Founded in 2021 by Katherine Power (who also co-founded affordable skin-care line Versed and Who What Wear), Merit Beauty was born out of the idea that people want simple, easy to use makeup that looks like they aren’t wearing anything at all. Since it launched stateside in January of this year, celebs including Mandy Moore and Bella Hadid have been queueing up to try it.
They’re EU-Compliant, Paraben-Free, Sulfate-Free and have no Artificial Fragrance. They partnered with celebrity master esthetician Biba De Sousa to ensure the products are good for all skin types and have no ingredients that would cause breakouts. They’ve also worked to eliminate as much virgin plastic from their packaging as possible which I love.
All of their products are formulated to be vegan and cruelty-free, and they’re Leaping Bunny certified. They’re also gluten-free and dermatologist tested, which is a huge plus.
While most of the products are clean and meet the strict standards set by Merit, a few don’t meet my personal criteria for being truly clean. These include the Brow 1980 Volumizing Pomade, Clean Lash Lengthening Mascara and Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil. The Brow 1980 contains phenoxyethanol, trideceth and chloroxylenol. Chloroxylenol is linked to dermatitis and post-inflammatory depigmentation and the acrylates found in these products are derived from phthlates which are known to release benzene which can be absorbed through the skin, causing respiratory and reproductive problems. The phthlates in these products are also a synthetic form of styrene which is linked to liver cancer and nervous system damage. The phthlates in the lip oil are also linked to gastrointestinal issues, rashes and allergic reactions. Merit Beauty Review