If you love the "less is more" approach to makeup, you're probably already a fan of Merit Beauty. The brand has perfected the art of minimalist, clean cosmetics that enhance your natural features without hiding them behind heavy layers. Their chic packaging and easy-to-use formulas make a five-minute face feel both simple and luxurious.
For those of us obsessed with that clean, polished, and effortless glow, the good news is there are plenty of other brands that share this beautiful philosophy. If you're looking to expand your minimalist makeup collection, here are 17 incredible brands like Merit that are definitely worth exploring.
Often seen as the trailblazer of the minimalist makeup movement, Glossier champions the "skin first, makeup second" philosophy. Their products are designed to be sheer, buildable, and incredibly user-friendly, focused on giving you a dewy, healthy-looking finish. Think of their famous Boy Brow, Cloud Paint blushes, and Stretch Concealer.
Like Merit, Glossier is all about enhancing your natural look rather than masking it. While Merit has a slightly more sophisticated and polished edge, Glossier leans into a fun, youthful, and dewy aesthetic. If you want that fresh, just-finished-my-skincare-routine glow, Glossier is a must-try. Shop now at glossier.com
Tower 28 Beauty creates clean makeup designed specifically for sensitive skin, but their appeal is universal. All their products are non-toxic, free of common irritants, and dermatologist-tested, making them perfect for anyone who wants high-performing makeup that feels good on the skin. Their BeachPlease Luminous Tinted Balm and ShineOn Lip Jellies are fan favorites for a reason.
Both Tower 28 and Merit share a commitment to gentle formulas and effortless beauty. The key difference is Tower 28's explicit focus on being safe for even the most reactive skin types (it's the first and only brand to adhere 100% to the National Eczema Association's ingredient guidelines). If your skin is sensitive but you still crave that Merit-style glow, this is your brand. Shop now at tower28beauty.com
Saie is a clean beauty brand that combines beautiful formulas with sustainable practices. They're known for giving you an incredible, luminous glow with products like their Slip Tint and Glowy Super Gel. Their whole vibe is light, airy, and bouncy, making makeup feel like a seamless extension of your skincare.
Saie and Merit both serve up that chic, minimalist makeup look in sleek, sustainable packaging. Saie, however, really amps up the dewiness factor. If you find Merit to be a perfect natural finish, Saie takes it one step further into a radiant, "glass skin" territory. Shop now at saiehello.com
Founded by legendary makeup artist Gucci Westman, Westman Atelier is the pinnacle of luxury minimalist beauty. The brand offers consciously-crafted makeup that blends skin-loving ingredients with high-performance formulas. Packaged in beautifully weighty, magnetized sticks, products like the Vital Skin Foundation Stick and Baby Cheeks Blush Stick feel incredibly luxe.
Think of Westman Atelier as Merit’s ultra-chic, high-fashion older sister. Both brands excel at creating creamy, blendable formulas for a believable, skin-like finish. The main difference is the price point, Westman Atelier is a significant step up, offering a truly high-end experience for those willing to invest. Shop now at westman-atelier.com
Kosas is clean makeup that's loaded with active skincare ingredients. Their products don't just cover, they work to improve your skin over time. Famous for their Revealer Concealer, Cloud Set Powder, and Tinted Face Oil, Kosas delivers a natural, real-skin finish that never looks cakey.
Like Merit, Kosas exists in the sweet spot between makeup and skincare. Both are fantastic for everyday wear and enhancing what you've already got. Kosas tends to offer a broader range of coverage options, from the sheer oil to a light-medium coverage foundation, and their vibe feels a bit more vibrant and energetic compared to Merit's quiet elegance. Shop now at kosas.com
Nudestix is built on the idea of easy, fuss-free beauty in a stick. The brand is famous for its collection of multi-purpose crayons and sticks for eyes, lips, and cheeks that are perfect for creating a "no-makeup makeup" look on the go. Everything is designed to be sketched on and blended out with your fingers.
The core philosophy of simplicity and portability is something Nudestix shares deeply with Merit. If you love Merit’s Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick, you will feel right at home with Nudestix's entire lineup. Nudestix focuses almost exclusively on the stick format, making them the ultimate brand for travel and quick touch-ups. Shop now at nudestix.com
Ilia Beauty proves that clean makeup doesn't mean compromising on performance. With powerful skincare ingredients at the heart of every formula, Ilia creates products that protect and revive your skin. Their Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 is a cult favorite that combines foundation, skincare, and sun protection in one revolutionary product.
Both Ilia and Merit are leaders in the clean beauty space, offering products that are as good for your skin as they look. Ilia often pushes the boundary of what makeup can be, integrating impressive levels of active skincare and SPF into its hero products. It's a fantastic alternative if your priority is potent skincare benefits alongside that minimalist makeup finish. Shop now at iliabeauty.com
A true pioneer in the clean beauty world, RMS Beauty was created by makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift with a mission to use raw, food-grade, and organic ingredients. Known for its iconic "Un" Cover-Up and luminous highlighters, RMS delivers a signature sensual, glowing finish that looks like real skin.
Like Merit, RMS focuses on enhancing skin with minimal, high-quality products. However, RMS has a distinctively organic, almost holistic vibe, emphasizing living ingredients that nourish the skin. Their glow is less about shimmer and more about a healthy, natural luminosity that seems to come from within. Shop now at rmsbeauty.com
Founded by Parisian makeup artist Violette Serrat, this brand captures the effortless, romantic spirit of French beauty. The products are designed to inspire self-expression and are a far cry from heavy, trend-driven makeup. The line includes standouts like the Boum-Boum Milk, a 3-in-1 spray, and the Petal Bouche Matte lipstick line for that perfect blurred red lip.
Violette_FR shares Merit’s minimalist ethos but with a touch of French poetry and artistry. Where Merit is modern and sleek, Violette_FR feels more romantic and soulful. It’s perfect for someone who wants to achieve a simple look that still feels special, personal, and a little bit impulsive - in a very chic, Parisian way. Shop now at violettefr.com
Lilah B. champions a philosophy of "with less, you are more." The brand creates luxurious, multi-purpose products in beautiful, pebble-shaped compacts that are both chic and satisfying to hold. Their focus is on high-performance formulas that simplify your beauty routine without sacrificing quality.
Much like Merit, Lilah B. appeals to the sophisticated minimalist who appreciates thoughtful design and effective formulas. Lilah B.’s aesthetic is a bit more polished and luxe, with a price point to match. It's an ideal choice if you want to streamline your makeup bag with just a few versatile, high-quality essentials. Shop now at lilahb.com
From makeup legend Bobbi Brown, Jones Road is the ultimate "no-makeup makeup" brand. It's built on the idea that makeup should be simple, clean, and strategic, making you look like yourself, but better. Products like the Miracle Balm and The Face Pencil are designed to be foolproof and work on all skin tones and types.
Jones Road shares Merit’s core philosophy of simplicity and enhancing your own beauty. While Merit focuses on a polished glow, Jones Road strips it back even further, focusing on clean, moisturizing formulas that give a fresh, slightly undone look. If you truly want makeup that is impossible to mess up, Jones Road is your destination. Shop now at jonesroadbeauty.com
Milk Makeup offers 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and paraben-free formulas with an edgy, creative New York vibe. They are known for their innovative, multi-use products in stick form, like their popular Lip + Cheek Stick and Matte Bronzer. Their approach is all about fun, self-expression, and easy application.
Like Merit, Milk loves a good multi-use stick and prioritizes clean ingredients. The vibe, however, is quite different. While Merit is sleek and sophisticated, Milk is younger, cooler, and more playful. If you love the effortless format of Merit products but want bolder colors and a more art-kid aesthetic, Milk has you covered. Shop now at milkmakeup.com
Ami Colé is a clean beauty brand designed to celebrate melanin-rich skin. Their products are made to enhance, not cover, providing a healthy glow that looks and feels like bare skin. Their lineup includes essentials like a skin-enhancing tint, a light-catching highlighter, and a nourishing lip oil - all in shades that beautifully complement deeper skin tones.
In the same way Merit creates go-to products for an easy, everyday look, Ami Colé offers a perfectly curated collection for the minimalist. Their shared ethos revolves around celebrating your own skin, but Ami Colé's specialized formulations make it a standout brand for anyone who has struggled to find flattering "nude" or "natural" shades. Shop now at amicole.com
While Fenty is known for its show-stopping glam and incredible shade diversity, its core collections also nail the "soft glam" and minimalist look. Products like the Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint and Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush offer a natural, skin-like finish that's perfectly in line with the Merit aesthetic.
Fenty Beauty is a massive force in the makeup world, offering everything from bold liner to subtle tints, while Merit stays laser-focused on essentials. However, if you love Merit's philosophy but crave the unparalleled shade ranges that Rihanna's brand delivers, Fenty’s more natural-finish products are a perfect place to start. Shop now at fentybeauty.com
Clé de Peau Beauté is where Japanese skincare innovation meets luxurious makeup. This high-end brand is famous for creating products that deliver an ethereal, luminous glow while feeling utterly weightless on the skin. Their cult-favorite concealer and radiant foundations offer a perfected, polished version of natural skin.
This brand is the ultimate luxury alternative to Merit. Both aim for a sophisticated, enhanced-natural effect, but Clé de Peau does it with exquisite formulations, elegant packaging, and a significantly higher price tag. If you're looking to make a serious investment in your minimalist routine, Clé de Peau is unmatched. Shop now at cledepeaubeaute.com
Hailing from Australia, Ere Perez is a natural beauty brand that harnesses the power of science and botanicals. Their products are all about healthy, radiant skin, using unique ingredients like oat milk, quinoa, and carrot. The brand is known for its versatile color pots and nourishing foundations that offer a fresh, clean finish.
Ere Perez aligns with Merit on the clean and minimalist front but with a stronger emphasis on botanical, almost crunchy-cool ingredients. Their vibe is a bit more earthy and holistic, perfect for someone who loves not only a simple routine but also the story behind the ingredients in their makeup. Shop now at ereperez.com
Vita Liberata is best known for its luxury organic self-tanners, but its innovative skin-finishing products are a hidden gem for minimalists. Their Beauty Blur and Body Blur are part makeup, part-skincare hybrids that even out skin tone, blur imperfections, and provide a gorgeous hint of color and glow.
While not a traditional makeup brand, Vita Liberata shares Merit’s goal of achieving a naturally perfected, healthy-looking complexion. If your main goal is an all-over, sun-kissed radiance that looks completely believable, their skin finishers are a brilliant one-and-done product to add to your minimalist arsenal. Shop now at vitaskin.com
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