Boscia White Charcoal Mattifying Makeup Setting Spray Review
I put off trying the new Boscia White Charcoal Mattifying Makeup Setting Spray ($38) for a while because I was a little worried since this is formulated to minimize pores and mattify skin. It felt like it was better suited for oily skin with visible pores. It did promise to keep skin hydrated as well but charcoal is typically drying in skincare for me so I wasn’t sure this was a good pick for me.
I think makeup setting sprays are a little confusing at times. Technically, setting spray isn’t supposed to make your makeup wear longer but that’s exactly what most formulas promise. In the case of Boscia White Charcoal Mattifying Makeup Setting Spray I wouldn’t say it “locked” my makeup in place as promise. It did, however, work just the way a makeup setting spray is supposed to work.
Here’s what it did do!
White Charcoal Mattifying MakeUp Setting Spray comes housed in a 5oz spray bottle which mists out a very delicate and fine mist onto your face. Props to Boscia for creating packaging that worked as too many setting sprays literally hose you down and end up ruining makeup. I’m not a strong supporter of setting sprays as I always feel they aren’t particularly beneficial if you’re a cream or a liquid foundation user. For me, I tend to use them on the rare occasion I’m using a finishing powder or a powder foundation since they excel at adding moisture to skin and depowdering powdery makeup giving it a more refined, natural finish.
I went into testing this formula very tentatively knowing how I felt about setting sprays and I came out of the experience pleasantly surprised. I did test it both with powder (by using Tarte’s new Confidence Creamy Powder Foundation) and with cream foundation. On both occasions it exceeded my expectations. As I said above, I wouldn’t say this made my foundation last longer nor did it lock my foundation into place. It did however, refine the finish of my makeup and also added light moisture.
I sprayed it on after my makeup was complete during my testing. It adds a delicate layer of moisture that’s barely noticeable but can be felt throughout the day. It allows powders to adhere to my skin with a softer more natural finish. I tried using it with a drier powder foundation that I knew for a fact was notorious for sticking and clinging to my drier cheeks. It depowdered the area very well and loosed up the drier patches so they merged and became second skin-like. So instead of a cakey, dry appearance, I ended up with a fresh, natural finish. I just liked the way this took me from makeup to a no makeup look instantly. That was one of the amazing benefits of the formula. Although I had foundation on after misting with this I felt like I wasn’t wearing it nor did it look like I was. I had some very minor shine on my forehead that it delicately mattified without tightening my skin or making it drier which was also an excellent benefit.
Now sadly, I can’t speak for how well it will mattify oily skin but on my drier skin it did an excellent job providing very light shine-free moisture while refining the finish of makeup to a more natural finish. I was happy all around with the performance on my skin type.
As we near the warmer weather my skin will begin to produce more oily and I have hopes this will work just as well and hopefully will also prove as lightly mattifying as I experience to deal with my shine while keeping me lightly hydrated.
Boscia White Charcoal Mattifying Makeup Setting Spray is available now at Sephora and Sephora.com.