This beauty brand has cut my morning makeup routine down to just 5 minutes

Thanks to social media, we’re inundated daily with new beauty products, from must-have mascaras to the latest blush and luxury lipstick. It can be overwhelming when deciding what’s deserving of a spot in your makeup bag, but that’s where Merit comes in. Arriving from across the pond in 2023, the US brand was already a cult favourite among LA insiders. Its signature sleek packaging can be spotted in many a beauty obsessive’s collection – including Hailey Bieber and Sarah Jessica Parker. Its makeup roster contains just 13 formulas to streamline your routine. Be it the complexion stick that replaces the need for both a foundation and concealer, the flush balm that can be dabbed on cheeks and blended with your fingers, or the 1980 pomade that transforms browns into fluffed-up beauties, Merit products are all about minimal, clean-girl, and au naturel makeup. Best Merit makeup products This approach has become all the rage in the beauty world, but Merit remains streets ahead of the rest. The brand’s ‘Five Minute Morning’ has been a central ethos since the beginning. With hybrid products, on-the-go packaging and skincare-powered formulas, Merit’s ‘Five Minute Morning’ is designed for busy women trying to carve time back into their day. How I testedA full face of Merit makeupDaisy Lester/The Standard Since its UK launch, I’ve tried every Merit makeup product – some I can give or take, but others have become staples in my daily routine, including the complexion stick, flush balm and lengthening mascara. To review Merit’s ‘Five Minute Morning’, I swapped the other products in my routine for the brand’s no.1 brush, day glow highlighter, shade slick and brow promade. Noting ease of application, speed and finished results, here’s how I got on. Daisy Lester/The Standard What we love: Effortless and quick to apply, great shade range, long-lasting light coverage, and easily buildable Take note: Doesn’t provide full coverage, and could be a little drying on particularly dry skin First up is the Minimalist complexion balm. This foundation/concealer hybrid is already among my most beloved makeup staples. I love how fuss-free the stick applicator is – and one stick lasts ages. The formula itself is super versatile, whether dabbed under your eyes and on blemishes while taking work calls at home, or used to give your face light, full coverage when out and about. The shade range is excellent – I go one shade darker for a subtle tan.Though generally hydrating thanks to the creamy formula, I find that dry areas around my nose need extra priming so the foundation doesn’t go on flakey. Application takes less than 30 seconds, and who can complain about that? Outside Merit’s ‘Five Minute Morning’ regime, I like to apply over Drunk Elephant’s bronzing drops or under Charlotte Tilbury’s foundation stick for an extra glowy, fuller-coverage look. Daisy Lester/The Standard What we love: Natural, dewy finish, lovely shade range, easy and quick to apply, and compact, travel-friendly potTake note: Isn’t very long-lasting The product that catapulted Merit to global fame, the flush balm is a sheer, lightweight cream blush packaged in a handy daub-and-go pot. Compact and lightweight to throw in your makeup bag, it’s effortlessly easy to apply. Tap along your cheekbone and blend with your fingers or a brush. Formulated with vitamin E to condition and soften, it’s safe for sensitive and acne-prone skin. The finish is beautiful – the blush doesn’t mask or hide natural textures, but creates a dewy, naturally sun-kissed look. However, it’s not as long-lasting as I find liquid blushes to be, and requires touch-ups throughout the day. In the ‘Five Minute Morning’ routine, it takes less than 30 seconds to apply. Daisy Lester/The Standard What we love: Replaces your balm and lipstick, hydrating, nourishing, precision applicator and impressive staying power Take note: Expensive and isn’t the biggest tube Giving your lips a flattering tint, Merit’s shade slick lip oil has a lightweight consistency that glides on softly and smoothly. The colour payoff is excellent – as is the staying power. Lips look glossy and feel hydrated for hours on end. The formula contains shea butter and grapeseed oils, which work to soften the lips, while jojoba oil helps lock in moisture. The small applicator helps with precise but fast application. My new favourite companion to a mauve lip liner, the pigment is rich enough to forgo lipstick day-to-day, while the nourishing benefits easily replace a balm. Daisy Lester/The Standard What we love: Makes light work of blending and buffing, soft bristles, and good gripTake note: Expensive for a brushI’m particularly unfussy when it comes to makeup brushes, but I know a good one when I try it. The Merit no.1 brush is a Swiss Army Knife of your makeup bag. It blends and buffs complexion products with complete ease, thanks to the densely packed bristles and girthy handle for grip. It also looks great, too, with its distinctive monochrome design. Whether blending the foundation stick or buffing the blush, it speeds up any morning makeup routine. While the jury’s still out on whether I’d fork out £28 for a brush (I’d rather spend it on actual makeup), this brush is tempting. Daisy Lester/The Standard What we love: Skin-loving ingredients, glowy finish with no glitter, and quick to apply Take note: Staying power isn’t great, it isn’t buildable, and isn’t an essential makeup product if short on timeSorry Merit, but this is a product I found little use for – and given the £28 price, I was expecting bigger things. Granted, I’m not a highlighter gal (I’d far rather a bronzer in my quick morning routine). The formula is undeniably gorgeous, with a glowy finish and no glitter. It’s also packed with skin-loving ingredients (think squalane, vitamin E and olive fruit oil) for a softening feel. Just like the complexion stick, the crayon-esque product is quick and easy to apply. I just don’t see the point of it, especially if you’re time-poor. The product isn’t buildable or intense enough to make a noticeable difference to your look, while the balmy texture has limited staying power. Daisy Lester/The Standard What we love: Lengthening and lifting, doesn’t smudge (even in hot weather), and precise applicatorTake note: Nothing to fault here I’ve used Merit’s new clean lash lengthening mascara every day since getting my hands on it. The tubing formula is lightweight and smudge-proof, wrapping itself around lashes to lift, lengthen and define. Infused with olive oil and vitamin B5 to condition and boost shine, the mascara glides on seamlessly thanks to the long, thin brush. Available in black and brown, I love the latter for a soft, natural look day-to-day while the black shade adds drama for the evening. Even during the UK’s never-ending heatwave, the mascara refused to budge. Daisy Lester/The Standard What we love: Adds volume, definition and hold to brows, lasts all day with no residue or crunchy feeling Take note: Doesn’t create a laminated look Fluffed-up brows in seconds? Sign me up. I’ve long been loyal to Refy’s brow sculpt but, like many others, find that it can leave white residue throughout the day. Merit’s formula doesn’t leave a trace. While it doesn’t create such a laminated effect as other brow gels on the market, the 1980 pomade delivers soft, voluminous brows with no crunchiness (you know what I mean). I brush up and against the hair growth for perfectly natural-looking fluffy brows, which stay put all day. The colour is a bonus, filling in gaps and adding definition. Thanks to hybrid formulas like the shade slick and complexion stick, Merit makeup has streamlined my morning routine. Some products I’d give or take (including the highlighter and brush), but others – the mascara, brow pomade and flush balm – are now non-negotiables for getting me out the front door in minutes.Why trust me?Daisy has been reviewing beauty for six years for publications including The Standard and The Independent. Covering everything from lip liners and bronzers to hair tools and fragrance, she thoroughly tests each product to find out if it offers the best value for money.