Merit's Clean Volume Mascara Makes Lashes Thick & Full Minus The Clumps
Our take
The beauty landscape continues its quiet shift towards mindful consumption and understated elegance, a trend we've been observing closely. It's a departure from the maximalist, influencer-driven era, favoring instead products that offer both performance and a sense of considered simplicity. This is perfectly exemplified by the growing buzz around Merit Beauty, and their latest offering, the Clean Volume Mascara. As deputy beauty editor Erin Lukas details in her Trial Run review, the formula delivers on its promise of full, clump-free lashes—a seemingly simple feat, yet one that many brands struggle to achieve without resorting to harsh chemicals or overly complicated application techniques. The broader context here is one of a consumer increasingly seeking ‘clean’ beauty options that don’t compromise on efficacy, a desire mirrored in recent trends like the preference for cooler swim trends over black bikinis [Goodbye, Black Bikinis—Gen Z Prefers This Cooler Swim Trend That Feels Peak 2026] and the enduring appeal of elegant, timeless staples, as evidenced by Zara’s summer sale [Zara's Summer Sale Is Here! 13 Elegant Buys That Will Be Gone Before July]. It speaks to a desire for quality over quantity, and a rejection of fleeting trends in favor of lasting value.
The success of Merit, and products like this mascara, isn’t just about the formula itself; it’s about the *feeling* it evokes. Merit’s brand identity, built on a foundation of minimalist aesthetics and a commitment to clean ingredients, resonates deeply with a generation seeking authenticity and self-assuredness. This contrasts sharply with the often-overblown marketing tactics employed by other brands, a point underscored by recent experiences with luxury beauty products—like Louis Vuitton's surprisingly expensive lip pencils [Louis Vuitton Just Launched $58 Lip Pencils—My Honest Thoughts After Testing Them for 5 Weeks]. Merit’s approach feels inherently more considered, less performative. The "tubing" formula, which Lukas highlights, is a key element here. Tubing mascaras are known for their smudge-proof and flake-free properties, offering a clean and lasting result without the harshness of traditional formulas. This aligns perfectly with the brand's ethos: delivering exceptional results with minimal compromise. It’s about achieving a polished look without sacrificing well-being.
This subtle yet powerful shift in the beauty industry—away from dramatic transformations and towards effortless enhancement—has significant implications for brands. Consumers are no longer swayed by unrealistic promises or overly filtered imagery. They’re seeking transparency, authenticity, and products that genuinely enhance their natural beauty. Merit’s success demonstrates that a focus on quality ingredients, thoughtful formulation, and a brand voice that emphasizes self-assuredness, rather than fleeting trends, can resonate deeply with today's discerning consumer. The emphasis on delivering a *feeling*—the feeling of confidence, of effortless style—is more compelling than any list of ingredients or promises of dramatic results. It's about creating a holistic experience that aligns with a broader lifestyle of mindful consumption and self-expression.
Ultimately, the rise of brands like Merit compels us to ask: will this trend of quiet luxury and mindful beauty continue to gain momentum? Or will the cyclical nature of fashion eventually bring back the era of maximalism and overt glamour? The answer likely lies in a continued consumer desire for authenticity and products that empower them to feel confident in their own skin—a desire that transcends fleeting trends and speaks to a deeper, more enduring shift in values.
In our series Trial Run, TZR editors and writers put the buzziest new beauty products to the test and share their honest reviews. This week, deputy beauty editor Erin Lukas is testing the buzzy Merit Clean Volume Mascara.
“I love when my mascara smudges,” said no one ever. While a number of options out there live up to their promises of providing extension-like length and illusion of fuller lashes, many don’t pass the raccoon eye test. So as someone with naturally oily eyelids that lives in a humid climate, I make the switch to tubing mascaras come summer. These formulas contain polymers that wrap around each individual lash like a “tube” rather than coating them like traditional mascara does. The result? Smudge-proof lashes that hold up on a 90-degree day with 70% humidity.
Long-wear aside, thick, fluffy lashes is my other mascara non-negotiable. However, there’s a fine line between voluminous and clumpy, and many formulas fall into the latter. So when I caught wind that Merit’s new Clean Volume Mascara utilizes tubing technology to add fullness and definition to lashes, I eagerly accepted the opportunity to get my hands on a tube ahead of its official launch.
So does Merit’s latest tubing mascara stay smudge- and clump-free? Ahead, I put beauty editor-favorite brand’s new product to the test to find out.
Clean Volume Mascara
This tubing mascara adds volume and definition to lashes for long-lasting, clump-free wear. It comes in black and brown shades.
Merit -Fast Facts
- Price: $25
- Size: 7mL/ 0.24 oz
- Best For: Volume and lift, those who prone to mascara smudging and flaking
- Ingredient Highlights: Japanese-made tubing film-formers
- What We Like: Adds volume and definition, doesn’t clump
- What We Don’t Like: Can be tough to remove
- Rating: 5/5
How TZR Keeps Score: 1/5: Making a return; 2/5: Keeping as a backup; 3/5: Finishing to the last drop; 4/5: Recommending to my group texts; 5/5: Already on auto-replenish
The Formula
The cornerstone of Merit’s Clean Volume mascara is Japanese-made tubing polymers that wrap around each individual lash like a film, which helps prevent the skin’s natural oils from breaking down the product throughout the day. This means that the mascara is more likely to remain intact if you get caught in a late summer afternoon downpour or wear it to the gym. Staying power aside, the brand says the formula volumizes, lifts, and defines lashes, even if you apply multiple coats.
This formula lends its clump-free finish to a unique wand. The status quo for volumizing mascaras is a thick, fluffy brush, which the brand says is responsible for clumps. Instead, Clean Volume has a slim rubber brush that separates and lifts each individual lash.
My Experience & Results
Lately, I’ve been wearing brown mascaras during the day for a more subtle, low-key look, and reserve black for nighttime. Since I wear minimal makeup during the week, I’ve come to find inky volumious lashes are just too dramatic on me when the rest of my face is bare save for some blush, a skin tint, and a glossy lip tint. I’ll admit I was skeptical Clean Volume’s smaller brush would make my lashes look as thick and full as I like when I am wearing black mascara. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Two coats delivered ample fullness and the extra definition resulted in a softer lash look. It’s the perfect middle ground between brown mascara and other volumizing black ones I use.
Thanks to the tubing formula, it stayed fresh from when I applied it at 8 a.m. to when I got home from a long work day at 9 p.m. The caveat? It is hard to remove. I typically take off my mascara with micellar water and found I still had some residue on my lashes the next morning. The takeaway: follow the brand’s recommendation and use warm water and/or cleanser to remove it.
Is Merit’s Clean Volume Mascara Worth It?
With Clean Volume, a world where smudge-proof, clump-free mascara does exist is possible. So if you’re prone to raccoon eyes, wear contacts, live somewhere humid, or like the extra insurance that your makeup won’t require touch-ups, this mascara is worth adding to your cart. Just don’t use micellar water as as your eye makeup remover.
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