“I’ve been testing Merit’s new Signature Lip Blush for 2 weeks ahead of its launch – here are my honest thoughts”

I don’t know if I should really admit this as a beauty journalist, but in recent months, I’ve fallen a bit out of love with lipsticks. Sure, I was swiping on deep, merlot reds when the festive spirit was in full swing. But my actual preference? A scribble of lip liner and some lip balm. So, when Merit announced the launch of its new Signature Lip Blush, I was intrigued.

Describe as a ‘sheer matte lipstick’, this innovation taps into the rise of the soft, blurred make-up trend we saw on the Michael Kors and Erdem spring/summer 2026 catwalks. The brand promises that it delivers a velvet, blurred finish while still feeling lightweight on the lips, so when the Merit team came to present them in the Stylist office, I had already swatched one of the lipsticks on before I got back to my desk.

The biggest draw is that this lipstick perfectly strikes the balancing act between being matte without feeling super heavy on the lips; a big factor that has recently seen me turning my back on lipsticks. Instead, it delivers the soft, blurred look that’s currently all over social media, while giving longevity and feeling comfortable. Plus, it’s impossible not to find your perfect hue in the eight-shade line-up. I was immediately drawn to Gamay, which the brand describes as a ‘bordeaux’, and September, a ‘brick red’, but more of a neutral on me.

Now, I should admit that the word ‘sheer’ made me think I might need to press the bullet onto my lips slightly harder, but please let this be your warning not to do this. The bullet is slightly softer than a regular lipstick, and pressing too hard caused the bullet to snap. I should stress that this was down to me being too heavy-handed, and it really isn’t necessary.

Just a light touch is enough to get a flattering wash of colour, but what I found really impressive is how the pigment builds up for greater colour pay-off without piling or becoming a slippery mess. It makes it brilliantly versatile, too: one quick swipe gives the same impact as a tinted lip balm, while two or three layers coat the lips with a soft hit of pigment that isn’t too overbearing.

The reason behind this magic? Merit has built these lipstick bullets with gel-wrapped pigments that have an olive-infused base, meaning they go on smoothly and don’t break down after a few sips of coffee. I’ve been lucky enough to trial the lipstick for two weeks before it launched, and I’m happy to report the same longevity was the case when eating a Sunday roast, sipping on my Stanley flask throughout the day and even during the sub-zero cold snap we had in January. It may only be the beginning of 2026, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m coining this one of my favourite launches of the year come December.

Images: Hanna Ibraheem; Merit Beauty