Embarking on the Journey to Clean Beauty
Everyone is into clean beauty. And for a good reason.
Clean beauty is gaining popularity due to its focus on safer, environmentally friendly products with transparent ingredients, aligning with ethical values and delivering effective results.
I started my search for clean beauty, long before I realized it fully.
The first clean beauty company I fell in love with was Summer Fridays. We will definitely talk about my favorite products from them soon.
But I was planning my 30th birthday trip to London last year and was in desperate need for new makeup.
I knew that the makeup choice I was going to make needed to be a clean one.
I've been making cleaner choices in my day to day life like my household cleaning supplies, my water, my food, so why wouldn't my makeup be clean too?
After much research and hearing lots of buzz about it, I decided it was time to take the plunge on Merit.
Their slogan is "impossible to mess up products designed to meet the reality of your daily routine – this is makeup you can live in." and that's exactly what I needed.
I'm not a makeup girl. I rarely wear it, to be honest.
I mainly just wear my skincare products and tinted sunscreen every day.
But for my 30th birthday and entering my thirties, I was looking for something that fit the bill and something that I could really cherish.
Merit makes makeup easy.
I get overwhelmed when I see these beautiful girls on Instagram reels and TikTok just layering and layering on the makeup. It all seems so confusing to me.
Discovering Merit: A Makeup Revelation
But after a deep dive on Merit's site I knew it was perfect for my needs.
I highly recommend purchasing from them directly because with your first purchase you get their Signature Bag for free. I've directly my friends to purchase from them instead of Sephora for this sole reason. Well, and I always support direct purchases. I think it's best for customer service, loyalty programs, promos and deals, authenticity, easier returns and exchanges and just to support the company.
Here is the Signature Bag!
When you buy directly, more of your money goes to the company, supporting its growth, innovation, and the ability to provide better products and services in the future.
Also, when you buy directly from Merit's site, you get can purchase sets and save more.
The Radiance of Flush Balm: Merit's Signature Blush
Let's talk about my all time favorite Merit product… The Flush Balm (blush)!
I was on a girls trip when I first found and tried this blush and it quite literally took my breath away.
It's a "creamy tint that melts into skin for lit-from-within color that stays flush all day".
My all time favorite color is the Stockholm (baby pink). I wear this almost every day. It's that perfect subtle pink on skin that gives me that glow to really look alive.
Close seconds for me is Beverly Hills (soft peach) that sometimes suits my outfit/look a bit better. Especially when I'm dressing up for a fancier event. And if I'm picking a third, it's Cheeky (cool pink), that is oh so chic as well.
Flush Balm in Stockholm: Shop Here
Bronze Balm: Merit's Effortless Bronzer is Truly Effortless
My next favorite product from Merit has to be the Bronze Balm. It's viral. I see everyone talking about this on TikTok. It's a sheer bronzer that is "the easiest bronzer ever. a sheer, buildable formula that gives a wash of natural warmth and depth."
I didn't know how to "do" bronzer. Until I met my match with the Bronze Balm.
It's literal perfection.
I swipe it around my forehead, sides of my eyes, sides of my nose and my jawline and it just gives me this dewy chiseled look. It's too easy.
My favorite shades are "Seine" for a medium minimalist shade and when I'm feeling tanner, and "Clay" for light minimalist shades and when I'm feeling slightly paler.
Bronze Balm in Seine: Shop Here
Illuminating Your Look with Merit's Highlighter
Then I love the Day Glow highlighting balm. It's "made for daytime, this highlighter gives a dewy, balmy sheen with zero sparkle." Ugh I put this on my cheeks, my cupids bow (middle upper lip), and sometimes my eyelids a little too.
I literally glow. You will too.
Favorite shades: Bounce which is a rose gold, and Cava which is a champagne color.
Day Glow in Bounce: Shop Here
The Minimalist: Perfecting Complexion with Merit's Innovative Two-For-One Stick
Omg and how could I forget The Minimalist. It's the "Perfecting Complexion Stick". It's not foundation or a concealer, but it'll replace both in your makeup bag.
You may have seen a reel or TikTok for this too about the perfect concealer for a Zoom because your pimples literally disappear.
Mine completely vanish away into oblivion. My skin looks like silk when I do a full face with this too. Which is possible but just doing a few swipes then melting it all into your skin cells with the "Brush No.1" the perfect blending brush.
Favorite shades for my skin tone is Ecru which is a light shade with peach undertones for when I'm paler, and Sand which is a medium shade with yellow undertones for when I'm tanner.
They have this amazing shade finder that will help you figure out what shade is best for you! What you can also do is go into Sephora to try on the makeup first and then purchase everything online - which is what I did.
I find that these two shades are perfect for my Merit starting kit, but I do what more so that I can play with some blending when I'm in-between pale and tan.
Whatever you do though, get the brush. It'll change your life and you'll probably use it with your other makeup as well.
The Minimalist in Sand: Shop Here
Brush No. 1: Shop Here
Kiss Your Worries Behind with Merit's Lightweight Lipstick
I also have a few of their Signature Lip lightweight lipstick, and think they're great, I just rarely wear lipstick. But when I do, I love their Cabo for a soft red orangey color, their Baby for a neutral pink and Slip for a warm neutral.
Just talking about all this makeup is just making me want more.
While I love their "Great Skin" instant glow serum, I don't know if I would buy it again. This is because I typically already have so many skincare products on my face before I start my makeup.
I also wasn't the biggest fan of their Clean Lash lengthening mascara or their Brow 1980 volumizing pomade, but that's because I already have mascara that I would die for and a brow tinter that's been my go-to for years and years.
But doesn't mean they're not great, I just have favorites from Merit that I love more and would buy over and over again.
Signature Lip in Cabo: Shop Here
Merit Just Makes Sense
I highly recommend checking out their sets because if you're interested in a few products, it's a great way to save: Shop Here.
Life is busy enough and your makeup shouldn't have to take forever, with Merit it takes me less than two minutes most days to put it on. We also have so many toxins that our body is constantly combatting and your makeup shouldn't be something that makes you feel beautiful on the outside but is hurting your body on the inside.
I am a huge fan of Merit and their vision for their company.
I'm definitely looking forward to more coming from them. They always have new shades and beauty products coming out and I'm so thrilled to see a clean beauty company doing so well.
Embracing Effortless Beauty with Merit
You will feel like beautiful dewy angel in their makeup, I promise you.
Email me if you'd like 10% off your first purchase of $50, and I'll plug in your email address directly to save on Merit's website!
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