Is Urban Decay’s New Setting Spray Formula Better?

Reformulation Alert
It survived festival season, crying jags, and 14-hour shifts — then they changed it.
Expert Analysis · Honest Reviews · Real Results
1.😤They Fixed What Wasn’t Broken

I’ve cried in this stuff — like, full ugly sobs at a wedding — and my makeup didn’t move. So when Urban Decay announced a reformulation, I braced for betrayal.

The old All Nighter was a security blanket. The new one smells like a spa and dries down faster than my patience for slow walkers, which is either genius or a trap.

2.🧪What’s Actually Different

It’s still $36 for 4oz, still promises 16 hours, but the mist is finer now — like a fancy perfume atomizer instead of a garden hose. They swapped the old “temperature control” tech for something called “Flexi-Lock.” Sounds like a bra. Feels like one too, in the best way.

1

Micro-Mist Valve

Sprays so fine it’s basically a fog — zero wet-face shock

2

Flexi-Lock Polymers

They bend with your skin instead of cracking like dry mud

3

24-Hour Hydration Boost

Added glycerin, so it doesn’t suck your face dry like the old one

black leather sling bag beside black sunglasses and black sunglasses

Photo: Nick Noel / Unsplash

3.🔬The Ingredient Lowdown

They added a peptide complex that’s supposed to “strengthen the skin barrier” — sure, Jan — but the real star is the new film-former. It’s not about glue; it’s about elasticity. The old formula was like shellac. This one’s more like a yoga pant for your face.

  • Glycerin: Holds moisture so makeup doesn’t cake
  • Polyvinylpyrrolidone: The film that flexes instead of flakes
  • Peptide Complex: Calms redness so your base looks fresher longer
  • Propanediol: Helps everything absorb in seconds, not minutes
Modern Renaissance Anastasia Beverly Hills makeup palette

Photo: Paola Aguilar / Unsplash

4.🫠Two Weeks In

First spray: felt like nothing. That’s the point — it’s so light you’ll panic and overspray. Don’t. Two sprays max. I did three one day and my blush looked like a fever.

Week two: I wore it through a 90-degree commute, a hot yoga class (don’t ask), and a dinner where I laughed so hard I snorted. My concealer stayed put. My nose got shiny by hour 6 — same as the old one. They did not invent miracles.

💡

One Thing: Spray from 12 inches away in an “N” pattern — let it air dry 30 seconds. Do NOT fan it. The polymers need time to mesh.
Assorted pink cosmetic containers, tubes, and a makeup brush on a pale background

Photo: pmv chamara / Unsplash

5.📊The Honest Results

Oil control is slightly worse than the old version. Longevity is identical. But the finish — god, the finish — it’s dewy without being greasy, like you slept 8 hours instead of 4. That alone might make me switch.

Buy if
You have dry or combo skin and want a glow that lasts past 3pm
⏭️

Skip if
You’re an oil slick — the old formula was a better mattifier
💰

Worth it?
Yes, if you hate powder touch-ups. No, if you already own the old one — finish it first.
Assorted pink cosmetic containers, tubes, and a makeup brush on a pale background

Photo: pmv chamara / Unsplash

6.💅My Final Take

It’s not better. It’s just different — and for most people, different is actually an upgrade. The old one was armor. This one is skin. I’ll take skin.

8.2/10
Softer finish, same staying power, slightly less mattifying
🛍️

Where to Buy: Sephora or Ulta — grab the travel size first ($15) before committing to the full bottle. Your wallet will thank me.