Zara is for many a one-stop shop for high street fashion – but now the retailer is dipping its toe into the world of makeup, with a line of 12 ‘Ultimatte’ lipsticks and eight liquid lipsticks available just in time for Christmas.
Available exclusively online, the collection is inspired by the colour palette and shades used by iconic makeup artist and Vogue beauty editor-at-large, Pat McGrath, in Zara’s AW18 campaign, which was shot by Stephen Meisel.
Featuring bold tones of berry red, dark brown, bright pink and a lone lilac shade, Zara says its aim is to provide top quality, innovative, fun and affordable products.
The Ultimatte lipsticks will cost you £9.99 a piece, while the liquid lipsticks are a tidy £7.99; there’s a limited edition lip set including both with a matching lip liner for £19.99. No word yet on whether the lip liners will be available to buy individually.
Promising long-lasting, easy to use, pigmented matte shades, the HuffPost Finds team put the Ultimatte lipsticks to the test to see if they deliver.
Shade UM12
As worn by Micha, HuffPost Intern
Always opting for a deep lip, I picked out the darkest colour in the range, UM12 – a vampire purple. It smelled great and went on smoothly, but would have really popped with a sharp liner to keep the edges super crisp. The colour looked amazing though, it was bold and even – and unlike some liquid matte lipsticks this crayon looks matte from the moment it’s applied, so there’s no waiting around for it to dry to see the results. It’s also lightweight, and didn’t firm up in a way that made my lips feel rock solid, like some cheaper alternatives do.
After a tea break, a teensy purple half-ring had imprinted onto my mug, but it was by no means the worst I’d seen. The downside, however, is that like many longer-wearing lipsticks, it is difficult to get off – so you’ll want to use your best makeup remover at the end of the day/night.
I’d definitely purchase this lipstick myself – it feels high quality for the relatively reasonable price. As a note, you’ll need to make sure your lips are completely smooth and fully moisturised before application; the uber-matte quality does accentuate any chaps and every wrinkle. But overall, I’m impressed.
Shade UM04
As worn by Louise, Lifestyle Writer
Super long-lasting, matte lipsticks allow you to play with colour without fear it’ll be smeared across your face after the first of many cups of tea. I opted for shade UM04, a nude with brown undertones, as I’ll be attempting a sparkly gold eye for the work Christmas party and was hoping this would be the perfect partner.
The packaging is impressive, and feels high quality: the lipstick bullet is weighty and wouldn’t be amiss among my treasured MAC couterparts. Application is lightweight and smooth and there’s a lot to be said for how pigmented it is. One swipe is enough to fill my lips with colour, and when I went in with another layer to ensure it lasted all day, it didn’t feel clumpy.
Lasting me through lunch and copious cups of tea without a mishap in sight, I will definitely be adding this to my makeup bag. I might even say I’ve found the illusive perfect nude.
Shade UM16
As worn by Vicky, Lifestyle Executive Editor
First things: the tubes these Zara lipsticks come in are lovely. I know it’s what inside that counts, but the packaging does feel pretty luxe for a tenner. A deep, midnight blue with a pleasing magnetic close and minimal branding, they have a silky matte finish.
As for the lipstick inside, that’s not half bad either. The colour is fabulous – a really bright, modern red that looks great next to denim and is a pretty wearable daytime option. One swipe of colour lasts for ages.
I’m not a huge fan of matte lipsticks because they almost inevitably feel drying, and after a few hours of wearing this, it’s no surprise that my lips are starting to feel crispy. But weirdly, you’d never guess that from seeing my face. Applied hastily straight out of the tube, my lippy somehow still looks immaculate – and it hasn’t required constant attention to keep it that way either, despite my heavy tea habit. Applied with a brush, this stuff is the biz.
Shade UM11
As worn by Isabel, News Reporter
I really enjoyed this lipstick – I wore shade UM11 and I found it wasn’t stiff or tight and wore very comfortably, so I could smile fully without feeling the product crack! The lipstick is highly-pigmented – it doesn’t require numerous swipes to get a good amount of colour payoff, while the matte effect means it’s not too dramatic to wear during daytime hours. I don’t usually wear plum shades, but this one is flattering and suits my skin tone.
It lasts pretty well, but while it mostly survived eating, I felt like it didn’t quite stay put; the colour definitely smudged a bit.
My go-to matte is usually the Nars Velvet Matte Lip pencil, £21, as hours after you’ve first applied it, it looks just as vibrant. In terms of wearability, this is a good substitute but without quite the same staying power. For £9.99, however, I’d say it’s reasonably priced and worth the purchase.
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