ZARA matte lipstick review

ZARA does lipsticks? That is what I thought when I spotted Tati doing a video with these a year ago. Only available online, I decided to throw a few shades into an order at some point. They do two ranges: what looks to be a liquid lipstick and a classic bullet lipstick. I went with the classic bullet lipstick as that is my preferred type of lipstick. I bought three shades: a nude, a fuchsia pink and an orange toned red. Let’s see what these ZARA lipsticks have in store.

Review: ZARA Ultimatte lipsticks 01, 07, 16

When it comes to lipsticks these are not exactly cheap, but they are also not super expensive. These lipsticks retail for €9.95 a pop. So it is more expensive than some drugstore lipsticks, but definitely cheaper than most high end brands. These fit nicely in that mid range price point and I feel that these are quite fairly price. The packaging feels heavy and quite luxurious as these havea magnetic closure and a very satisfying ‘snap’ when they close.

What do these lipsticks have to offer?

This lipstick comes in a matte finish and there is a variety of shades available. Whenever I want to try new lipstick ranges I try a nude, a bright shade and a red. So that is what I did with these as well. That way I feel I can try whether the range is consistent as different shades can perform differently as some colors are harder to make than others. I can tell you that this line is very consistent. Each of these three shades performed identical and have a lovely, longwearing matte finish that lasts very well. What I don’t like? The smell! These smell like super sweet, vanilla cake better and it is quite overwhelming. It dissipates quickly though, but it is the worst part of these lipsticks.

What are the shades like?

The three shades I picked up are: UM 01, UM 07 and UM 16. UM01 is a pink toned nude. It is not a universal nude that will go with everything, but one that is still quite flattering. Finding a good nude can be hard, but this line has several and I figured this would look prettiest on me. For a bright, I knew I wanted to own UM 07 which is a bright fuchsia. I have been wearing it in videos and it is such a fun shade that goes surprisingly well with a lot of looks. Finally, UM 16 is the shade I knew would work without even looking at it. An orange toned red is a great one for the summer time and this one is seriously bright. This is giving MAC’s Lady Danger a run for its money for sure!

What do these lipsticks swatch like?

The three lipsticks swatch beautifully! They go on opaque in one swipe and what amazed me most is how creamy they feel. They do dry down to stay put but not in an uncomfortable way at all. This is not the kind of dry down as a liquid lipstick: this stays feeling creamy on the lips. Since you only need one swipe, you only need a thin layer. These stain your lips too: after just a few minutes of wear these lipsticks just won’t come off without makeup remover. The matte texture means you do need to exfoliate your lips, especially with the nude shade, but these do not emphasize the lines of your lips and makes them look overly dry.

What do these lipsticks look like on my lips?

UM 01 is a great nude. It has a bit of depth to it which I like. This one feels driest of the three lipsticks. I have been wearing this lipstick mainly with some more intense eyelook as that is what this pairs with best. What I have found though is that wearing this lipstick requires some though. This is not a nude that you can slap on that looks with everything. It definitely has a very particular undertone, making it work with only certain colors.

UM 07 is a bright fuchsia that is much brighter in real life than I could make it look in this picture. My camera definitely makes this look darker than it is. This is not quite neon, but it is a stunning bright shade. Perfect for summer! That is exactly why I decided to review and properly try these lipsticks now. I have been wearing this quite a bit together with some green toned looks as I liked the juxtaposition of the green and the pink with my complexion.

UM 16 is an orange toned red and you know how I feel about reds. I put on a red and magic happens! Orange toned reds are some of my favorites to wear in the summer. This one is no different. This has been a great addition to an otherwise more neutral look. That way you can really take your look to the next level. This is fun, this is bright, this is longlasting: it has quickly become one of my favorite red lipsticks in my collection.

My final thoughts

I really enjoy these ZARA lipsticks. The shades are stunning, the formula is comfortable and longwearing and I think this is definitely worth the price point. What really puts me off using these more is the scent. It is so strong and while I love the shades, it really makes me not want to use these. Luckily, now that I forced myself to use these consistently all throughout this month I have found my with these and I’m okay. But still, such a strong scent is just not to my taste.

Would I recommend these lipsticks?

When it comes to the shades and the formula yes, but if you are like me and sensitive to smells, then I would recommend staying away. These literally smell like a kitchen in which you just made freshly baked cookies. Not my cup of tea, not what I want from a lipstick but luckily these lipstick have so much else going for them that I will reach for them again for sure.

What do you think of scented lipsticks?