It’s increasingly harder for new beauty brands to stand out in the 2020s. The market is quite saturated, so it’s all the more impressive when a skincare or make-up launch really takes off. This is me setting up a nice segue into talking about the best Merit Beauty products.
Founded by Katherine Power, who also launched skincare brand Versed and co-founded Who What Wear, Merit is described as “make-up you can live in"—think minimalist, wearable and luxurious. Beauty editors have been going wild for it since it arrived on UK shores at the start of 2023; it comes up in conversation with my peers at least once a month, and that’s a conservative estimate. What I’m trying to say is that, with news of new beauty product and brand launches hitting our inboxes every week, it really does mean something if the products are still being talked about almost a year after the initial launch.
The lip oil and eyeshadow are already on my radar, but I wanted to see how good the rest of the range is—so I put nearly every single product from the Merit Beauty line-up to the test. As a result of my little experiment, these are the ones I think are most worthy of make-up bag space.
Lucy wearing a full face of Merit Beauty
1. Merit Beauty Solo Eyeshadow Matte Eye Color
While the best eyeshadow palettes will always be popular and make great beauty gifts, the idea of streamlining your make-up bag with single eyeshadows in the shades you wear most often is proving more popular. Solo Shadows are brilliant. The cream-to-powder consistency is key; once you’ve blended it’ll stay in place fairly well (I’m yet to test it with eyeshadow primer, with which it should last even longer). I love the shade Midcentury, a warm brown that I’m wearing in the shot above.
2. Merit Beauty Flush Balm
I’ve waxed lyrical about the best liquid blushers but I’m also partial to a balm if the colour payoff is strong. It stays put fairly well though isn't the longest-lasting on my skin (which in Flush Balm’s defense is quite oily), however the shades are lovely and a little goes a long way for creating that flushed look that gives it its name. You’ll look super healthy and not like you’re obviously wearing a lot of blusher to give off that impression.
3. Merit Beauty Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil
I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that lip oil has overtaken gloss in popularity by some way (good ones appeal to people who hate the latter for its stickiness because they tend to have more of a wet feel). Shade Slick is easily one of the most popular Merit products. It’s comfortable to wear, moisturises well, isn’t at all tacky, works well alone or with lipstick and has a brilliant shade range. Winning on all counts.
4. Merit Beauty The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick
Think of this as a lightweight foundation stick (the brand describes it as being neither a foundation nor a concealer, but says it could replace both in your make-up bag). A little can be sheered out but the coverage builds well; I’d probably describe it as being medium overall—enough to even out the skin—and with the No.1 brush, it blends like a dream.
5. Merit Beauty Brush No.1
I wasn’t expecting to be as impressed by this unassuming brush as I am. It’s the right amount of fluffy and firm, plus it blends everything like a dream. Naturally it works well with The Minimalist formula, but it can sheer out more fluid bases as well as both blusher and bronzer for a completely even, diffused finish. I love it.
6. Merit Beauty Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick
Signature Lip is a great moisturising lipstick. The formula is quite balmy, so it’s definitely one you’ll want to carry with you to reapply. It does, however, build well for richer colour or can be blended for a more subtle blurred lip effect. The shades are also lovely—I love Tiger, a burnt brick shade, or Fashion, the berry pink I’m wearing above.
7. Merit Beauty Bronze Balm
Last but by no means least is Bronze Balm, a precise stick formula that, as is a theme with Merit, has great bendability and is very natural-looking. The shade range is good and the one I tested, Quince, doesn’t have any hint of orange to it (which I personally deem a must for the best bronzers for pale skin).
