Merit Just Launched the Prettiest Fall Eyeshadow Shades—and I Tried All 8 Colors

Calling all minimalists

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Published Aug 28, 2023

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Paula Boudes for PureWow

Without fail, a new season brings new trends, from fashion to home decor and, yes, even beauty. PureWow beauty editors predict that matte finishes and warm, latte-inspired hues are about to become all the rage this fall. Lucky for us, one of our favorite female-founded makeup brands, Merit, is doubling down on the seasonal shift by launching a brand new product that's ready for those autumn trends: the Solo Shadow.

As the name suggests, each of the eight shadow colors come in an individual pan with a creamy formula ready to make your eyes pop. I tried out all eight shades and have some thoughts (spoiler alert: they're a minimalist's dream). On the website, the colors are broken up into two categories, The Neutrals and The Statements, with four colors each. The shadows are formulated to be creamy, but transform into a powder-like texture when applied for a matte, lightweight splash of color.

Merit

If you're familiar with Merit, you know that the brand's beauty products are made to add a little bit of something-something to the face, but they're not exactly about creating a full glam beat—if that's what you're after, you'll likely be disappointed. However, for those of us who just want some effortless enhancements with light makeup, these products (yup, the shadows, too) are perfection.

The Solo Shadows are made with vegan, clean and cruelty-free ingredients and even include soothing additions like calendula and chamomile extracts to avoid any skin irritation around the eyes. Speaking of eye problems, the shadow's formula has been ophthalmologist tested and vetted, per the brand.

What's the Formula Like?

As described, I find the creamy texture to transform into a powdery finish on my lids. I like this for the most part, but find that it can be tough to blend if you don't blend it right away. So make sure you're working with these shadows quickly on your eyes.

I tried doing a more intricate eye look with a couple of the brown shades, as well as a wing to see how they worked with each other, and while I was able to accomplish a sleek and natural look, I think the product works much better when used on its own.

Olivia Dubyak

Merit

I used the Merit Brush No. 2 ($20) for this look and found the fluffy end very good for blending a wash over the lid, while the small end did wonders for my wing and buffing some color into my lower lash line. For this look I used the shades Vachetta, Nelson and Brun.

One thing's for sure about these shadows: They will last all day long. And if you really wanted to, I'm sure they'd even last for two days—that's how well they stay put thanks to that cream-to-powder formula. When it came to removing them, in fact, I found my face wash to be basically useless, so I needed an oil based cleanser to work 'em off (and it did, marvelously).

My Experience Using The Shadows

When I used the shadows as a wash over my eyes, I loved how easily they blended out and made my eyes pop without creating an overwhelmingly pigmented look—even the darkest shades blend out almost sheer. If you do want a bolder look, though, the formula is buildable so you can add as you much as you please to attain a darker shade.

Olivia Dubyak

On the left I have a wash of the deep green shade, Viper, and on the right I'm wearing a full lid of the neutral Studio, a pinkish-brown hue. With these, I used my finger instead of the brush to apply, and felt like the shadows blended into the skin much easier, likely because the warmth of my hand helped melt them in seamlessly.

Bottom line? These are definitely going to be my new favorite eyeshadows for fall (and beyond!), mostly because I don't get too crazy with eye makeup looks and these subtle hues are up my alley. Plus, the individual "solo" pans are so easy to toss into my bag, so I can skip carrying around a big eyeshadow palette when I'm out and about or traveling. Last but not least, they'll keep my beauty looks feeling fresh and trendy without requiring much effort on my part (and that's always a win).

Buy It ($24)

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Olivia Dubyak

Commerce Editor

Covers commerce content, including personal and collaborative reviews and product roundups across beauty, home, fashion and family verticals
More than 5 years of professional experience in journalism
Studied journalism at Duquesne University

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