As someone who embraces a low maintenance beauty routine and natural makeup look, I was immediately drawn to MERIT the second I heard about them. It’s a makeup brand made to simplify getting ready by selling a well-edited product line of beauty products. MERIT has been on my “beauty brands to try list” for a while now, and several of my friends rave about their stuff, so I was excited to finally get my hands on several MERIT products and try them for myself.
Over several months of testing a handful of MERIT’S products have become a part of my everyday beauty routine. Here are my honest thoughts on MERIT and the products I love—and don’t love. Read on for my MERIT beauty review.
Several of these products were gifted to me, but all thoughts in this review are my own.
Merit Makeup Review
About Merit Beauty
Although MERIT is relatively new to the beauty industry (it was founded in 2021), its founder is no stranger to successful business. MERIT is a clean beauty brand founded and owned by Katherine Power (who also founded Versed skincare, Who What Wear, and Avaline wine). The tagline is, “This is makeup you can live in,” and MERIT prides itself on being a minimalist beauty brand creating well-curated, easy to apply essentials for your everyday makeup routine.
Merit Ingredients
MERIT beauty products contain both natural and synthetic chemicals, but they’re all formulated without Sulfates, Phthalates, Parabens, Formaldehydes or formaldehyde-releasers, Oxybenzone, Octinoxate, Hydroquinone, Talc, Coal tar, or Mineral oil. They are also a vegan and cruelty-free brand, and certified by Leaping Bunny.
Where is Merit Makeup Made?
MERIT makes all its beauty formulas in the United States., South Korea or Italy, and all makeup brushes are produced in China.
The Best Merit Beauty Products
The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 45
Girlies looking for a tinted moisturizer with sun protection, rejoice! You will love The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 45.
This mineral-based formula isn’t just your regular tinted sunscreen. It goes on and feels like a tinted moisturizer, with no icky SPF feel or scent, all while providing the added benefit of UVA/UBV protection. And unlike other tinted SPFs with limited colors, MERIT offers The Uniform in a variety of shades, just like traditional complexion products.
The Uniform is a light, buildable formula, so you can use as little or as much as you want to get the desired coverage. It also contains natural powders, which gives the skin an instant, almost filter-like blur.
This isn’t too matte or too dewy, which I was worried about since I have combo skin. The result is a pretty, healthy glow. I have really loved this product, and a couple of small pumps is more than enough for my desired coverage.
Shop Merit Beauty
The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick
Touted as neither a foundation nor concealer, The Minimalist complexion stick has quickly become a go-to for quickly covering up blemishes and one of my favorite products from MERIT.
This is truly an example of what the makeup brand means when they say they craft impossible-to-mess-up products.
On days where I’m looking to wear little to no makeup, I grab this stick, give it a swipe on areas of my skin where I want to even my complexion and blend. Although MERIT does have a blending brush (Brush No. 1), I prefer to use my fingers on complexion products. There’s something about the tactile component to applying creams and tinted products that I personally prefer.
I’m not one for heavy foundations, especially in stick form, so I was skeptical about The Minimalist at first. However, I’m happy to report that this formula is nothing like the MAC foundation sticks I weirdly obsessed over in high school. Instead, this provides light to medium coverage that blends easily and seamlessly into the skin.
I occasionally wear this under my eyes when I’m being lazy, but after a full day of wear it always creases a little, so I prefer to stick to this concealer instead.
I wear the color Sand, and it’s the perfect match for my olive complexion.
Flush Balm Cheek Color
Flush Balm is a cream blush and is definitely my most used product from the makeup brand. It’s small enough to comfortably fit in your fingertips, and the rounded shape makes this cream blush easy to to quickly dab on your cheekbones in less than 30 seconds.
MERIT makes several Flush Balm cheek colors, including classic pinks and nudes, as well as brighter hues. I’ve only tried one color from the MERIT blush collection (Le Bonbon), and although it’s very bright in the packaging, it leaves you with a really pretty punchy pop of color that still looks natural.
Most of my blushes are powder formulas, but MERIT’S Flush Balm is one of my favorite cream blushes along with Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks blush and Jones Road Lip and Cheek Stick. It’s easy to apply and blend, and gives my cheeks the perfect kiss of natural-looking color.
My only complaint about the Flush Balm cream blush isn’t the formula, but the packaging. It’s made from 43% recycled plastic and very lightweight to hold, this somehow makes the blush feel less luxurious and cheaper than the other items in MERIT’S product line.
Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil
Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil comes in three finishes, and some colors are more opaque and buildable while others are more sheer like a traditional tinted lip gloss.
This has been in my purse for the last few months and I find that I do keep reaching for it when I want a little color. I will say that though when it comes to hydration, I still find myself reaching for Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm. However, compared to Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil, I prefer the Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil from MERIT. It seems less drying on my already naturally dry lips and I like the subtle wash of color without needing a lipstick.
All of the shades are natural, no makeup makeup colors, so if you’re looking for a saturated hue you won’t find it with the gloss. MERIT does, however, make traditional lipstick if you want more color. There are some really beautiful reds that caught my eye!
Overall, Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil gets an honorable mention in MERIT’S lineup, and worth the buy if you’re already purchasing other beauty products from them. It’s one of those solid lip products always in my purse that I reach for often, but it’s not necessarily a holy grail item.
Signature Lip Liner
I’m really not a lip liner girl, and only use it when I’m wearing my go-to red lipstick. Even then, I will only apply lip liner when I’m looking for a very crisp, defined lip. Otherwise, I feel like lip liner is an extra step that to me, doesn’t have a super huge payoff.
MERIT’S Signature Lip Liner has rave reviews and has sold out more than once. And although I’ve used it and have found that it does glide on extremely smooth and feels creamier than traditional pencil liners, this isn’t a product that I personally need in my everyday makeup routine. It’s also important to note that if you are looking for a traditional pencil with major staying power, this is likely not going to be the lip liner for you; the formula is gel-based and feels more like a creamy lipstick.
Great Skin Instant Glow Serum
Great Skin Instant Glow Serum is a product that I really wanted to love, but I’m not sure it’s for my skin type. If you have dry or more mature skin, then you may love it. Oily skin types may want to avoid this.
I have combination skin and tend to get oily in my T-zone and on my cheeks, so I found that although I loved how the formula felt in my hands, it wasn’t as pleasing to me once it was on my face. My skin is also very sensitive to oils and serums, and after a few wears I felt like my skin felt congested and a little bumpy. I’ve experienced this with many brands (including a Chanel foundation!), so it’s definitely more about a mystery ingredient I have yet to find that irritates me and less about the product itself.
I found Great Skin Instant Glow Serum to be fragrance-free and it does apply nicely to the skin. It’s hydrating and almost velvety, and the formula feels luxurious, as does the packaging. But be sure to shake the bottle well otherwise it feels oily.
The pump, however, could use an upgrade. In order to not spill it everywhere you have to turn the bottle completely horizontal with the tip down and pump it into your hand, otherwise the serum will spill down the bottle and get everywhere.
My Merit Favorites
Flush Balm
The Minimalist
The Uniform
Overall Impressions: Is Merit Makeup Worth It?
If you’re looking to streamline your everyday makeup routine with a curated edit of simple, easy to apply products, I think you’ll enjoy MERIT.
The packaging is clean and to the point, just like the products, and I really appreciate MERIT is a makeup brand looking to help simplify getting ready with everyday neutrals that work for a variety of skin tones.
The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 45 and The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick are both A+ complexion products, and these formulas feel the most luxurious of MERIT’S assortment. I use them together when I’m looking for fuller coverage, and have been using The Minimalist for months as a concealer over blemishes.
I was instantly hooked the moment I applied Flush Balm cream blush. I love this cream blush; it’s compact and easy to apply. You can even keep it in your purse if you wanted because it’s so compact. I will gladly spend my own money on more colors over time.
Other than the Great Skin Instant Glow Serum not working on my temperamentally sensitive skin, I have enjoyed MERIT’S formulas and do find them to feel nice, light, and never heavy.
MERIT has carved out a unique space for itself in the beauty industry; more elevated than drugstore brands, yet not ultra-luxury like Chanel or Armani Beauty.
Although I find other clean luxury makeup brands like Westman Atelier and Hourglass Cosmetics to have more substantial packaging and their formulas that feels just a smidge more indulgent, MERIT may have found their sweet spot at a price point just below that. They’ve made luxury beauty more approachable and affordable, and it’s a brand that feels more elevated than a drugstore or trend-driven makeup brand.
For the woman looking to enhance her natural beauty with quality, minimal products and who doesn’t want to be overwhelmed by shades, MERIT delivers. If you want full makeup with a ton of glam, this isn’t the brand for you.
Where to Buy Merit Makeup
MERIT is currently sold through its own website and at Sephora, but I highly recommend shopping the MERIT website because it had lots of helpful information and a couple extra exclusive perks.
The MERIT website is extremely user-friendly, and you can toggle and scroll between faces or swatches, and compare colors on nearly every product to really see the shades in action.
If you’re looking to buy more than one product or create a MERIT beauty routine, you can save with set pricing, which is only available at meritbeauty.com.
And lastly, MERIT offers a a chic, washable makeup bag with your first order.
Have you tried MERIT before? I’d love to know your favorite products!
