REVIEW: Cinema Secrets Moisture Spray

If you've been here for a while, you probably know that I used to love the Skindinavia Setting Sprays. I used those things almost every time I wore makeup: they made it last longer and they added a glow to my face. But as I've aged, my skin has gotten dryer and I've developed a stronger sensitivity to certain ingredients, particularly alcohol denat. Because Skindinavia is loaded with that ingredient, I had to find an alternative for every day wear. The Cinema Secrets spray was the most-recommended option.

The packaging for this product is very bland and unassuming, which isn't surprising, considering Cinema Secrets isn't really a mainstream brand. It's just a plastic spray bottle with a cap and some text printed on it. The spray nozzle on this bottle is just okay: it doesn't give me the finest mist, but it gets the job done. That being said, the bottle is easy to open, so you can easily transfer your product to a different container or refill your bottle. It's also clear so you can see how much you've used. Not pretty, but decently functional.

This is cheap stuff, too: I paid $10 for a 4oz bottle. Compare that to the $29 I used to pay for a 4oz bottle of Skindinavia. No contest!

The main ingredients in this product are water and glycerin, a gentle moisturizing ingredient. When spritzed on your face, the Cinema Secrets Moisture spray is supposed to rejuvenate dry skin, reduce the powdery look of makeup, and give your base a more "natural" effect.

To demonstrate this spray's effect, I decided to make my face more matte than usual. In the photo above, I am wearing MAC Face & Body foundation (one thin layer all over, plus a second thin layer on my nose and the apples of my cheeks), NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer and Maybelline Dream Lumi pen concealer where needed, and a full layer of Dolce & Gabbana powder foundation. This is more powder than I would normally wear, but again, I wanted to demonstrate how this stuff works.

With that said, I don't think my before and after photos dramatically showcase the spray's impact. It is visible, though: my face goes from being relatively matte to slightly more glowy. There's a soft finish effect in the second set of photos that you can hopefully see; it's definitely obvious in real life that this spray softens it all up. When I posted these photos on Makeup Alley to get opinions (without saying what, exactly, was different between the two sets of photos), a lot of people mentioned that there appears to be more coverage in the second set. There isn't--it's the same base--but I think it looks like better coverage because the spray evens things out so much.

Also, note that I'm not wearing mascara in these photos. I do that last because I use a spray; no matter how good a spray is, it's still water, and it can make your mascara a runny mess.

Hopefully, this macro shot demonstrates things a little better. As you can see, my skin looks like skin, despite the fact that I'm wearing several layers of base makeup. I also look relatively smooth and hydrated, even though I'm wearing a matte powder.

You can spritz the Cinema Secrets Moisture Spray on your face before you apply your makeup as well, and I have tested that out. It does work well--my makeup slid over my skin very easily, and it added the same glow and softness--but I just find it more comfortable to spray this on top of my makeup. It's also good for touch-ups throughout the day if I start to look dehydrated.

The one problem I have with this product is that it doesn't dry quickly on its own. After spritzing my face with 5-6 sprays, I have to fan myself with a book for about 15 seconds to get it to dry down. If I spray a little too heavily, I may have to pat the liquid in to my skin. It's only a minor inconvenience, especially given how much I like the finished effect, but it's still worth mentioning.

As a final note, you may have heard that this product is a dupe for MAC Fix +. It isn't an exact dupe: the MAC version has more ingredients, like caffeine and some extra moisturizers. That being said, I find that they give the same effect. Neither product "holds" makeup in place, but neither product is supposed to--and if you don't believe me, you can check the products' claim pages.

Overall, I absolutely love this product. I'm considering buying a different bottle that produces a finer mist, but given how cheap the refill bottles of this spray are, it's worth it. If your skin is dry or dehydrated, give this a shot!

RATING: 5 out of 5

NOTE: I buy my Cinema Secrets Moisture Spray from Amazon.com.