Fenty Beauty's Setting Spray Locks in Makeup Under the Sweatiest Conditions

I tested You Mist during a celebrity-favorite Pilates class—and became a makeup-for-exercise convert in the process.

a collage of Rihanna using her setting spray and the new products
(Image credit: Fenty Beauty)

There are a few royal protocols every true Pilates Princess seems to follow. One, they arrive at class in their brightest, stretchiest matching sets (usually by Alo Yoga or FP Movement). Two, they reserve a reformer at the front of the room, the better for cashing in their first-name basis perks with the instructor. And three, they hit every spicy advanced move with a full face beat. Hailey Bieber, Lori Harvey, Kaia Gerber, and their everyday counterparts (of which there are many) aren't intimidated by the possibilities of sweat clogging their pores or streaking through their foundation. They wear makeup to class with pride; that's how they get their power.

For all I know, those women use some sort of witchcraft to end a 45-minute torture session with the same smooth, glowy makeup they started with. But I don't need magic to be coronated Pilates royalty; Rihanna has a more readily available solution. Today, Fenty Beauty is unveiling You Mist, a $32 setting spray that promises 12-hour makeup wear, and a shield against transfer, humidity, and sweat.

The mogul announced You Mists's impending debut last week with a fresh pixie cut—and an invitation for editors to put the formula to the test. Rihanna's team sent me to sweat at Forma Pilates, the hyper-exclusive studio frequented by the aforementioned fitness monarchs, in a full face of Fenty Beauty. There, I'd find out if I too could develop a workout beauty stack worthy of a crown.

a bottle of fenty beauty's you mist setting spray in front of a plain backdrop

Fenty Beauty's new You Mist setting spray locks in makeup with a flexible, lightweight formula.

(Image credit: Fenty Beauty)

You Mist wasn't engineered just for people who try to squeeze squats, lunges, and bridges in before work. Its lightweight mix of wild thyme extract (for hydration) and proprietary anti-pollution and longwear ingredients purports to keep up with anyone on the go: in high-stress work situations, in every genre of exercise, in paparazzi photos and Super Bowl performances (if you're Rihanna).

"I wanted to make a setting spray that really locks in your makeup but moves with you, not against you," Rihanna said in a brand statement. "We spend the time putting on our makeup, we deserve to have it last."

I wasn't sure that promise could be kept when I sat down in the Fenty Beauty chair before class. A Fenty Beauty makeup artist doused me in You Mist both before and after going in with Fenty Beauty's Soft'lit foundation and Cheeks Out blush. The spray landed on my skin light and cool. It dried within seconds. The finish sat somewhere between matte and dewy—my skin, but better.

senior editor Halie LeSavage before her Forma pilates class

Before my Forma class, I wore a full face of Fenty Beauty makeup set with the new You Mist setting spray.

(Image credit: Halie LeSavage)

When class began, I still expected a current of sweaty makeup to stream down my face anyway. Set one of tabletop crunches and leg extensions made my entire core shake and my warm-up sweater feel like a down parka. By the following lower body segment, I started believing in a higher power again—if only for somewhere to direct my pleas for the burning in my inner thighs to stop.

Post-Forma selfies showed me that I only felt like a melted candle. True to Rihanna's word, all those reps didn't affect my makeup in the slightest. My foundation hadn't caked around my hairline or congealed at my neck; it was still, somehow, perfectly smooth.

senior editor Halie LeSavage wearing a sweater and a full face of fenty beauty makeup

After class, all that makeup was still in place. (Well, everything except the lip gloss.)

(Image credit: Future)

Cut to a few hours later, back at Marie Claire's offices for a busy afternoon of fashion week planning and It-shoe trend spotting. My hair needed reviving with a dry shampoo puff and I'd changed out of leggings into work-appropriate trousers. My makeup, however, passed the no-touch-up test. It was still smooth, even, and just a little bit glowy, like I'd gone straight from the MUA's chair to my desk chair without a crunch-filled detour in between. Time ticked on until I logged off without an oily shine developing on my nose or hints of redness popping up on my cheeks. When Rihanna said this setting spray's formula locked in, she clearly meant it.

A week after my first Fenty Beauty setting spray test-drive, I feel a step closer to becoming reformer Pilates royalty. I still need to work on my form (and my wardrobe). But I have shown up to class with my full face on—with a spray guaranteeing I'll be all set.

My Rihanna-Approved Workout Makeup Routine

These are the products I tested beneath Fenty Beauty's debut setting spray. Three of four are headed into my gym bag with You Mist.

Halie LeSavage
Senior Fashion & Beauty News Editor

Halie LeSavage is the senior fashion and beauty news editor at Marie Claire, where she assigns, edits, and writes stories for both sections. Halie is an expert on runway trends, celebrity style, emerging fashion and beauty brands, and shopping (naturally). In over seven years as a professional journalist, Halie’s reporting has ranged from fashion week coverage spanning the Copenhagen, New York, Milan, and Paris markets, to profiles on industry insiders like celebrity stylist Molly Dickson, to breaking news stories on noteworthy brand collaborations and beauty product launches. (She can personally confirm that Bella Hadid’s Ôrebella perfume is worth the hype.) She has also written dozens of research-backed shopping guides to finding the best tote bags, ballet flats, and more. Most of all, Halie loves to explore what style trends—like the rise of emotional support accessories or TikTok’s 75 Hard Style Challenge—can say about culture writ large. She also justifies almost any purchase by saying it’s “for work.”

Halie has previously held writer and editor roles at Glamour, Morning Brew, and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been cited as a fashion and beauty expert in The Cut, CNN Underscored, and Reuters, among other outlets, and appears in newsletters like Selleb and Self Checkout to provide shopping recommendations. In 2022, she earned the Hearst Spotlight Award for excellence and innovation in fashion journalism. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Harvard College. Outside of work, Halie is passionate about books, baking, and her miniature Bernedoodle, Dolly. For a behind-the-scenes look at her reporting, you can follow Halie on Instagram and TikTok.