Here, I’m wearing a full face of Merit, Jones Road, and Il Makiage makeup products.
(Image credit: Kaitlyn McLintock)
In today’s day and age, there’s no shortage of internet-viral makeup brands and products, but I’ve been a beauty editor long enough to know that the hype isn’t always warranted. (I won’t name names, but I’ve been let down by so many popular products in the past.) That’s why I tend to approach “internet-viral” products with a healthy dose of skepticism. If they don’t perform exceptionally well, I’m not going to recommend them. It’s as simple as that.
The popular products that do perform, though? You can’t get me to shut up about them. That’s the case with three internet-famous brands—Merit, Jones Road, and Il Makiage. This year, I’ve introduced multiple products from each one, and I don’t see a future in which they ever leave my makeup bag. Ahead, see all 15 internet-viral makeup products that I think are well-worth the time, money, and attention.
Merit
MERIT Beauty
Solo Shadow – Iris
Merit has become one of my go-to beauty brands. It’s slowly inching out other products and brands from my makeup bag, and I’m not mad—not when the brand’s chic Solo Shadows exist! The buildable cream shadows are so soft and silky, delivering a sheer wash of color to the eyelids. They come in two finishes: matte and shimmer. Recently, I’ve been obsessed with Iris, a shimmering plum color, Midnight, a matte navy blue, and Studio, a cool taupe color. However, Nelson, a soft gray shade, is next on my to-try list.
Merit Beauty
The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick
Sometimes, I want a dewy skint-tint-esque finish from my complexion products. Other times I want medium-to-full coverage with a matte finish. Other times, still, I want targeted coverage in precise areas. (What can I say? I contain multitudes!) This is my favorite product to use for the latter. I can swipe it on straight from the stick, and the formula melts onto my skin. I apply it around my nose, on my dark circles, and to spot-cover any blemishes or dark spots. It blends like a dream and looks so natural and effortless. I don’t even need to follow up with setting powder to get it to last all day.
Merit Beauty
Flush Balm – Fox
How could I not include what is perhaps Merit’s most internet-famous product? The brand’s Flush Balm Cheek Color lives up to the hype. It provides the prettiest, sheer wash of color to my skin. I love so many shades, but lately, I’ve been using Fox the most. It’s a warm, taupe shade that gives my skin a warm, sun-kissed look. It’s a true lit-from-within blush. Whenever I use it, I swear it looks like the color is due to a natural flush, not a makeup product.
Merit Beauty
Day Glow Highlighting Balm – Cava
Speaking of lit-from-within skin, I highly recommend Merit’s Day Glow Highlighting Balm. It’s so chic, providing a subtle, luminous radiance to the skin that feels very French. There are four shades in total, each one prettier than the next, but I find myself reaching for Cava (a warm champagne color) the most.
MERIT Beauty
Brow 1990 Sheer Gel Pencil
The first time I used this brow pencil I had three people compliment me and ask how I get my brows to look “so perfect.” So, yeah, I would highly recommend investing in one for yourself. I even recommended it to my mom because she’s been having trouble finding a truly natural-looking brow pencil, and this is it. The sheer, gel formula is so believable, and thanks to an ultra-fine pencil, it’s easy to place in precise areas.
If Merit’s Brow 1990 is the key to sharp, defined, and well-shaped brows, then Merit’s Brow 1980 is the key to full, fluffy, Brooke Shield-esque brows. The lightweight pomade offers soft, volumizing hold and natural-looking density. And there’s zero crunchiness, flaking, or smearing, ever.
MERIT Beauty
Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick – Baby
As someone who has thin, dry lips, I can’t tell you how difficult it is to find a lipstick I can actually stand to wear. Most formulas are too thick, heavy, or drying. Not Merit’s. The Signature Lightweight Lipstick is just that—lightweight. Thanks to a smooth, hydrating formula, it doesn’t dry out my lips or settle into lines.
It’s available in matte and satin finishes, and I love pretty much every single shade. Seriously, if I could buy every single one, I would. However, I have a special place in my heart for Baby (satin pink), Tiger (satin brick red), Antibes (matte peach), and Vermillion (matte red-orange). They’re all undeniably chic.
Jones Road
Jones Road
Miracle Balm – Dusty Rose
I couldn’t go on Instagram or TikTok without seeing someone use a Jones Road makeup product, and eventually, I felt like a bad beauty editor for never having tried it. To right this wrong, I collected my fair share of Jones Road products and put them to the test. The first one was the brand’s signature Miracle Balm.
It’s a do-it-all formula that can be used on the lips and cheeks or as an all-over tint for a dewy, light-reflective look. Depending on the shade, you can use it as a highlighter, blush, bronzer, and more. (The world is your oyster with this product; it can pretty much be used anywhere on your face, neck, or chest for a nice glow.) I, for one, use the shade Dusty Rose as a blush-highlighter hybrid. Sometimes I even apply it to my lips or eyelids for a nice monochromatic glow. It’s *the* product to reach for if your skin looks or feels a little dull.
Jones Road
What the Foundation – Fair
Next up, I added Jones Road’s What the Foundation to the mix. It offers light to medium coverage (think skin tint or tinted moisturizer vibes), and has a super unique texture that’s somewhere between a gel and a cream. It blends seamlessly into the skin, veiling the complexion in light, dewy, and even coverage.
I love using this for “no-makeup makeup” looks. When I want more coverage and a less-dewy finish, I’ll reach for my Il Makiage foundation (but more on that in a minute). If you like lightweight, glowy foundations, you’ll love this one, and I can see how it works incredibly well for mature skin types.
Jones Road
The Best Eyeshadow – Smokey Brown
I love a powder eye shadow that’s A) highly pigmented, and B) easy to blend. This checks off both boxes. It has a soft and velvety texture, which makes it easy to place and sweep across the eyelids for color and dimension. My only problem is I want every shade.
This is a classic gel eyeliner. It’s highly pigmented! It’s creamy! It’s water and transfer-resistant! Apply it with The Precision Eyeliner Brush ($24), and you’ll have an eye-defining look that lasts all day.
Jones Road
The Lippie Stick – Buff
I love a thick, rich lip balm that spreads across my lips like butter. Jones Road’s The Lippie Stick is just that…with an added bonus of color (it’s available in 11 sheer shades). It’s full of plant-based oils and cocoa butter to smooth, moisturize, and protect my dryness-prone lips, and the brand’s signature blend of orange, spearmint, and lavender essential oils makes it a sensorial delight.
Jones Road
The Classic Lip – Ruby
I love a sheer lip balm, but that doesn’t mean I’ll pass up a rich and sophisticated lipstick. Jones Road’s The Classic Lip is just that—classic. The lightweight formula is infused with shea butter and vitamin E, so it’s *actually* hydrating, and all 12 shades deliver bold color with a satin finish. It’s truly timeless, and Ruby, a true blue-red, is next on my to-buy list.
Il Makiage
Il Makiage
Woke Up Like This Flawless Base Foundation
This is one of my favorite foundations, ever. I’ve talked about it so many times before, but that won’t stop me from talking about it again! I bought it a few years ago after seeing an enticing ad online. I hoped for the best, but expected the worst. (Anyone who’s ever bought anything off Instagram or TikTok Shop knows what I mean.) However, when it arrived, I tapped it onto my skin with a trusty Beautyblender ($20), and I was floored. My redness? Gone. Discoloration? Nonexistent. Check out my before and after pictures for proof.
It’s been a few years since then, and I still reorder it whenever I’m running low. In fact, a new bottle just arrived the other day. I love the medium, buildable coverage. I adore the natural-looking matte finish. And most of all, I’m obsessed with its texture—it’s indiscernible and looks like my skin, but better.
Try the brand’s shade finder quiz. It’s scarily accurate.
Il Makiage
F*ck I’m Flawless Multi-Use Perfecting Concealer
I’m equally as obsessed with the brand’s F*ck, I’m Flawless Concealer. The medium-to-full coverage formula looks like a second skin, lasts all day long, and feels lightweight and comfortable on my skin. I use it to disguise blemishes, dark circles, hyperpigmentation, and redness. The hydrating formula never looks cakey or obvious. I’ve already been through three tubes, but that didn’t stop me from getting a fresh one just the other day.
