
People are often surprised to learn that I am all about a 5-minute makeup look. In my regular everyday life, I typically spend 10 minutes on skin, hair, and makeup every morning. I don’t need more than that to look fresh and awake and ready for the day.
Okay, some days I might need more than that, but we won’t mention those days. 🙂
That’s why I loved Merit‘s approach to a 5 minute morning, as well as the ease and portability of their products. I spent my first 10 years as a mom exclusively doing my makeup in the car, and so I can totally get behind products that fit easily in a makeup bag and give you a fresh and finished look without the use of brushes.

This 5-minute face makeup routine requires only a handful of products:
- Foundation/concealer stick
- Blush stick
- Brow gel
- Mascara
- Lip oil or gloss
- Highlighter stick
Here’s my Five Minute Morning face using these products.
You can find my 5-Minute Morning Makeup Tutorial/Review right here.
Read on for my honest review of the products from today’s video. You can find all of the Merit Beauty products here.
Clean Lash is an Allure Best of Beauty Winner. It’s a lightweight tubing mascara that doesn’t smudge, and allows for buildable lashes. $26 Flush Balm cheek color, $28, gives a natural glowy look. On my combination skin, this needed to be reapplied after about 6 hours, but would probably last longer on drier skin. Brow 1960 Volumizing Pomade, $24. This adds thickness, color and hold to brows and lasts all day. The Minimalist Complexion Perfecting Stick, $38, works as a foundation and concealer. Offers light to medium coverage that doesn’t settle into skin texture and lasts all day. The Day Glow is a stick highlighter in Cava (pearly white) or Rose Gold that adds a glow without settling into fine lines and pores. One of my favorite products. $30 Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil, $24, is a moisturizing, non-sticky gloss alterative with sheer but pigmented colors,
Are you a minimalist or a maximalist (or somewhere in between!) when it comes to makeup? And how much time does it typically take for you to apply it? Let me know in the comments!
Nada Manley says
Thank you! No it’s not out of style, but I think some people consider it optional in an everyday look. I love my eyeliner though!
Elaine D Sharp says
Love this review of the merit products. I don’t like spending much time on makeup but do like a dramatic mascara. I’m noticing that not many quick makeup routines include eyeliner. Is eyeliner out of style?