Nicole Richie is the latest celebrity to share her love for Merit Beauty—a fuss-free, cool-girl cosmetics brand beloved by minimalists and A-listers alike, including Sarah Jessica Parker, and Cameron Diaz. Richie’s go-to products—which she revealed in a recent video Merit shared exclusively with InStyle—mirror many of Diaz’s must-haves from the brand. Most notable among them? The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick, a fan-favorite foundation-concealer hybrid that has sold out six times (and counting). Luckily, it’s currently in stock, and, after watching Richie’s effortless application and radiant results, I’m entirely convinced to snap one up for myself.
The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick is a solid, tinted skin-enhancer with a creamy texture. Housed in a twist-up tube, it’s a breeze to apply: Simply glide across skin and blend, using either fingers or a soft brush, like the brand’s Blending Brush. In addition to an undereye concealer, the stick functions as an all-over face-base, blurring imperfections without the heavy look or feel of traditional foundation. Available in 20 shades, the lightweight formula wears tracelessly on skin, making it ideal for makeup minimalists—as well as maximalists seeking a breezier formula to wear in the balmier months.
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Richie, like Diaz, uses Merit’s stick to brighten shadows. “I like to do a little bit of undereye concealer,” she explains in the video, as she swipes the Bisque shade below her eyes, “[to] cover my dark circles.” In an unexpected turn, she proceeds to glide the formula across her hand, adding that she uses it to “cover [her] cat scratches.”
Simply put, Merit’s Perfecting Complexion Stick is incredibly versatile. In addition to a foundation, concealer, and, if needed, cat scratch-cover up, a slightly darker shade also functions as a contour stick. Furthermore, it’s “perfect for travel,” as one shopper points out, given its solid, TSA-friendly format and mess-free, speedy application.
Moreover, as is true of all Merit products, the complexion stick is designed not only to enhance, but actually improve skin over time. Its non-comedogenic formula is spiked with fatty acids, which, in addition to imparting instant suppleness and locking in moisture for a soft, glowing skin, keeps cakiness at bay.
Shop the go-to skin-perfector behind some of Hollywood’s glowiest complexions before it sells out again.
Then, check out some more of Richie’s Merit Beauty must-haves below.