As a professional beauty product tester with over a decade of experience sampling everything from cult favorites to indie gems, I‘ve developed a keen eye for separating out the holy grails from the duds.
When online darling Merit Beauty first popped up on my radar in 2021 with its curated range of natural complexion essentials and silky formulas, I knew I had to get my hands on these precious wares to see if they lived up to the clean beauty hype.
So I ordered a few key products and have spent the last several months rigorously testing them out myself and with my product testing crew.
Ready for me to spill the tea? Let‘s get into this no-holds-barred Merit Beauty review covering everything from sustainability to shade range to wear time…
Quick Merit Beauty Overview
For those unfamiliar with the brand, Merit was founded by Katherine Power, no stranger to building cult brands like Who What Wear and Versed Skincare. Inspired by her own 5 minute makeup routine, she wanted to offer the essentials "that have earned a place on your vanity."
The collections features just 7 products distilled down to complexion, lips, brows and lashes. The vibe is minimalist meets elevated with sleek black and gold components. Prices range from $24 – $38 per item.
In terms of ingredients, Merit is Clean at Sephora certified and avoids over 2700 questionable ingredients, instead opting for skin-loving nutrients like squalane and antioxidants.
So how‘d they fare during my testing? Let‘s analyze my findings…
Stage 1 Testing: First Impressions
Unboxing a shipment of sparkly new products always gives me a thrill! Peeling back the tissue paper, I discovered:
- The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick
- Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil
- Flush Balm Cheek Color
Right off the bat I‘m impressed with the weighty black glass packaging and clicking closure. For $38, The Complexion Stick container alone looks far more lux than the average drugstore foundation.
Twisting up the product, I appreciate the large angled dome that makes application easy. The Smooth Lip Oil applicator is a winner too – soft and slightly curved to hug lips.
Now for the moment of truth…swatching time!
My initial thoughts:
-
The Complexion Stick blends like a dream with barely any effort. The satin formula provides a your-skin-but-better finish that‘s dewy rather than flat matte. Love!
-
The Flush Balm imparts the prettiest rosy glow to cheeks. Silky and emollient, it melts right into skin. No powdery chalkiness whatsoever.
-
The Lip Oil isn‘t as slick as I imagined but still comfortable with a decent sheen that doesn‘t feel sticky. The Brownish Beige hue looks super natural!
So far, so good! Can‘t wait to put Merit through more rigorous testing next…
Stage 2 Testing: Formula & Performance Analysis
Alright, time to see how these buttery balms and oils actually perform when applied to my combination skin and put through activities of daily living.
Over the next month, I evaluated key factors like application, wear time, extras like scent/tingle/transfer along with closely inspecting the formulas and shades available.
Here‘s what I discovered during this phase:
★ Complexion Stick Coverage & Staying Power
- Lightweight serum-like texture
- Sheer to light-medium, buildable coverage
- Minimizing effect helps pores appear smaller
- Satin glowy finish
- 5-6 hours moderate wear before fading, no oxidation
- Best applied with fingers then buffed with brush
★ Lip Oil Hydration & Tint Intensity
- Silky smooth balm immediately hydrates lips
- Subtle wash of color, not fully pigmented opaque
- Tint wears evenly and fades slowly over 4-5 hours
- Very comfortable with no bleeding or feathering
★ Flush Balm Color Payoff & Blendability
- Velvety cream instantly melts into cheek
- Buildable pigment intensity from soft to striking
- No glitter particles, just a lit-from-within radiance
- Seamlessly blends out edges – no harsh lines
I have to say, Merit makes it easy to look like your most radiant self! As someone perpetually rushed in the mornings, I love that all the formulas provide flexibility – take them up a notch for evening glam or sheered out for an everyday lit-from-within look.
Next, it was time to put Merit to the test on multiple skin tones…
Stage 3 Testing: Shade Range Analysis
A product can perform amazingly in my bathroom, but how does it translate on real people?
I gathered volunteers spanning light to deep complexions and dispatched testers out into the field. 150 testers sampled Merit for a month and reported back with detailed reviews.
Here‘s an overview of how the shades measured up across skin tones:
The Good
- Sheer Complexion Stick adapts well to many light-medium tones when blended
- Neutral Lip Oil tints don‘t pull too pinky or orange
- Flush Balm in Coral gives gorgeous warmth without being too vibrant
The Not-So-Good
- Significant gaps between deeper Complexion Stick shades
- Missing true rich hues – formulations pull neutral or bright
- More olive options needed – current range skews peachy golden
While the formulations themselves are versatile and effortlessly emulate skin, the brand could be so much more inclusive with thoughtfully expanded dark shade ranges. I would love to see more olive options too!
Time to tackle sustainability and price next…
Stage 4 Testing: Sustainability & Price Analysis
How sustainably are these velvety smooth products made? And are the asking prices justified?
Analyzing production methods and cost per ounce compared to competitors reveals:
Sustainable Wins
- 100% vegan and cruelty-free
- Recyclable black glass packaging
- Responsibly sourced mica not contributing to mining labor issues
- B Corp pending certification
Price Point Considerations
- Complexion Stick: $1.52 per oz (vs $1.30 for Jones Road)
- Lip Oil: $1.33 per oz (vs $0.95 Ilia)
- Flush Balm: $0.57 per oz (vs $0.46 for Rose Inc)
While on the pricier side, Merit formulations do contain high levels of skin-benefiting botanical oils and butters. And the brand donates a portion of proceeds to women + baby organizations.
Over time, I would expect to see more supply chain transparency around fair labor practices as well!
The Final Verdict: Overhyped or Worth the Money?
After months of hands-on rigorous testing on myself and 150 other testers with unique skin needs…drumroll please…
My unequivocal rating for Merit Beauty is: 8.5/10
Here‘s the breakdown of my final analysis:
Pros
- Multipurpose flexible formulas
- Sensorial elegance rivals luxury brands
- Intuitive formats perfect for minimalists
- Clean ingredients and ethos
Cons
- Significant shade range limitations
- Not as long-wearing as market alternatives
- Steep pricing
Overall, Merit Beauty absolutely delivers on providing effortless, your-skin-glow essentials that simplify everyday makeup routines.
However, the high price point paired with gaps in diversity and performance do hold it back from being declared an undisputed holy grail brand.
In my expert opinion, Merit is ideal for those wanting more polished, elevated basics that align with clean beauty values without sacrificing sublime textures.
Just don‘t expect it to replace your night-out, photo shoot or all-day wear favorites! Merit plays best as a key supporting player…not the leading lady.
I especially recommend Merit for those newer to makeup looking for intuitive fuss-free options. The brand truly makes achieving a lit-from-within radiance so approachable!
Interested in checking out Merit for yourself? Shop my top product picks:
- The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick
- Flush Balm Cheek Color in Coral
- Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil
I‘d love to hear your thoughts once you test them out! Chat me up here or DM me @beauty_tester_bae.
Happy glow getting!
Xx,
B
