Does Merit’s new moisturiser live up to the hype?

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For every beauty consumer who’s booking in for a trending treatment (“salmon sperm facials” are the latest fetish in London), there’s another who prizes a tight edit of effective products in no-frills packaging. Merit, though stylishly presented, appeals to those firmly in the second camp.

The accessibly priced beauty brand founded by entrepreneur Katherine Power has built a loyal following out of LA in just three years. I first heard about it via a fashion designer friend who’s a dead ringer for Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and prides herself on an equally minimalist skincare routine. She recommended Merit’s Great Skin Instant Glow Serum, which promptly became a favourite for my extremely dry, acne- and psoriasis-prone skin thanks to its super-lightweight formulation and hydrating staying power. (At £40, it’s also more affordable than similar offerings from “no make-up make-up” brands.)

Great Skin Moisturizer (£40) is its partner product – and Merit’s latest hit. It debuted in August and an early-access offer garnered 15,000 sign-ups; after launching, it immediately entered the top 10 of bestselling moisturisers in North America at Sephora. Thanks to a formula that combines peptides, spermidine and polysaccharides, as well as hydrating hyaluronic acid, early reviewers praised its make-up priming properties – and as someone who can never be bothered to use primer and has no truck with 15-step skincare routines, I have to agree. I found the airy but moisturiser-rich cream quick to absorb, leaving my skin feeling fresh and without that gloopy, Krispy Kreme-like sheen that results from so many serum-moisturiser combos. Make-up sits happily on top and, best of all, there was a skin-smoothing effect after several weeks.

“We really focus on creating a routine that makes it easier to get ready,” says Aila Morin, Merit’s CMO. “That means you can just reduce the number of skincare steps you’re doing [and] you can get out the door faster.” Guess who’s no longer running for the bus?