ZERO: Review on the Most Controversial Palette Ever!

This palette is probably the most controversial one out there.
I’ve been using the Zero Makeup Palette by Nabila for over 5 years now. 5 years is a long time to stay loyal to a product.

Is it worthy of getting a spot in your makeup stash or not?  Read along to find out.

Packaging

Alright, first things first. Let’s talk about the packaging. This palette is nicely square-shaped, very compact in design. It is a sterling reflective grey colour and feels luxe and sturdy too. For reference, it is the size of your palm. Once you open the lid you see a nice mirror stuck inside which comes in quite handy, especially when you’re on the go. The four cream products in the palette are protected from drying out and bacteria from harbouring by a plastic sheet. The plastic is printed showing you what is what. You need to peel it off to reveal the actual product. But hang on. Wait for the actual surprise. When you lift the cream palette, there’s a compact powder with a pouffe that awaits you.

Read about Pakistani Beauty Brands that are worth every penny here.

Pigmentation and Texture

FYI: I have a medium complexion with golden/deep yellow undertones. NC-42 in Mac, for reference. The shades I use are CREME in winter and HONEY in summer, for when I get a tan.

Find out what your shade is by clicking here.

This palette consists of a concealer, blender, a blusher, lip stain and pressed powder.

Concealer/Corrector

This stuff is my absolute favourite from the palette. It is basically a concealer and a colour-corrector, all in one. The colour corrector tends to be more of a deeper orange. This orange cancels the purple/blue hues in your hyperpigmented areas. Perfect for panda eyes. The slight hyperpigmentation on my face (under my eyes, around my mouth and tan lines down my cheekbones) gets neutralized effortlessly. This gets the job done beautifully. But because this stuff is so highly pigmented and so high coverage, it only has to be used a little. A thin layer tends to do a good job. It is thick, but not too thick that it looks cakey or gunky on your face. The texture is soft and creamy and is best applied with your fingers, as suggested by Nabila. This has to be my favourite item from the entire palette.

Foundation/Blender:

An okay-ish foundation. Not something that sweeps me off my feet. The texture is creamy and emollient and applies nicely to the skin. A little goes a long way, especially if you use it for school, work or college. But if you wanna rock it at a party or a wedding, you can absolutely do it. It gives a semi-dewy finish and is pretty buildable. It is light to medium coverage and is HD, which means that does not give flash-back in pictures which makes it photography-friendly too. However, the thing that bugs people the most is its quantity. Foundation is everyone’s most used product. I have already hit pan in the foundation compartment. Now I would have to buy another palette, just for the foundation and that would mean the contents of my older palette get wasted.

Cream Blush

I think this compliments golden skin beautifully. I have no issues with the colour of this stuff. Just the right pigmentation and blends like butter!
It’s buildable and looks pretty on the skin, even without foundation underneath.

Lip Stain

See, I have no issues with the colours and shades of these things. The concept behind this palette is to provide you with complementary colours for your skin tone. I think they are spot-on. And once you have this on, you look like you’ve eaten a bowl of red berries. Which I appreciate with all my heart. The issue is with the formulation. The lipstick is a perfect shade for a “my lips but better” kind of look. The problem is that it smells really bad: like old lipstick. The nail to the coffin is that I started to experience this rancidity exactly a month after I started using it. It has a satin finish on the lips but leans more to the glossier side. Blot your lips with tissue paper to give it a lived-in kind of an effect.

Compact Powder:

Hands down, one of the best powders out there. A blot of this really ties the look of your face together. It is one of the butteriest and the most finely milled powder I have ever used. It sets your face, gives you an ample amount of coverage and leaves your skin looking poreless and flawless. Love this stuff!

Longevity:

The concealer tends to crease under the eyes after 3-4 hours even when set with the powder. The rest of the face looks okay even after 5-6 hours. However, your oil glands do show their activity and there are chances you may want to blot again during the day with the compact. Being touch-up friendly is the entire point of this stuff. The compact is not translucent, so remember that a lot of it may give you a cakey appearance. The blush doesn’t wear off completely so that’s a plus. And the whole and sole reason, I hate the lipstick is that it doesn’t stay on the lips for even one straight hour, without you even eating or drinking anything. It just DOESN’T stay!

Availability

This palette retails for PKR 5900. I do think that it is a little bit on the pricier side but it lasts you a pretty long time. Its price point is what stirs the most controversy. I don’t think I can justify it but it’s a stellar product for what it claims.

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Would I recommend it?

Absolutely! If you’re a deeper skin tone, you know the struggles of finding your perfect match. I literally endorse this product anywhere I go. I literally get asked by people how flawless, yet natural my skin looks. That’s the point of it. It’s ideal for a no-makeup makeup look.

I’d give it a 4/5.

Disclaimer: These thoughts are my own. This review is 100% honest and is not sponsored by any third party.