MERIT, the clean beauty brand and NB100 winner known for its minimalist approach to makeup, has just expanded the shade range of its viral sensation, The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick ($38). This best-selling product, which sells approximately every 30 seconds in the United States and holds the title of Sephora’s number-one stick foundation, now offers even more options for its devoted fan base.
Behind MERIT The Minimalist Shade Expansion
The expansion includes two new shades for each category (Fair, Light, Medium, Deep and Rich), now totaling 30 shades, ensuring that every skin tone and undertone can find their perfect match. This move comes as a direct response to customer feedback, further cementing MERIT’s commitment to inclusivity and customer satisfaction.
“Listening to our customers is a crucial part of our product development process and growth as a brand,” Aila Morin, MERIT’s chief marketing officer, tells NewBeauty. “We’ve used consumer feedback in almost every new product we’ve launched, as well as improvements we’ve made to existing products. Our customers are the ones using our products every day, so who better than them to tell us what they need?”
With The Minimalist specifically, Morin says the brand listened to customers for years who couldn’t find a shade that was perfect for them when it came to their undertones. “We spent lots of time cataloging where the gaps were, and developed ten new shades across each complexion category to fill this customer need.”
A Fan—and Celebrity—Favorite
“The Minimalist embodies MERIT’s simplified approach to your morning routine through multi-tasking products,” adds Morin. “It has buildable, breathable coverage that I personally love—plus it’s designed to be non-acne triggering, so it doesn’t break you out. The finish is so natural, so your skin just looks like skin.”
The Minimalist has garnered a loyal following, including celebrities like Jenna Lyons, Lily Collins, Cameron Diaz, Anna Sawai and Greta Lee. Its popularity stems from its multi-tasking nature, functioning as both a foundation and concealer, and its skin-friendly formula.
The stick’s design, which Morin tells us was inspired by a ballpoint pen, adds to its user-friendly nature, allowing for easy application in hard-to-reach areas, giving users the ability to cover only where needed.
MERIT’s ethos of simplifying beauty routines while prioritizing skin health resonates with a wide audience. “Our brand proposition—simplifying what it takes to get ready—has felt resoundingly universal,” Morin notes.
With this shade expansion, MERIT continues to prove that listening to customer needs isn’t just good business—it’s the foundation of their success. The expanded range of The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick is available now, offering more options than ever for those seeking a simplified, skin-loving makeup routine.
