When it comes to setting sprays I actually love some that are from more affordable brands. Make Up Revolution Green Tea? Check. Colourpop Pretty Fresh? Check. But also Catrice does some nice setting sprays so when I spotted they had the Bang Boom Brow Face & Brow Fixing Spray out I was intrigued. Now I don’t need a fixing spray just for my brows, but I figured I could use it as a normal setting spray as well. So a win-win, what’s not to love? As it turns out, there is a lot here that is not to love. This was not a success for. Let me explain why.
Review: Catrice Bang Boom Brow Face & Brow Fixing Spray
I am usually not too fussed about setting sprays. It is not a step I feel my makeup always needs and many raved about setting sprays are often too expensive for my liking or they are just not quite right for me. I have dry/ dehydrated skin and I have found that any setting spray that should make my makeup last longer usually causes my foundation or powder to clump up and just look horrible. That’s why I do like trying some things, but I mainly stick to the drugstore and I have a few firm favorites that I repurchase over and over again. So when Catrice released this new fixing spray I was intrigued but I was a bit skeptical. At only €5 it really doesn’t break the bank though so I didn’t mind trying it.
What does this setting spray have to offer?
Catrice calls this a multifunctional setting spray. It can be used both to set your brows into place as well as the face. I think what they had intended here is that you can use this to wet a brush to pick up brow soaps or pommades or to wet a spoolie to brush through, set and perfect the brows. On top of that it should also set your face makeup. It should make your makeup last longer on the face for the most part. This doesn’t promise to be hydrating or anything like that.
How does this product swatch?
I went into this with high hopes. And if I wear this just once or twice I don’t mind it too much. The sprayer is a bit aggressive: you can see the bubbles created by the force of the spritzer on the back of my hand here, but it is workable. The main issue: the sprayer isn’t just aggressive it also dispenses the product in a very concentrated area, rather than misting it all over your face. This means that some parts of your face because super wet while others aren’t hit by the spray at all. This leads you to use more and that has you overapply this. That is where the issue lies with this product for me.
How does this product perform?
The real issue here? The fact that you use too much just to cover your entire face leaves you with quite a hefty layer of quite a drying product. This sets down and it ensures your makeup in place, but it just doesn’t do so in a nice way. My main issue with it is that it clumps my foundation and powder together. You can see this especially on my nose and you can really see the makeup sitting on my face. I used it every time I did my makeup this past month but the more I used it, the more I also felt this was actually drying out my skin. I think the combination of the amount of product used and the clumping up of my base makeup means this contains an ingredient that is not great if you have dry skin.
My final thoughts
There are few products I DNF when I use them, but the Catrice Bang Boom Brow setting spray is one I just cannot get myself to use up. Usually I soldier with any product that doesn’t give me an allergic reaction, but this is just not a good product for my dry skin. That’s why I felt I had to stop using it. The sprayer is too aggressive, the formula too drying and it just doesn’t do what I want a setting spray to do. I prefer my setting sprays to give a bit of extra glow when it is applied as a fine mist. This just attacks your face and it just feels harsh.
Would I recommend the Catrice Bang Boom Brow setting spray?
If I were you I would skip this. The spritzer is too much, the formula is not great for dry skin and it just isn’t a great one. The Catrice Multi-Talent Fixing Spray is still on the market and retails for the same price point for as much product and I feel that is a very good one from the brand. So they can do a good setting spray for sure, but this one is a bit of a miss for me.