October 1, 2010

Zoe & Zac Naturals Island Dunes Eye and Lip Palette Review, Swatches, Photos

Honestly, makeup essentials at Payless is a surprisingly interesting adventure. I headed into store to take a peek out of morbid curiosity and left with a few little items to check out and review here.

If you didn’t already know Payless has launched two exclusive collections in stores one of which is the Zoe & Zac Naturals Makeup Collection. I hauled one palette from the brand and decided to use it this morning.

What did I think?

Jump ahead for it.


A natural, nude selection of eye shadows and lip creams.

This features three eyeshadows and three lip creams in a flip top cardboard box for $9.99. The shades all range in the realms of a more nude, natural look for Fall. You get two shimmering shades of shadow one of which can be an easy dupe for Urban Decay Smog and one golden cream plus a matte richer chocolate brown. Obviously the cream is used to highlight, the smoky, brown Smog dupe is used all over the lid, and the matte brown is used to line with. The shadows are surprisingly decent quality with very good color pay off and a formula that’s silky and blends easily. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about the shadows in the palette, they are honestly very good quality and not bad at all. They apply perfect and wear well without creasing and/or fading with proper prepping and priming.

If you’re looking for a nice, simple, easy to apply Fall look, the shadows in this palette will easily do the trick!


This comes housed in somewhat flimsy flip top cardboard box. Packaging wise it’s cute but a little shabby and not suitable for proper storage of the items inside considering air easily gets in which will cause the lip products to harden, etc….but not really much to worry about in the case of the lip products anyway as they are awful. The texture is hard, lacks pigmentation, and are too difficult to apply overall. Formula is that of really cheap quality makeup sadly.

Price wise, at $9.99 (I paid $5 since I purchased a fragrance as well and Payless has a BOGO offer), I do think this ranges a little too high. At $5 I’m not wincing too much but if I paid $10 bucks I’d be ranting a heck of alot more!

  • Anyone looking for a simple, easy to apply Fall eye look (the shadows are super for creating a nice, warm look for the cool weather).
  • Anyone on a beauty budget.

  • Anyone who simply is NOT into cheaper makeup (Makeup Snobs, don’t bother!).
  • Anyone unwilling to use half a palette (you’ll get plenty of use from the shadows, but the lipsticks, not so much in my opinion due to the crummy formula).


I’d probably be raving all the way home about this palette if it included six shadows of shadow rather than three. The lip products are utterly awful and useless which makes the palette a complete bust even though it houses three very decent quality shadows with a rather great formula. It would be an ideal palette selection for those on a budget if they either 1. sold it as a trio (shadows only) or 2. sold it as six shadow palette sans the lip creams.

At the sale price of $5 I still feel like I was ripped off since I’m making use of only 50% of the total palette and at $10, if I paid retail, I’d be ranting really hard about now.

A very nice palette that needs alot of work.

Great shadows Zoe & Zac, just work on the lipstick formula and you could be golden.

Anyone try any of the new Payless Beauty Collection?

Do Share!

Check out other pieces of the collection by clicking here.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Kristina

    I still think it’s wierd that Payless SHOESOURCE sells things like watches. I refuse to adjust myself to the idea that they have makeup. When I walked by I told myself there was nothing there. 🙂

    • the Muse

      Kristina it’s STRANGE walking into a shoe store and seeing watches and makeup :P!

  • Comrade_Garlic

    I was expecting worse. At least it looks like the shadows have some pigment. You are brave!

    • the Muse

      ha comrade ;-D brave indeed. NOT bad shadows tbh but lip creams are total FAIL

  • Charmaine

    Great review, Iz, fank yew! I’ve gotta trot myself to the OTHER mall that’s right down the street from us [okay, it’s about 1.5 miles, but that’s walking distance!], see if they have the stuff in stock *still hoping hoping hoping*

    sux about the lip junk, and ITA they shoulda made it a 6 shadow or a 3 shadow. Personally, I don’t much care for lippies in palettes, ESPECIALLY not when they’re in with powder MU! They get powdery bits in them, so messy and yucky! lol
    Plus you can’t put them in your pocket [or purse, something I don’t use], so that’s another con for me.
    The shadows look really nice, the Smog dupe looks great with those beautiful eyes you got:-)

    • the Muse

      you’re most welcome char ;-D agreed dude. Totally hated the cream lip stuff grossness. agreed makes a bit fat mess 😛 aw thanks xoxoxo I loves ya!

  • sillylilacs

    I haven’t seen these at my local Payless yet…but WOW! 10$?!? =|

    • Charmaine

      I checked them out not too long ago, but still on the fence. How’s the “aftersmell”? I HATE the lingering cheese smell that the body creams from ELF leave on me [normally I adore ELF stuff], so I’m hesitant to try these. Who the heck wants to walk around smelling like a wheel of brie? Not I, said the chubby Asian hen, lmao