeup for a quick and refreshing addition of SPF. It has a transparent spray that leaves no white cast, and it features Vacation’s nostalgic sunscreen scent.

Key features:

• SPF 50
• Cruelty-free and vegan
• Water-resistant for 80 minutes

Pros:

The nostalgia was *real*, from the coconut-like scent to the ’80s-themed bottle. If you’re not opposed to scented facial sprays, this is the move.

I also really liked how travel-friendly the bottle is. I could easily store it in my festival bag, and find it for a quick reapplication.

Cons:

The one major downside was that it did start to irritate my eyes toward the end of the day. This was after wearing, and reapplying, the facial mist for at least eight to nine hours, which may be the reason.

Pro tip: Try using the Super Spritz when you’re planning a much shorter day in the sun.

Overall Score: 4/5

Australian brand Naked Sundays — a Khloe Kardashian fave — really threw its hat in the ring with the Mecca Beauty Innovation Award-winning Hydrating Glow Face Mist.

This is a top-up spray meant to be applied over your makeup right before you head out the door. The zero-white-cast formula includes hyaluronic acid and is super hydrating for a natural glow on top of your festival lewk. TikToker @raziamoe was quick to recommend this spray as a go-to for reapplying SPF throughout the day.

Key features:

• SPF 50+
• Cruelty-free and vegan
• Skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid and watermelon extract

Pros:

Out of all the facial SPFs, this had the most mist-like spray, which was super refreshing in the sun. I also liked this fragrance the most. Instead of an overly sunscreen-esque smell, this had a fresh powdered scent that was light and slightly fruity.

I assumed I’d prefer a more matte-like finish with my naturally oily skin, but I enjoyed the soft glow this spray gave me. It was more dewy than full-on shine, so it was a happy medium.

Cons:

Naked Sundays recommends that the Glow Face Mist Top Up Spray be used over other SPF, so you may need to buy and apply an additional sunscreen primer before putting on your makeup.

Since my go-to tinted moisturizer also has some SPF, I didn’t apply anything extra, and I didn’t burn in the sun.

It’s also a fairly large bottle compared to the rest and doesn’t have a travel-size option, so it might be harder to pack into your festival bag. Luckily, it fit just fine in my Beis Sport Pack, so if you have a fanny pack or longer bag, you should be OK.

Overall Score: 4.75/5

When it comes to sunscreen, La Roche-Posay doesn’t play around. The TikTok-fave brand has a variety of products for any skin type. For those specifically looking for a facial spray, there’s the Anthelios Lotion Spray Sunscreen.

Key features:

• Broad spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 60 protection with antioxidants
• Recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation
• Sprays upside-down and is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes

Pros:

This provides all-over coverage, on the face and body, so consider this your SPF bestie. By only needing to bring one product for your entire body, you can definitely save space in your suitcase.

Cons:

This is like the facial spray your mom would give you to make sure you’re extra protected from the sun, but it’s not going to be the most fun or exciting to use. Though it’s considered “fragrance-free,” this smelled the worst of all seven SPFs. It didn’t have an alcoholic or chemical scent — it just smelled old.

It also provides a serious white cast, so you’ll need to rub it in a bit, and it’s not meant to be sprayed directly on your face. Just like the Sun Bum, you spray it onto your hands first.

It’s also not easy to carry around since it comes in an aerosol can, so you’ll have to double-check your festival’s bag policy before bringing it. Unfortunately, La Roche-Posay doesn’t have a non-aerosol spray option at the moment.

Overall Score: 2/5