Merit Is the Best-Kept Secret in the Beauty World, and the Entire Line Is on Sale for the First Time Ever
Courtesy/InStyle
Some brands have a hero product that finds overnight success somewhere like TikTok. Then there are those that are less immediately viral but find a loyal fanbase dedicated to the entire range, rather than a single product. Merit Beauty is in the latter category, and the brand is having its first sitewide sale for Black Friday and Cyber Monday from November 24 to November 29.
The come up hasn't exactly been slow, as the brand launched this year with the seven products that still make up the entire range. As a beauty editor, I was skeptical when I heard about the launch of yet another beauty brand, but then my industry friends began to ask me if I'd tried the Merit stuff yet For people so jaded and inundated with makeup and skincare products, the repeat mentions piqued my curiosity.
The first three products I received and tested out were The Minimalist (a foundation-concealer hybrid), Shade Slick (a tinted lip oil), and Day Glow (a highlighting balm). I was immediately transfixed by the way the products blended into my skin like butter. Merit works for me the way I wish Glossier did — it's streamlined, effortless makeup for the beauty enthusiasts and bare-faced alike.
Since the January 2021 launch, there have been few discounts or sales , usually on specific bundles. For Black Friday, however, Merit Beauty is having its first sale that includes every. single. product. I am not advocating panic shopping, but I do want to warn that some shades often sell out. (I've been one 15,000 customers on the waitlist for certain shades of Flush Balm. Do with that information what you will.) While the Black Friday sale begins on November 26, you can shop the sale two days early with code EARLYACCESS. Find my guide to Merit's Black Friday sale below.
The Minimalist
Shop now: $30 (Originally $38); meritbeauty.com
I like foundations, but I don't usually care for concealers. Merit's Minimalist stick is posited as a hybrid of the two, and it's phenomenal. It works just as well over my entire face as it does for spot treating areas of discoloration — something I have never encountered with another complexion product.
Shade Slick
Shop now: $19 (Originally $24); meritbeauty.com
I am famously picky when it comes to tinted lip products. A lifetime of being brown in an industry that prioritizes whiteness will do that to you. But I have gone on record before, and will say again, that Shade Slick is divine. The texture is so super hydrating and silky, not like a gloss at all. My go-to shades are Bel Air (clear), Cara Cara (burnt orange-red), Pink Beet (rosy mauve pink), and Sangria (light berry).
Clean Lash
Shop now: $21 (Originally $26); meritbeauty.com
So much can go wrong with a mascara, but this one does everything right. It goes on seamlessly, with no clumpiness or bunching of the eyelashes. While not for people who want big, fake-looking lashes, it is great for a quick swipe before running out of the house. I wore Clean Lash during New York City's hot and disgustingly humid summer and found it to be one of the least smudgeable mascaras.
Flush Balm
Shop now: $22 (Originally $28); meritbeauty.com
I urge you to be decisive when it comes to the Flush Balm. They sold out SO quickly the first time, and I waited months for them to return to the internet. Cream blush can be scary, but this one is fool-proof — dab it onto the cheeks and blend out with fingertips.
Day Glow
Shop now: $24 (Originally $30); meritbeauty.com
Highlighters have gone through an evolution, and there are so many amazing, light-catching options, of which Day Glow is at the top of the list. It goes on so smoothly and seamlessly that I sometimes do not even have to blend it?! This is the only face product I've ever tried that I can say that about.
I myself am going to stock up on another Minimalist foundation and Shade Slick in Sangria. Shop the Black Friday sale to see why beauty editors, myself included, are obsessed with Merit Beauty. Don't forget to use the code EARLYACCESS to shop the sale two days early on November 24.
