Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray Review: Still Worth It?

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray is still a strong long-wear setting spray, especially for oily and combination skin that needs better makeup hold in heat and humidity. The reformulation made it more divisive than before, but it remains a solid choice if your priority is makeup longevity rather than hydration.

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray is one of those products that almost everyone in makeup has heard about, and honestly, it earned that reputation for a reason. It has been a go-to long-wear spray for years because it helps makeup stay fresher for longer, especially when you are dealing with heat, humidity, sweat, or long days. The catch now is that the formula has been updated, so the real question is no longer just "is it good?" but "is it still the right setting spray for you?"

My take is pretty simple: it is still a strong performer if your main goal is makeup longevity, but it is not automatically the best choice for everyone. If you are oily or combination and you want your base to survive real life, it still makes sense. If you are dry, easily irritated, or obsessed with how the old version used to feel, you may be more conflicted.

Where to buy Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray

My recommended shopping options by region. Links may be affiliate links.

Region	Notes	Buy
International Best option	Best if you want a direct international shopping option.	Shop International →
Vietnam	Shopee VN listing. Check seller details and authenticity markers.	Shop Vietnam →
Singapore	Sephora Singapore listing.	Shop Singapore →
Malaysia	Sephora Malaysia listing.	Shop Malaysia →
Philippines	Direct Sephora PH product page.	Shop Philippines →

*Links may be affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

What is Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray?

This is a long-wear makeup setting spray designed to help your base last longer and resist breakdown during the day. Urban Decay currently describes it as a waterproof, smudge-resistant setting spray with up to 24-hour wear and an ultrafine mist that helps set creams and powders more evenly according to the brand.

In normal language, that means it is meant to do three things well: help your makeup look more blended at the end, keep it from fading as fast, and give you a better chance of surviving heat, sweat, and long wear without your face looking wrecked by hour four.

Who is this product for?

I think this product makes the most sense for people who wear a full or medium base and actually care about longevity. It is especially useful for events, long workdays, commuting in humidity, nights out, weddings, and any situation where you do not want your makeup to start separating too early. If you rarely wear base makeup or your skin is extremely dry and reactive, it may feel like more product than you need.

My ideal user for this one is combination to oily, wants makeup to stay in place, and does not mind a performance-focused formula. It is less ideal for people who want a very hydrating, comforting, skincare-like mist.

Is Urban Decay All Nighter still worth buying after the reformulation?

Yes, but with an asterisk. The current version still performs well enough that it continues to show up in editor testing and top setting spray roundups, including recent wear-test coverage from Byrdie and Cosmopolitan. So this is not a case where the product suddenly became bad.

The reason people are divided is that many longtime users are comparing it to the older Skindinavia-made formula, not to the average setting spray on the market. If you are buying it for the first time, you may still think it is excellent. If you loved the older version, you may notice enough of a difference to feel disappointed.

What changed in the new Urban Decay All Nighter formula and spray nozzle?

The big changes are the formula update and the mist itself. Allure reported that Urban Decay spent four years and more than 100 iterations on the reformulated version, and that the new nozzle produces a finer spray than before (Allure). That matters, because a more even mist usually means a nicer application experience and less risk of big wet droplets landing on your face.

In practice, the new bottle feels more refined when spraying, but some users also feel they need a little more product to get the same overall saturation. That is one reason why some people call the new version more elegant, while others say it feels less substantial than the old one.

How long does Urban Decay All Nighter actually last in real-life wear tests?

This is still one of the stronger points of the product. Urban Decay now claims up to 24-hour wear, while editor testing has been a little more conservative but still positive. Byrdie named it a top pick for oily skin and described it as especially strong in long-wear and water-resistance testing, while one Cosmopolitan editor said it gave her about five to six extra hours of wear (Urban Decay, Byrdie, Cosmopolitan).

That lines up pretty well with how I think people should view it. It is not magic, and it will not freeze your face in time forever, but it can absolutely buy you meaningful extra wear when your base would otherwise start slipping.

Is Urban Decay All Nighter good for oily skin, or do matte alternatives work better?

For oily skin, the original Natural version is still good if your main issue is makeup longevity. It helps hold things together and usually makes the overall finish look cleaner for longer. But if your biggest frustration is not just fading — and is specifically shine breaking through fast — a stronger matte setting spray can be a better fit.

Urban Decay itself treats those as different needs, because the brand also sells an All Nighter Matte version that is positioned around shine control and includes rice powder in the formula (Urban Decay Matte). If oily skin is your main concern, you might also want to compare options in my full guide: best setting spray for oily skin.

Does Urban Decay All Nighter help with sweat, humidity, and transfer resistance?

Yes, and this is one of the main reasons people keep buying it. The current official claims focus on waterproof wear, smudge resistance, and better makeup hold in difficult conditions, and recent editorial testing still backs up its reputation for transfer resistance and wear under stress (Urban Decay, Byrdie).

I would not describe it as sweatproof in the sense that nothing will ever move, but it does help reduce the amount of melting, patchiness, and makeup transfer you get in humid weather. That is exactly why it still has a place in long-wear routines.

Is the alcohol in Urban Decay All Nighter a problem for dry, sensitive, or acne-prone skin?

It can be. The formula relies in part on alcohol denat. to help the spray dry down quickly and feel weightless, and that is great for fast setting and better adhesion. The downside is that alcohol-heavy sprays can feel too drying for people with dry or sensitive skin, especially if their barrier is already stressed.

This does not automatically make it bad for acne-prone skin. A lot of oily and acne-prone users actually tolerate this style of setting spray well because it feels lighter than richer, dewier formulas. The bigger caution group is dry, reactive, or easily irritated skin, which may find the formula a little harsh over time.

How does Urban Decay All Nighter compare with Skindinavia now?

This is where the conversation gets interesting. The original Urban Decay All Nighter built much of its reputation during the Skindinavia partnership, so now that Urban Decay has moved to an in-house formula, many users compare the two directly. Recent comparison coverage from Cosmopolitan found that they still perform similarly overall, but not identically, with noticeable differences in nozzle feel and how the product lands on the skin (Cosmopolitan comparison).

My short version: if you are attached to the older feel, you may prefer Skindinavia. If you are just looking for a reliable mainstream long-wear spray that is easy to find and still performs well, Urban Decay remains a solid option.

Which version should you choose: Natural, Matte, or Glow?

Choose Natural if you want the classic all-purpose version and your main goal is simply making makeup last better. Choose Matte if you get oily quickly and want more help with shine control. Choose Glow if you want longer wear but hate when your face looks too flat or powdery by midday.

For most people, Natural is the safest starting point. Matte is the one I would steer oily skin toward first, and Glow makes the most sense for drier or duller-looking makeup days, as long as you are not already fighting excess shine.

How should you apply Urban Decay All Nighter for the best results?

Shake the bottle, hold it several inches away from your face, and spray it after your makeup is finished. Urban Decay recommends spraying in an X and T pattern, which is honestly still one of the easiest ways to get decent coverage without overthinking it (Urban Decay instructions).

My practical advice: do not hold it too close, do not drench your face, and let it dry fully before you start touching your makeup. Most people who think a setting spray is sticky either sprayed too much or did not give it time to settle.

Why do some users love it while others say it feels drying, sticky, or less effective than before?

A lot of that comes down to expectations and skin type. If you are oily or combination and you want a performance spray, you will probably focus on the fact that it keeps makeup on better. If you are dry, sensitive, or comparing it directly to the older formula, you may focus more on the alcohol feel, reduced cooling effect, or slight difference in finish.

That is why reviews can look so contradictory. They are often not actually disagreeing about what the spray does. They are just judging it from different starting points.

Pros and cons

My final verdict

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray is still a good product, and for some people it is still a very good one. I would not call it the untouchable automatic best anymore, because the reformulation changed the conversation and because people are now much better at matching setting sprays to specific skin needs. But if you want a reliable long-wear setting spray that performs well in heat, humidity, and long days, it absolutely still deserves to be in the discussion.

My personal summary: buy it if your priority is keeping makeup in place. Skip it if your skin is very dry, easily irritated, or if you are specifically chasing the exact feel of the older formula. For oily skin, I would look hardest at the Matte version. For everyone else, the Natural version is still the one I would start with.

Maddie is here to share beauty knowledge and help you build a makeup routine that actually works in real life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Urban Decay All Nighter still worth it?

Yes, for many people it is. It still performs well for makeup longevity, but the newer version is a little more controversial because some longtime users preferred the old formula.

Is Urban Decay All Nighter good for oily skin?

Yes, especially if your goal is keeping makeup from breaking down too fast. If your biggest issue is shine rather than wear time, the Matte version may suit you better.

Does Urban Decay All Nighter help in humidity?

Yes. That is one of the reasons it still has such a strong reputation. It helps reduce melting, transfer, and early fading when the weather is hot or humid.

Is it too drying for sensitive skin?

It can be. The alcohol-heavy formula helps it dry fast and perform better, but that same feature can feel too harsh on very dry, sensitive, or barrier-damaged skin.

Which version should I buy: Natural, Matte, or Glow?

Natural is best for balanced, all-purpose wear. Matte is better for oily skin and stronger shine control. Glow is better if you want longer wear without a flatter finish.