We Created a Byrdie x Merit Holiday Collection—and You're Going to Want to Shop It Right Now

Holiday shopping for beauty enthusiasts can be tough—these folks likely have the latest TikTok obsession in their stash, and were wearing the season's biggest beauty trend two seasons ago. But fret not. Gifting a beauty set is fail-proof, especially if it's as expertly curated as this one. Enter the new Byrdie x Merit Holiday Kit, which contains six of the editor-loved brand’s makeup essentials for everyday use, including some of their most popular items, for just $140.

What we love most about Merit Beauty is the brand's minimalism, from short ingredient lists to fuss-free packaging. When it comes to aesthetic, each product is lightweight, buildable, and pigmented to deliver a wash of color for a minimalist, yet polished look. Think earth-toned shadows, highlighters to make you look lit-from-within, and lip products that enhance your lip's natural colors. Plus, Merit Beauty is ever-so-sleek and ultra-curated in its offerings, making only makeup and complexion essentials that you'll use over and over in a daily routine.

Read on to see the Byrdie x Merit Holiday Set and more of our favorite makeup products from the beauty brand.

"At Byrdie, we're such huge fans of Merit products. The brand's ethos—easy to apply, elevated textures, and skin-forward makeup looks—so perfectly aligns with Byrdie's DNA," Hallie Gould, Byrdie's editor in chief, says of the partnership. And when it came down to curating the collection, she knew it had to include the "cult-favorite, iconic" Flush Balm and Day Glow because "Byrdie is a highlighter girl through and through." As for the other picks: "Sprinkle in mascara, brow pomade, a matte shadow, and an easy-to-use brush, and you've got yourself the perfect flushed, no-makeup makeup look."

Merit CMO Aila Morin also loves the Byrdie x Merit Holiday Kit this holiday season. “It's a ready-made daily routine that you—or your lucky loved one—will be excited to wear all year long,” she says. And Hallie agrees, "This can be gifted to anyone who wears makeup! Whether they're an expert or just starting out, it's easy to use and includes all the good stuff."

A variety of products in shiny packaging is always sure to please—but the key to a majorly iconic set is a collection of products people will use frequently. They complement each other gorgeously, but also are each singular heroes, spectacular on their own as well. We truly love all of the products that are included in the kit, and ahead, we’ll share why you need each one of them in your beauty lineup. 

Flush Balm

This blush is one of Merit’s most loved products—it’s even Hailey Bieber and Cameron Diaz-approved. Coming in nine gorgeous shades, the Flush Balm is sheer but buildable, with a creamy texture that sinks into the skin easily for a naturally flushed glow. The color lasts all day while still feeling lightweight on the skin, and we love that it’s made with ingredients that won’t irritate acne-prone skin. The shape and packaging make it easy to swipe straight on and blend with your fingers, so it’s a great product to keep in your bag while out and about or during travel.

Price at time of publish: $30

Type: Blush | Shades: 9 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Day Glow Highlighting Balm

Every holiday party makeup look needs a dewy finish, and this highlighting balm does just that. Featuring three shades to compliment all skin tones, it adds a soft glow to the skin without being sparkly or shiny. Highlighters can sometimes be chalky and sit on top of the skin without blending well, but this one is made with a trove of moisturizing ingredients (including olive oil, squalane, and vitamin E) so that it melts into the complexion and leaves a hydrating sheen. 

Price at time of publish: $32

Type: Highlighter | Shades: 3 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Clean Lash Lengthening Mascara

This mascara is a Byrdie favorite (we named it one of our best lengthening and best tubing mascaras because of its natural formula and its ability to separate and define our lashes. A great mascara for everyday use, it's subtle but effective and adds the perfect amount of length and color without ever clumping or smudging throughout the day. We love that it’s a tubing mascara, which means that it can be easily removed with warm water (no eye makeup remover required).

Price at time of publish: $26

Type: Mascara | Shades: 1 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Brow 1980 Volumizing Pomade

If you love a full, fluffy brow, then this is the product you need to add to your beauty arsenal. This pomade adds volume and color and is able to shape your brows for a groomed look. It has a tapered brush that can grab and smooth every hair easily, and it has a long-lasting formula that keeps them in place all day without flaking. An added bonus? It’s formulated with vitamin B5 to nourish and strengthen healthy, thick eyebrows. 

Price at time of publish: $24

Type: Eyebrow gel | Shades: 3 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Solo Shadow Matte Eye Color

Eyeshadow can sometimes be tricky to apply, but this cream-to-powder formula makes it so easy. Available in eight neutral and statement shades, it can be built from a sheer layer of color to a more dramatic look with a simple swipe of a brush. It has a creamy consistency that makes it easy to blend and hard to mess up, so it’s great for eyeshadow novices and pros alike. Formulated with peptides as well as chamomile and calendula, it’s able to nourish and soothe the skin around the eyes, and it won’t irritate those who have sensitive eyes or wear contacts. 

Price at time of publish: $24

Type: Eyeshadow | Shades: 8 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Brush No. 2 Eyeshadow Brush

Of course, any set needs to include tools, and this eyeshadow brush truly is the only one that you’ll need. It’s dual-ended with soft bristles, one side being fluffier to blend a wash of color all over the lids and the other being smaller and sharper to create clean, precise lines. It’s the perfect brush to use with the Solo Shadow, and we love that it’s made with vegan materials and the handle is 100% recyclable aluminum—so it’s sustainable and safe for the environment. 

Price at time of publish: $20

Type: Brush | Shades: N/A | Cruelty-Free: Yes

The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick

If you find that foundation is too heavy and concealer doesn’t provide enough coverage, this complexion stick is the perfect middle ground. It provides a smooth, seamless base, with light-to-medium coverage that feels breathable but doesn’t fade throughout the day. It’s completely buildable and can also be used to spot conceal if necessary. We also love that it has a hydrating formula that doesn’t settle into fine lines. This product is not included in the Byrdie x Merit Holiday Kit, but we recommend it as a standalone purchase.

Price at time of publish: $20

Type: Base makeup | Shades: 20 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Brush No.1 Blending Brush

Blending is a critical part of any makeup look that’s easy to overlook—it’s often not until you’re out and about that you notice an accidental harsh contour or foundation line. That’s why it’s so important to invest in the right blending brush, and we love this one. It’s densely packed with super soft bristles, so you won't miss a spot or irritate your skin. Another bonus: It’s big enough to get the job done efficiently but small enough to fit nicely into any makeup bag. This product is not included in the Byrdie x Merit Holiday Kit, but we recommend it as a standalone purchase.

Price at time of publish: $32

Type: Brush | Shades: N/A | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil

What’s not to like about juicy lips? The Classics Lip Oils deliver just that thanks to the formula’s shea butter, grapeseed, and jojoba oils, which work to soften and moisturize. Rosehip oil offers a boost of antioxidants, too, which does wonders for a healthy skin barrier. Aesthetically, we love the array of sheer yet buildable colors that come in a wide range of nude and red hues. This product is not included in the Byrdie x Merit Holiday Kit, but we recommend it as a standalone purchase.

Price at time of publish: $24

Type: Lip oil | Shades: 12 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Great Skin Instant Glow Serum

If you want healthy, glowy-looking skin, makeup can only do so much. You can get the dewy base you desire with a hydrating serum, like this one. It’s formulated with multiple forms of hyaluronic acid to deeply nourish the skin, as well as niacinamide and antioxidant-rich plant extracts to boost radiance. The result is skin that looks plump, bright, and ready for makeup. This product is not included in the Byrdie x Merit Holiday Kit, but we recommend it as a standalone purchase.

Price at time of publish: $38

Type: Serum | Shades: N/A | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What to Look for in a Merit Beauty Product

• Buildable Coverage: Each Merit Beauty product is formulated with a short ingredient list free of phthalates and preservatives. Instead, products contain nourishing, non-pore clogging ingredients. They are lightweight and deliver buildable coverage, pigmented just enough to deliver a wash of color.
• Shades: We love that Merit Beauty offers a wide range of cool and warm shades to match all skin tones. You can see swatches of all the shades on different skin tones on each item’s product page, so we recommend checking how each would look before purchasing.  
• Finish: The products in the Byrdie x Merit Holiday Kit have a variety of finishes on the skin, from dewy to satin to soft-matte. If you like to play with different textures in your makeup look, the Byrdie x Merit Holiday Kit gives you finish options.

Why Trust Byrdie

Shannon Stubbs is a staff commerce updates writer at Byrdie, where she covers beauty. She’s frequently trying new skincare and makeup products to recommend the best of the best to readers.

Editor's Note: Although our editors curated the Byrdie x Merit Holiday Kit, this is an independent brand review.