Merit's First-Ever Eyeshadow Is Sarah Jessica Parker-Approved

Merit

Since minimal beauty brand Merit hit the market in 2021, its become a fan-favorite for its easy-to-use essentials and elevated branding. The brands mission is “creating impossible-to-mess-up products,” and its first-ever eyeshadow, the Solo Shadow Matte Eye Color ($24) definitely fits the bill. The cream-to-powder eyeshadow was a highly-requested product, and already has the stamp of approval of some of our favorite celebs. Ahead, everything you need to know about Merits newest launch.

The Inspiration

Merit

Thanks to what I like to call Internet makeup (that is, the gorgeous yet complicated eyeshadow looks that include cut creases and gradients of colors), most brands have focused on releasing palettes full of various shadows that could work for any intricate look. With Merit’s slogan being “makeup you can live in,” it makes sense that the brand wanted to return to a sense of makeup minimalism with its latest launch. “Solo Shadow is inspired by the simplicity and ease of the ‘90s—when eyeshadow was worn in a single wash of color, not as part of a complicated eye look,” says the brand in an Instagram post.

“That’s why, instead of developing a palette with multiple shades, we created a single pot of color in just eight.”

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  Merit Solo Shadow Matte Eye Color $24.00

  SHOP

The Hype

Before launching the Solo Shadow, Merit gave makeup artists and beauty insiders a first look to test the product out. Sarah Jessica Parker wore the shadow to the premiere of season two of And Just Like That, as well as throughout the season, and Kate Hudson wore Solo Shadow for her recent FLAUNT cover shoot. Plus, the OG RHONY cast member-turned-BeautyTok-favorite, Bethenny Frankel, calls the product “phenomenal” in a TikTok review of the brand.

The Formula

So, what makes this product so special, anyway? Solo Shadow is a highly versatile cream-to-powder housed in a gorgeous tinted-glass pot with a luxe gold cap. The shadow is both buildable and blendable (a tough feat for cream-to-powder products, BTW), and it has a soft-matte, long-wear finish. You can either apply it with your fingers if you’re in a hurry or apply it with a brush for a more diffused look.

Merit

The shadow comes in a total of eight shades, which fall under the “Neutrals” and “Statements” categories. Studio (a cool taupe), Vachetta (a warm beige), Midcentury (a warm brown), and Brun (a deep brown) are the brand’s neutral shadows that work for daily wear; whereas Social (a soft mauve), Viper (a warm green), Nelson (a soft grey), and Midnight (a classic navy), are Merit’s statement shadows that add a pop of color or drama to your look.

Like all of Merit’s formulas, the Solo Shadow is clean, EU-compliant, vegan, and Leaping Bunny-certified. The Solo Shadow doesn’t just look pretty, though—it also works hard to nourish the eye area. This ophthalmologist-tested and -approved formula contains chamomile and calendula extract to soothe the eyes while sunflower seed oil locks moisture in. Magnolia bark extract helps smooth the skin surface, while peptides help to plump the skin over time.

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