Merit’s New Blurring Lipstick Is The Comfiest You’ll Ever Wear — Trust Me

I started wearing makeup at 13, but I can count on one hand the lipsticks I’ve used all the way to the last swipe. Over the years, very few have ever given me exactly what I want — and I don’t think I’m asking for much. I want my lipstick to feel moisturizing on my chronically dry lips, stay where I put it without ending up on my teeth, lend a soft, blurred, diffused effect, and not break the bank entirely. That’s exactly why I’ve fallen head over heels for Merit’s Signature Lip Blush. 

Signature Lip Blush is the latest addition to Merit’s growing lip lineup. You might know — and love — its Signature Lipstick, which occupies a cozy space between matte and glossy, giving lips a subtle satin-like glint. Or perhaps the Shade Slick lip oil is a staple in your handbag. Signature Lip Blush, however, dials the shine all the way back. 

Merit describes Signature Lip Blush as a “sheer matte lightweight, buildable formula with a comfortable, balm-like feel”. To me, it’s a soft matte lipstick that’s not too dissimilar from a lip stain — packed with pigment — or a lip pencil, which you can diffuse with your fingers or a brush.  

If you’re just as obsessed as I am with celebrity makeup artist Nina Park, specifically the way she makes her clients’ lips appear contoured, plump, and diffused, then I have a feeling you’re going to love this lipstick. On application, it’s sheer and light enough to blend outward, but unlike others with a similar texture, once it dries down a little, it clings to lips for a good four hours without disappearing into nothingness. 

That’s all down to what Merit calls gel-wrapped pigments — essentially molecules of color encapsulated in a gel-like texture that makes swiping and blending easy. Speaking of color, there are eight shades in total, spanning Andie (a delicate petal pink) to Gamay (a deep red wine). Here, I’m wearing September, a muted terracotta, paired with Merit’s Signature Lip Liner in Mayfair, a peachy mauve. I will say the lipstick bullet appears a little darker than it does on the lips.

What sets Merit’s Signature Lip Blush apart from other soft matte lipsticks is how it feels on. Most matte products dry out my parched lips even further, settling into — and accentuating — lines and creases. This one feels so comforting, it’s like wearing a lip balm — all without any stickiness. You can thank sesame seed extract, nourishing olive oil, and plant-based waxes for that. 

I judge makeup first and foremost on how it makes me feel, but when others notice, it’s affirming. Since giving Signature Lip Blush a trial run these past few weeks, I’ve had countless compliments on my lipstick, with beauty editor peers repeatedly asking what I’m wearing — we’re convinced it makes my lips appear bigger. 

• Sheer, matte lipstick with a moisturizing balm-like feel. 

• Available in eight shades from rose brown through to bordeaux.  

•  Lends a diffused, blurred finish to lips and stays put for hours. 

Because Signature Lip Blush is so balm-like, I don’t have to be precise when I apply it. Usually, I line my lips and even use a lip brush before any lipstick, but with this, I can swipe it on haphazardly — without a mirror — and still end up with perfect, pillowy lips. Maybe that's the blurred-lip trend talking, but the texture makes it so easy. 

If you’re applying it a little more thoughtfully, it looks even better paired with a darker lip pencil and blurred ever so slightly over the lines, again lending that Nina Park effect. I love that the lipstick bullet boasts a squoval shape, which makes light work of tracing your lip line if you don’t have a lip pencil to hand. 

Ultimately, this is the perfect lipstick for lipstick skeptics and obsessives alike — low-maintenance, wearable, and hard to mess up. I currently have three in my handbag.

You can buy Merit’s Signature Lip Blush at Sephora.com or from Meritbeauty.com.