Zara has released a full beauty range, Zara beauty, and the hype and price haven’t lived up to expectations, but some of the products are still worth a look.
Want to spice up your beauty collection without spending a fortune? Zara has released a full-blown makeup collection that is worth a deep dive.
One of the beauty industry’s best-kept secrets is Zara’s new beauty /makeup line. The fashion retailer launched its beauty collection back in May 2021, as it is primarily known for bringing off-the-runway looks to stores at an affordable price. This is also evident in their cheaper alternatives to luxurious perfumes.
The extensive Zara beauty collection features bold and vibrant eyeshadow shades, earthy bronzers, glowy highlighters, over 30 nail polishes and more than 20 shades of matte and satin lipsticks.
Created in partnership with the renowned British makeup artist, Diane Kendal – who has worked with Calvin Klein, Tom Ford and Proenza Schouler – Zara’s beauty collection has been intricately and thoughtfully designed to work for all ages, genders, skin types and skin colours.
Kendal has immersed herself in all aspects of the beauty industry, and for that reason has a wealth of knowledge and experience. She studied special-effect makeup and prosthetics at the London College of Fashion. She’s travelled to Milan, Paris and all over the UK to pursue her beauty dreams, and finally, landed in New York City to work for Vogue.
Along the way, she’s worked with celebrities like Julia Roberts, Hilary Swank and Shalom Harlow and her makeup styling has been seen in the likes of W Magazine, Allure Magazine and American Vogue.
Plus, the makeup line aligns with their sustainability ethos, being clean, cruelty-free, free from mineral oils, silicones and petroleum. The refillable palettes and lipstick bullets are super useful allowing you to build your own makeup bag of personal favourites.
The packaging, designed by Frenchman, Fabien Baron, is super chic, sleek and minimal – predominantly white with black trimming.
The Independent UK describes Baron’s work as “distinctive, clean, clear elegant and modern.” This is proven by his designs in Madonna’s Sex book and creative directions for her music video for Erotica.
Baron is equipped with knowledge and skill in design, sculpture, painting and directing, directing commercials for luxurious brands like Armani, Burberry, Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent and Fendi.
Essentially, Zara’s beauty products are affordable but don’t feel cheap, giving Zara shoppers access to fabulous, portable makeup.
Scroll through to read about the Zara beauty products in the range.
- Cult Satin Lipsticks ($23.95)
This easy-to-glide product is highly pigmented, yet totally buildable so you can create stained or tinted effects by blotting it with your fingers or a bold, full-coverage look with a direct swipe. It transfers onto the lips evenly and generates a semi-shiny finish. It serves as the perfect, juicy lippie for everyday wear, it’s long-standing and makes a statement… but ever-so-softly and inexpensively.
Zara beauty hades to try include ‘buttercup’, ‘pretty bizarre’ and ‘bonnie’, which are all stunning for the wintertime.
- Stiletto Demi-Matte Lipstick ($19.95)
This is a cult-fave according to Zara beauty advocates on social media. The slim stylo shape makes the lipstick easy to apply, so it makes lip liners a skippable step as the shape of this product is nice and precise. The texture of the lipstick is luscious and hydrating. The shade ‘Original’ is one to try – it’s the perfect shade of red wearable during the day and night. ‘La Journee’ is more of a neutral shade with a slight purple/pale pink tinge, adding a touch of colour to brighten up the face. At $19.95, it’s definitely worth trying.
- Ultimatte Matte Liquid Lipstick ($19.95)
This Zara-made formula masters longevity and has a suede/velvet-like texture with an intense matte finish. It’s available in various shades of reds, pinks, purples and nudes. Though matte, it is comfortable to wear as it is not drying, yet lasts for up to 16 hours. With Zara beauty’s refillable matte lipsticks, you’ll get more bang for your buck, and will be able to experiment with more colours without feeling guilty. The shade ‘Regal’ is an incredible, soft brown replicating the iconic 90s brown lip.
- Tinted Balm Lipstick ($23.95)
Want to add some pearlescent pigments to your lip colour? Add Zara’s tinted lip balm and you’ll get a glossy sheen. The range offers multiple shades of red, however the clear tinted balm makes your lips look luminous and feel fresh and ultra-hydrated. For an even smoother application, make sure to exfoliate your lipsticks first.
- Luminous Creamy Concealer ($19.95)
This concealer works exactly how it sounds – it provides both amazing medium-coverage and luminosity, for a gorgeous natural and flawless look. The creamy formula is super blendable, replicating the NARS Soft Matte Foundation. Note, that a little application goes a long way. At the moment, there are 36 shades of concealer to accommodate the nuances of varying skin colours. NARS’ foundation ranges from $45-$60, but at Zara beauty you’ll find an equally juicy formula for a fraction of the price.
- Face Palette ($35.95)
This is a trio set of blush and highlighters. The highlighter is subtle, creating the effect of ‘glowing from within’ rather than just sparkling with glitter. The bronzer compliments the complexion, as application gives the impression of a naturally sculpted face. The blush is a very close imitation to NARS’ ‘Orgasm’ shade, having the same iridescent flecks of gold shimmer. It also works very subtly, meaning that it doesn’t go from 0 to 100 right away. The powders have a deliciously crumbly texture so that they can stick to brushes and transfer seamlessly onto the face.
‘Orgasm’ by NARS is priced at around $45. However, at Zara, you’ll get similar results for cheaper at $25.95 for with this blush product.
- Eyeshadow Palette ($35.95)
With 5 eye-palettes and 9 duos to choose from, Zara Beauty has really gone far and beyond. While some shimmers may appear intimidating to use, they appear more muted on the eye. It imparts a creamy finish that looks iridescent and slightly opaque. This palette is ideal for those who want to experiment with colour, but want to work with an easy, versatile and effortless palette.
Try the ‘clash out’, ‘earthy warm’ and ‘till dawn’ palettes. They all have beautiful, nature-inspired shades with both timeless and striking colours that allow for experimentation.
They’re only $35.95, which means that that vibrant and intimidating shade that is so often incorporated into most makeup palettes can remain untouched.
- Metal Foil Loose Pigment ($19.95)
This multi-use product can be applied on the cheeks or lips for a touch of glitter – however, works super beautifully on the inner corners or middle of the eyelids. It’s high-concentrated, talc-free and blendable and tremendously electrifying. It’s a unique Zara beauty product that certainly knows how to make a statement, particularly at celebrations. Though only $19.95, your makeup looks will look professional and elevated.
