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Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil
MERIT's non-sticky tinted lip oil in three finishes, from pigmented Classics to sheer Gelées and pearly Sheens, at $24.
7.4
Good
Beauty score
#9 of 10 lips
Community
—/10
- Format
- Lip oil
- Finish
- Glossy
- Shades
- 12
- Price tier
- Mid-range
Made for: All skin types
Last reviewed November 2, 2026 by our editors · How we score
The verdict
MERIT's non-sticky tinted lip oil in three finishes, from pigmented Classics to sheer Gelées and pearly Sheens, at $24.
Shade Slick is MERIT's tinted lip oil, now sold in three finishes: four buildable Classics with jojoba, rosehip and grapeseed oils and shea butter esters; four sheer, pH-reactive Gelées; and four pearlescent Sheens with squalane and quinoa seed oil. It lists at $24 for 0.23 oz (7 ml). Bloggers praise its comfortable, non-sticky feel and moisture. The trade-offs are sheer color with no dramatic payoff, a thin texture one creator disliked in the original formula, and a smell that puts at least one Reddit user off.
Best for
- A no-mirror, everyday wash of color and moisture
- Layering over lip liner for a glossy nude
What we love
- Comfortable, non-sticky glossy feel that bloggers say hydrates
- Three finishes: pigmented Classics, sheer pH-reactive Gelées and pearly Sheens
- No fragrance in the listed ingredients
- Vegan and Leaping Bunny certified
Worth knowing
- Sheer color with no dramatic payoff
- Only four shades per finish
- One creator found the original formula too thin and slippery
- At least one Reddit user is put off by its smell
How it scored
The breakdown.
Five factors, weighted for makeup. Here’s our working.
7.4Good
Beauty score out of 10. Brands can’t pay for placement — ever.
- Payoff & performance30%7.8
Bloggers such as Explore with Nora and Ruth Nuss describe smooth, comfortable, non-sticky sheer color, though Really Ree says the Gelées give no dramatic result.
- Wear time15%6.2
As a lip oil it gives shine rather than long wear; the Gelées leave a light stain after the gloss fades, and MERIT says the Sheens were updated for longer wear.
- Shade range & inclusivity15%7.4
Twelve shades split evenly across three finishes, mostly nudes, pinks and berries, though State of Kait found the Gelée Mapleton showed less brown than described.
- Value20%7.0
$24 for 0.23 oz is fair for a prestige lip oil, cheaper than Dior's Lip Glow Oil but pricier than many drugstore tinted oils.
- Community love20%7.9
MERIT's page shows 4.6 stars from more than 3,800 reviews and Ruth Nuss rates it 10/10, while Reddit discussion is thin and one user dislikes the smell.
Beauty profile
Inside the bottle.
Texture
Lightweight tinted lip oil with a glossy, non-sticky finish; the brand calls the Sheens cushioned and the Gelées its sheerest
Format
Lip oil
Finish
Glossy
Coverage
Sheer
Shade range
12 shades
Fragrance
Fragrance-free
Size
0.23 oz / 7 ml
Key ingredients
Ingredient encyclopedia →What’s in it: The Classics use jojoba, rosehip and grapeseed oils with shea butter ethyl esters; the Gelées and Sheens use squalane, quinoa seed oil and tocopheryl acetate in a hydrogenated polyisobutene and polybutene base. No fragrance appears in the listed ingredients.
How to use
Swipe onto lips for a sheer wash of color and moisture, worn alone or over MERIT's Signature Lip Liner.
Claims & certifications
- Vegan
- Leaping Bunny certified
- Cruelty-free (brand-stated)
Full ingredient list (INCI)19 ingredients · key actives highlighted · as listed by the brand
- The Classics (Marrakech): Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride,
- Hydrogenated Polyisobutene,
- Ceresin,
- Silica Dimethyl Silylate,
- Octyldodecanol,
- Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil,
- Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil,
- Rosa Canina Fruit Oil,
- Shea Butter Ethyl Esters,
- Ethylcellulose,
- Isostearyl Alcohol,
- Hydrogenated Dilinoleyl Alcohol,
- Nylon-12,
- Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate,
- Citric Acid,
- CI 77491/77492/77499 (Iron Oxides),
- CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake),
- CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide),
- CI 73360 (Red 30 Lake)
Formulas change. Always check the packaging, and patch-test if your skin is reactive.
Creator video reviews
Watch it in action.
Real reviews, try-ons and wear tests from independent creators — verified with TikTok and YouTube and labelled when sponsored.
We don’t pay creators for reviews, and they don’t pay us. Nothing from TikTok or YouTube loads until you press play.
What people say
Straight from the source.
Verbatim from Reddit, forums, blogs and the beauty press — linked, so you can read the whole thread.
4 verbatim quotes · 2 positive · 2 mixed
Ruth NussPositive
Merit’s Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil is a 10/10 for me. This is a truly hydrating lip color that isn’t sticky or drying and comes in the most beautiful colors.
Explore with NoraPositive
I like how the formula applies on lips, it is smooth and really comfortable. It does not perform like greasy or sticky lip gloss.
Really ReeMixed
They are really pretty but they don’t really offer any kind of dramatic result. They do, however, leave a light stain on the lips even when the shiny finish has gone.
r/muacjdiscussionMixed
I really like the Merit colours but that smell. It's holding me back from their shade slicks
Price & value
Is it worth it?
Typical price
$24.00
for 0.23 oz / 7 ml
Per ounce
$101.39
DrugstoreMid-rangePrestigeLuxury
Right around the going rate per ounce for lips. Our value score: 7.0/10 for a mid-range pick.
Price checked November 2026 at a non-Amazon retailer. Prices change — retailers show the current one.
Where to buy
We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never affects our scores or what we recommend. How we make money
Community
What members noticed.
Ratings, skin types and the benefits people actually saw — logged on the Benefit Wheel.
No member ratings yet.
Tried it? Your score — and your skin or hair type — helps the next person decide.
Highlighted: what it’s built to do.
Discussion
No discussions yet.
Tried MERIT Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil? Ask a question or share how it’s working for your skin or hair — you’ll be the first.
FAQ
Good questions.
What is the difference between the Classics, Gelées and Sheens?
MERIT says the Classics have the most pigment with buildable, glossy color; the Gelées are the sheerest, with pH-reactive pigments that leave a subtle stain; and the Sheens are cushioned, lightly pigmented and pearlescent, with longer wear.
What shades are available?
Twelve: the Classics in Taupe, Marrakech, Sangria and Pink Beet; the Gelées in Jeté, Les Deux, Maraschino and Mapleton; and the Sheens in Tabby, Pointelle, Biarritz and Twin Set.
How big is a tube of Shade Slick?
Retailer listings such as Ipsy and SkinSAFE give the full size as 0.23 oz (7 ml). MERIT's list price is $24 per tube.
Is Shade Slick vegan and cruelty-free?
Yes. MERIT says it is vegan, Leaping Bunny certified and meets its Clean at MERIT standard, which the brand describes as EU-compliant.
Sources we checked (10)
- meritbeauty.com/products/shade-slick
- meritbeauty.com/products/shade-slick.json
- meritbeauty.com/pages/about
- meritbeauty.com/pages/terms-conditions
- ipsy.com/p/merit-shade-slick-gele-tinted-lip-oil-in-jet-sheer-natural_pr-MERILIP5000000
- skinsafeproducts.com/merit-tinted-lip-oil-shade-slick-biarritz-0-23-oz-7-ml
- ruthnuss.com/my-merit-beauty-review/
- explorewithnora.com/merit-beauty-shade-slick-tinted-lip-oil-review-swatches/
- reallyree.com/merit-beauty-shade-slick-gelee-review-swatches-uk/
- reddit.com/r/muacjdiscussion/comments/1qtkgqz/lip_oilglossbalm_that_smells_great/
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