BUY THIS, NOT THAT: MERIT - Comparisons, Swatches, & Review of New Clean Beauty Brand

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Heads up: this list may contain affiliate links, denoted by an asterisk* next to product names :-) Shopping through these links are at no extra cost or discount to you, but they do pay me a lil' commission in support of this channel, cheers!
∞ PRODUCTS FEATURED
Merit The Minimalist Foundation and Concealer Stick (Ecru)* bit.ly/3rM123Z
Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick (III)* bit.ly/3acglgu
RMS Uncover Up Concealer (22)* bit.ly/3bnYL8w
Merit Brow 1980 Volumizing Eyebrow Pomade Gel (Black/Brown)* bit.ly/2ZeswTq
MILK Kush Fiber Brow Gel (Cypher)* bit.ly/3aBKZ2S
Glossier Boy Brow (Black)* bit.ly/3sJHXAE
Merit Day Glow Highlighting Balm (Bounce)* bit.ly/3rOovl3
Merit Flush Balm Cream Blush (Terracotta)* bit.ly/2Nh9n0C South Korea
Merit Brush No. 1 Tapered Blending Brush* bit.ly/2Z925yv
Westman Atelier Blender Brush* bit.ly/3jNirGD
Nudestix Matte Blush & Bronze (In The Nude)* bit.ly/39Nleey
Nudestix Matte Blush & Bronze (Bareback)* bit.ly/3uiUKuM
Nudestix Matte Blush & Bronze (Bondi Bae)* bit.ly/3bSR4ZX
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick (Chouchette)* bit.ly/2NlfkcS
Em Cosmetics Serum Blush (Rose Milk)
Flower Beauty Blush Bomb (Cinnamon)* bit.ly/3pEQYZ8
Merit Clean Lash Lengthening Mascara* bit.ly/3qjJk7u
Ilia Limitless Lash Lengthening Mascara* bit.ly/3jILRFW
Merit Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil (Au Naturel)* bit.ly/3785nq6 USA
Fenty Gloss Bomb Cream Color Drip Lip Cream (Fenty Glow)* bit.ly/3qhwB5h
Tower 28 Beauty ShineOn Milky Lip Jelly Gloss (Oat)* bit.ly/3qjS6me
Westman Atelier Lit Up Highlight Stick (Lit)* bit.ly/2Zdh6zE
Tower 28 Beauty SuperDew Shimmer-Free Highlight Balm* bit.ly/3jL2BfW
This video is not sponsored, but I did receive Merit's line as PR.
∞ ON ME
BDG shirt (old)
Rxmance tee (old)
Mejuri hoops
∞ FAQ
USA, 30
Chinese-American
Hers/Her
∞ MUSIC / CREDITS
Vincent Augustus, “Can't Get Me Wrong”
∞ HONOR NATIVE LANDS
I acknowledge in Milwaukee that I live and work on traditional Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk and Menominee homeland along the southwest shores of Michigami, North America’s largest system of freshwater lakes, where the Milwaukee, Menominee and Kinnickinnic rivers meet and the people of Wisconsin’s sovereign Anishinaabe, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Oneida and Mohican nations remain present. usdac.us/nativ...
∞ BLACK LIVES MATTER
blacklivesmatt...
I am taking small but crucial steps on an antiracist journey to reflect on my personal biases, (re)educate myself, and listen to the BIPoC community. This begins with acknowledging my white-adjacent privilege and by stating that I am an ally. I hear you, I see you, I am with you.
∞ DISCLOSURES
I am not a makeup artist and all comments and opinions are wholly my own. This is simply a relaxing space where I share lifestyle, beauty, and art.
#merit #meritminimalist #sephora

[@jocelynel-fab5214]

Wow! You are the most eloquent YTer I have watched/listened to on, “grosso modo,” the importance of supporting non-elite and non privileged beauty creators and also the importance of choosing clean and environmentally sound products. I don’t know what is your career, but I would vote for you; I would want you to be my child’s teacher; I would want you as my oncologist; etc. Not only are you able to translate abstract notions into exactly the right words but you also seem to be able to hear yourself and perceive potential misunderstandings as you speak - and then you address these by further clarifying your position. It must be interesting to be your friend, colleague, sibling, etc.. I agree with your opinions and I hope you are in a position to advance them concretely. And, before I forget, thank you for the beauty recommendations. Cheers from Canada.

[@karacee5481]

You went IN on this review! Loved it!! I just bought several products from black- owned clean beauty brand LYS Beauty and am so happy for more representation.

[@SlowGaze]

Hi Kara, thanks so much for watching! I'm really excited to try Lys sometime. Curious to know what you thought of their products (and heck yeah, representation!) I'm particularly curious about their yummy cream blushes. xoxo Diana

[@karacee5481]

@@SlowGaze So far, I have only been able to try the setting powder and foundation. Love them both. I even (gasp! I know-ewwww) fell asleep 😴 with my foundation one night, and it did not break me out. Unfortunately, the blushes were sold out, but when they come back in stock I plan to buy one or two.

[@clarradactyl7791]

what a great video, diana! it was so helpful and insightful 🧡 i didn’t start wearing makeup until my late 20s, and WA has become one of my “holy grail” beauty brands because i’m honestly a no makeup-makeup kinda gal. love that baby blender brush as well! 😊

[@SlowGaze]

Thanks so much for watching! I also love WA more than I thought I would. The more I use her products, the more I understand her philosophy and see how mine is aligned! I have been using the Lit stick as primer and have been looking for more affordable (but still clean and efficacious) products. I have my eye set on Jones Road's Miracle Balm and Oil Stick for that reason! Cheers xoxo Diana

[@BirdieBirdieBirdie566]

You look really pretty! I like the review of the brow products. I’m white af but I’d buy from a bipoc clean beauty brand in the realm of glossier.

[@BlushGush]

you nailed it with the Westman Atelier copying!

[@SlowGaze]

Lol, thanks! It takes one to know one ;-) Thanks also for watching xoxo Diana

[@MrRomy985]

Hi, Diana this is off the topic request but can you please do your everyday jewellery collection video. I love your minimal but quality pieces. Thank you

[@SlowGaze]

Great idea!! Thanks, Nadia xoxo Diana

[@agr1323]

Thanks for a great review! I’m very inspired by these 2 brands.

[@kariw5341]

Excellent demo Diana , loved the comparisons !!

[@robingoblin]

Thank you for this comparison! I’m curious about Merit. [edit: the end of your video made me think of LYS, and how cool it is they have arrived on the “clean” beauty scene! They have a cream blush I’m also curious about. 😊]

[@SlowGaze]

Also really interested in Lys products, especially the blushes! We're on the same wavelength. I'll wait til they all come back to stock ;-) xoxo Diana

[@hs223justin]

Just discovered your channel and I’m HOOKED

[@SlowGaze]

So glad you're here!!! xoxo Diana

[@hs223justin]

@@SlowGaze 🤍

[@heidihale3829]

Just stumbled across your channel. Love the swatch comparisons and intellectual commentary😊

[@agresticumbra]

Interesting you find rms UnCoverup like WA. UnCoverup applied much more easily, and wasn’t streaky, or grab pores, but WAS did those things. Minimalist feels dryer to the touch then WA, but applies much more evenly on my 54yo, uber dry, living in a semi-arid climate skin. There are women my age, and over, who love WA, so it’s my issue with it. The lightest color of WA is the wrong color. It’s peachy gold on my very muted skin, so any faults it has on my skin are very visible. Thanks for the comparisons!

[@birdgivesthanks9953]

such a great review and love what you said about white women beauty brands and your goal of using more BIPOC beauty brands. that really resonated with me. oh shoot, so hard. i've been interested in merti and westman atelier. thanks for comparing those brushes too, def will get the merit over over wa. which foundation stick would you recommend tho, merit or wa?

[@SlowGaze]

Hey there, thanks for watching and connecting! I have been NON-stop wearing the WA foundation stick, and it's even traveled with me and held up really nicely. I just calculated the per-gram price for both the products and WA is cheaper for the amount of product you get! So, better value if you ask me. WA: $7.5 per gram. MERIT: $10.3 per gram. Plus, the Merit stick has fallen out on me a couple times if I tip it over. The one benefit is that the Merit has a slightly better shade range. My pick is WA. Hope that helps! xoxo Diana

[@sharonkimble715]

The WA Baby Blender is my favorite brush!! Thanks for the review/comparison! I really need some brow products. 😁

[@SlowGaze]

The baby blender is quickly becoming my fave, too, and I cannot pinpoint why! The larger blender seems to miss to mark for my routine. Thanks so much for sharing xxoo Diana

[@sharonkimble715]

@@SlowGaze I only use the big blender brush when I use Peau de Peche. 😁

[@dp9863]

Do you know what country the Merit Solo Shadow matte Eye color is made in? Thank you!

[@dyanbadua3057]

Merit has great marketing, unfortunately I had one of the most disappointing Customer Experience with them. I was supposed to get both the Signature bag and Summer bag accdg to my confirmation email, but none arrived. When I asked for it, they gave me a free shipping voucher which is about $5. Now I wish I spent all $120 on Westman Atelier instead.

[@littlelilacbunny]

Omg that’s horrible customer service 😢😢

[@amymccall5263]

Lys beauty is amazing!!!

[@juliemakela2358]

Hi 😎 link does not work for Merit 10%

[@SlowGaze]

I am so sorry! Thanks for letting me know. I emailed them but still cannot get a response.

[@andreaslife5499]

Do you have oily skin ?? If yes ur skin care ,???produts

[@SlowGaze]

I do! April is skincare month on my channel, so look forward to my skincare routine + rituals! Would love it if you joined the SlowGazers here and subscribed 🖤🙏✨ xoxo Diana

[@amulyarao1850]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts

[@SlowGaze]

Thanks so much for watching! xoxo Diana

[@rky2315]

Hello beautiful, I have just recently started watching your videos, and I am not going to judge you too quickly or "cancel" you the way we tend to in this Twitter culture nowadays. But it did make me cringe a bit the way you seemed to dismiss the work that WA and Merit and bringing into green beauty space when you said "who cares?" I am a person of color, and yes, it's great when more representation comes into the sphere, but it still has to compete. If it's a great product and their philosophy aligns with mine, I will support it, regardless of whether it is owned my melanated skin or not. At the end of the day, WA is a badass product. I don't think we should dismiss the work that women, (I repeat, WOMEN) even if "white privileged", are doing, especially when it comes to green and healthy beauty. And, ESPECIALLY when it comes to beauty that embraces, rather than tries to hide, women's natural faces and instead merely tries to enhance them. Let's embrace all good work, not minimize some for their "privilege" at the expense of raising others above them, and seek to treat everyone equally. Maybe you already agree with this message, but I thought it came through different in you video, or maybe I misunderstood you. Still like your videos and thank you for your content. :)

[@elle.dee.]

Respectfully put 👏

[@SlowGaze]

This really made me think. Thank you for your candor and perspectives. I really appreciate it! xoxo Diana

[@debcropper9433]

Sorry, but I am confused by a review, where the person starts with a non=moisture face 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄