MERIT (often stylised as MERIT) is an American beauty brand established in 2021 by entrepreneur Katherine Power. The label is distinguished by a minimalist makeup philosophy centred on a concise, curated collection of user-friendly products designed to achieve a polished everyday look in approximately five minutes.[1][2] Rather than adhering to traditional beauty models characterised by extensive product ranges, complex application techniques and rapid trend cycles, MERIT positions itself around the concept of “beauty with intention”, advocating for versatility and efficiency through fewer, multifunctional items.[2]

Although headquartered in Los Angeles, MERIT now maintains teams in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, London and Paris, reflecting its evolution from a United States-based direct-to-consumer startup into a global beauty business.[2]

Founding

MERIT was created by Katherine Power, an entrepreneur previously associated with consumer brands and media platforms including Who What Wear and Versed. Power identified a growing consumer preference for streamlined beauty routines prior to the brand’s inception.[2]

The concept for MERIT stemmed partly from Power’s personal approach to cosmetics; rather than employing elaborate contouring or multi-step regimens, she favoured a brief routine that enhanced rather than transformed her natural appearance. The brand was conceived as a response to what she perceived as an increasingly overwhelming beauty industry.[2]

The company launched via a direct-to-consumer model on its own website in January 2021, subsequently entering Sephora in February 2021.[1][3]

Sephora launch

Sephora served as a significant early distribution partner for MERIT. Upon launching at the retailer in February 2021, the brand became available in over 500 Sephora stores across the United States and Canada, as well as on the Sephora website.[3]

The initial MERIT assortment comprised only seven products, reinforcing the brand’s central tenet that consumers do not require an extensive makeup collection to create an everyday look.[3] This original range included:

• The Minimalist
• Flush Balm
• Day Glow
• Brush No. 1
• Clean Lash
• Brow 1980
• Shade Slick

The launch generated a strong initial consumer response, with the company reporting sales of 3.5 products per minute during its first week.[3]

MERIT’s primary differentiator is arguably its philosophy regarding the integration of beauty into daily life, rather than any single cosmetic product. The company describes itself as an antidote to an industry often defined by excessive choice, complicated routines and fleeting trends. Its products are intended to be:

• Simple
• Buildable
• Easy to apply
• Multi-purpose
• Natural-looking
• Suitable for everyday use
• Designed to work together

MERIT states that its products are designed to help consumers “do more with less”.[1][2] This approach aligns the brand with a broader shift in the beauty sector away from highly technical makeup towards effortless, skin-focused and low-maintenance aesthetics.

Traditional prestige makeup frequently encourages consumers to accumulate a large collection of separate products for primer, foundation, concealer, contour, bronzer, blush, highlighter, setting sprays and various eye products. MERIT adopts an opposing approach, operating on the premise that one does not need to be a makeup expert to appear polished.

Consequently, products are designed to be forgiving and intuitive. The brand emphasises sheer-to-buildable coverage, cream textures, finger blending and formulations suitable for short routines. The objective is not a visibly “made-up” face but rather enhanced natural features: skin that retains its texture, softly defined brows, flushed cheeks, subtle colour and understated eyes and lips.

This positioning has associated MERIT with the broader “clean girl” and minimalist beauty aesthetic, although the company’s scope extends beyond any single social media trend.[4]

MERIT has expanded significantly beyond its original seven-product launch.

Makeup

Makeup remains the core of the brand’s offering. Key products include:

The Minimalist

The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick is a signature MERIT product. It functions as a lightweight complexion stick usable across the face or selectively to even out skin tone and blur imperfections. MERIT describes it as providing buildable coverage while maintaining a skin-like appearance.[2]

Flush Balm

Flush Balm is a cream cheek colour designed to deliver a natural-looking flush. It is among MERIT’s most recognised products and exemplifies the brand’s preference for easy, finger-friendly cream formulations.

Bronze Balm

Bronze Balm is a sheer, buildable cream bronzer intended to add warmth and dimension without creating a heavily sculpted appearance.[2]

Brow 1980

Brow 1980 is a volumising brow pomade inspired by the fuller, softer brow aesthetic of the 1980s. The product is formulated to add definition and volume without a stiff or crunchy finish.[2]

Other makeup

The wider assortment has expanded to include products for:

• Complexion
• Blush
• Bronzer
• Highlighter
• Brows
• Mascara
• Eyeliner
• Lips
• Makeup brushes

Despite this expansion, the company maintains a relatively edited assortment compared to traditional large-scale cosmetics brands.[2]

Skincare

MERIT has extended its minimalist philosophy from makeup into skincare. The current skincare range includes:

• Great Skin Serum
• Great Skin Moisturizer
• Great Skin Double Cleanse

The company presents its skincare approach as a concise three-step system: cleanse, treat and moisturise.[2] This expansion allows MERIT to transition from a standalone makeup brand to a broader beauty-routine brand.

MERIT has historically positioned itself within the clean beauty segment. Current standards emphasise formulas compliant with EU cosmetic regulations, alongside an internal ingredient exclusion list. The company also states that its products are vegan and cruelty-free.[1][2]

At its Sephora launch, MERIT highlighted that its products were vegan, cruelty-free and formulated without parabens, sulphates and artificial fragrances, among other excluded ingredients.[3] The brand refers to this philosophy as “Responsible Luxury”, associating luxury with quality, thoughtful design, simplicity and longevity rather than excess.

MERIT’s visual identity is deliberately restrained, typically featuring neutral colours, minimal typography, compact packaging, elegant silhouettes, soft imagery and editorial-style photography. This creates an aesthetic closer to fashion and contemporary luxury than to traditional mass-market cosmetics.

Packaging is integral to the company’s positioning; MERIT intends for its products to feel like objects worthy of display on a bathroom counter or in a handbag rather than items to be concealed. The brand also introduced a Signature Bag, a reusable and washable pouch shipped with a customer’s first direct-to-consumer order.[1][2]

MERIT’s target audience is best understood through lifestyle and psychographic markers rather than age alone. While initially associated with millennial and older consumers seeking alternatives to technical, influencer-driven makeup, the audience has become increasingly multigenerational.[5]

The typical MERIT customer is characterised as someone who:

• Wants to look polished without spending significant time on makeup
• Prefers natural-looking results
• Values quality over quantity
• Is interested in minimalist aesthetics
• Does not necessarily view makeup as a hobby
• Seeks intuitive rather than technically demanding products
• Is willing to pay a premium for convenience and design

In essence, MERIT sells a beauty lifestyle alongside its cosmetics.

MERIT occupies a space between mass-market beauty and traditional luxury cosmetics. It is generally priced higher than brands such as e.l.f. or Maybelline but lower than many traditional prestige makeup lines, resulting in an “accessible luxury” or “modern prestige” positioning.

For example, on MERIT’s US website, flagship products include Flush Balm at $30 and The Minimalist at $38.[2] This strategy supports the brand’s proposition that consumers should purchase fewer, better-selected products.

MERIT’s marketing diverges from the traditional celebrity beauty-brand playbook. Rather than relying on massive product launches, extensive shade ranges, celebrity founders, complex tutorials or constant trend cycles, the brand emphasises:

• Editorial storytelling
• Lifestyle imagery
• Product education
• Influencer and creator relationships
• Word of mouth
• Sephora visibility
• A distinctive minimalist aesthetic

The restrained product strategy itself serves as a marketing tool, conveying the message that scarcity of choice is beneficial. This proposition is particularly effective in a beauty market where consumers can easily feel overwhelmed by hundreds of competing products.

MERIT’s early growth was notable for its rapid transition from direct-to-consumer sales to major physical retail via Sephora.[3] By the mid-2020s, the brand had developed into a significant independent beauty company. Forbes reported that MERIT generated more than $100 million in sales in 2024, while the Financial Times noted that 2024 revenues surpassed $100 million and that distribution had expanded across North America and the UK.[4][5]

The company has also secured outside investment, including a reported $20 million round led by L Catterton.[4]

MERIT has progressively expanded beyond the United States. According to its corporate description, the brand currently operates internationally with teams in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, London and Paris.[2] This international presence reflects the global nature of the minimalist beauty aesthetic.

In 2026, MERIT announced an expansion into Sephora Australia and New Zealand, with an in-store launch scheduled for 30 September 2026.[6]

MERIT’s aesthetic can be summarised as quiet luxury, effortless beauty, minimalism and skin-first makeup. It occupies a visual and cultural space intersecting fashion editorials, contemporary luxury, clean beauty and everyday makeup. This combination has enabled the brand to differentiate itself from both traditional cosmetics companies and influencer-founded makeup labels.

MERIT competes indirectly with several distinct groups of brands.

Clean and minimalist beauty

Brands such as Saie, Kosas, Ilia and RMS Beauty compete for consumers interested in natural-looking, skin-focused and “clean” makeup.

Minimalist and everyday beauty

Brands including Glossier, Typology and Westman Atelier occupy overlapping territory centred on understated beauty, simplicity and lifestyle branding.

Traditional prestige beauty

MERIT also competes for expenditure that might otherwise go to Estée Lauder, Lancôme, Dior Beauty, Chanel Beauty and NARS. However, whereas these brands often sell glamour, MERIT primarily sells effortlessness.

MERIT’s success reflects a broader shift in beauty culture. For years, makeup marketing promoted an accumulation of products, techniques, coverage and transformation. MERIT inverted this proposition, advocating for fewer products, fewer steps, less technique and more natural results.

This represents a significant change in consumer psychology, effectively arguing that beauty expertise should not be a prerequisite for looking good. The brand’s popularity stems not merely from individual products like Flush Balm or The Minimalist, but from making a specific lifestyle—busy, sophisticated, understated and low-maintenance—feel desirable.

Ultimately, MERIT does not sell the idea of becoming “more beautiful” but rather the idea of being beautiful without excessive effort. This distinction underpins the brand’s restrained assortment, natural finishes, simple packaging, five-minute routine, clean-beauty positioning and premium-but-accessible pricing. MERIT has effectively turned minimalism itself into a beauty proposition.[1][2]

1. Frequently Asked Questions – MERIT Beauty Official Website
2. Meet Merit, the Clean, Minimalist Makeup Brand | Who What Wear
3. Minimalist Beauty Brand MERIT Launches at Sephora in an Exclusive Retail Partnership Following Breakout Direct-to-Consumer Launch
4. How Merit monopolised the clean-girl beauty market
5. Merit And The Beauty Of Minimalism
6. Merit Beauty Australia Sephora Launch Date Details 2026