MERIT Beauty’s Signature Lip Blush ($28), launching February 2, taps directly into 2026’s blurred-lip trend, the softer sister to the ultra-matte lips of the mid-2010s (looking at you, Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kits). Often called the “just-bitten” look, today’s velvety, blurred lip veers away from sharp lines and ultra-pigmented, opaque color in favor of diffused, feathery edges and an airbrushed flush that looks matte, but not dry.
At least, that’s the goal. For anyone whose lips skew dry year-round (especially in the dead of winter) or who has noticed dryness with age, many blurred-lip formulas still miss the mark. Lips may look Nina Park–approved, but feel dry, cakey, and creased. Signature Lip Blush aims to solve that exact problem, wearing like a nourishing lip balm while delivering the soft-focus, blurred effect the trend promises.
The lipstick first debuted in MERIT’s limited-edition 2023 holiday set, where fans immediately went into a tailspin over its “lived-in,” sheer-matte finish. After refining the formula over the past two years, it now returns as a permanent collection—and after testing several shades myself, I can confidently say that MERIT’s Signature Lip Blush is the only blurred, velvety matte lipstick I’ve tried that doesn’t dry out my lips.
As for shades, Signature Lip Blush comes in eight: Andie (baby pink), Archival (pink mauve), Bespoke (rose brown), Framboise (rich berry), Gamay (deep bordeaux), Kitten Heel (bright red), September (brick red) and Vendôme (warm sheer nude). Each hue starts sheer with a soft-matte finish, then builds smoothly, swipe by swipe, to your desired depth.
If you’ve never been a fan of matte lipstick before, this is the place to start. Comfortable, flattering and long-lasting, MERIT Beauty’s Signature Lip Blush is the everyday blurred-lip product dry and mature lips will reach for again and again.
Join the waitlist now, or purchase Lip Blush on February 2 at meritbeauty.com and in-store and online at Sephora.
