With no exterior logo or any type of identifiable branding, Merit’s quiet-luxury Signature Bag is the ultimate IYKYK status symbol for beauty junkies. Crafted from earth-tone, machine-washable corduroy, the tie-closure “makeup tote” ships free with every first order, isn’t available for direct purchase, and is so coveted that it can be found all over Poshmark and eBay for prices ranging from $13 to $40. 

With such a potent signifier of success, it’s no wonder Merit felt emboldened to move beyond its adored freebie straight into non-beauty merch designed to beef-up its bottom line. In January, to celebrate its fourth “anniversary,” it debuted The Everything Bag, an oversized, heavyweight canvas tote with a prominent brand logo. Available for purchase for $52, it was also free with orders over $125 while supplies lasted. Supplies didn’t last; it was sold-out within one month. 

But lest this starts to sound like a feature on Merit (it isn’t), it’s important to note that the “minimalist” beauty brand is currently also selling two sets of limited-edition earrings in collaboration with London-based contemporary jewelry and ceramics brand Completedworks—gold vermeil studs for $189 and silver pearl drops for $289. Both echo a limited-edition Merit x Completedworks mirrored compact, available for purchase for $38, or free with orders over $125. 

If all of this makes a trucker hat or oversized tumbler plastered with a brand logo sound outdated and/or basic, that might be the point. 

“Merch shouldn’t just be a surface for a logo,” says business strategist Reilly Newman, founder of Motif Brands. “No consumer wants to feel like a walking billboard. So brands must consider the additional value the merch is giving customers while wearing or engaging with it.”

Asked which brands he feels have an especially strong merch game, Newman cites Jeffree Star.

“Star, coming from the music industry, has a natural understanding of merch that supplements a core offering,” Newman notes. “Compared to Jones Road, Rhode, or other leading cosmetic brands, Jeffree Star has more personality and ‘edge’ that directly connects with the target audience. The merchandise isn’t just the brand name on attire, but actually a fashion line under the brand that has different artwork that connects back to the products.”  

In Newman’s opinion, an approach like Star’s feels “more expansive” than the bulk of the merch currently on offer. “Anastasia [Beverly Hills] also does a nice job of including little accessories that expand the brand,” he adds, alluding to the eyebrow guru’s assortment of pins, luggage tags, and keychains. 

Alongside a solid ROI, the most successful merch generates a hefty amount of cultural traction. 

“Well-done merch situates the brand in the zone of culture it wants to play in and ideally makes it visible to new potential customers by gaining social traction through its entertainment factor,” says Karen Fielding, Chief Strategy Officer, General Idea Agency, which counts Byredo and Ariana Grande among its beauty clients alongside a slew of high-wattage fashion brands. 

What we don’t need, says Fielding, is more of the same. “There is limited consumer appetite for more hoodies with logos—they’re the tote bags of our era,” she notes. “But if a brand has a genuinely original idea that reflects an understanding of its audience, there is still a clear opportunity to cut through in culture.”

According to Fielding, there’s a difference between capitalizing on an existing audience and expanding a brand’s equity. 

“A good original idea conveys the brand’s connection to culture or its audience’s aspirations and actually enhances the brand’s reputation and cultural value,” says Fielding, who, not surprisingly, gives Merit high marks. 

“Merit has excelled at this, beginning with the slouchy brown cord makeup bag that was all over TikTok and instantly branded every influencer video without the need for actual logos anywhere,” says Fielding. “It also perfectly situated Merit as the most fashion-adjacent makeup brand, which they have further developed with collaborations with Proenza Schouler and Tove.”

Another merch standout for Fielding? Rhode’s Lip Case, a silicone “bubble” phone case with a built-in holder for the brand’s Peptide Lip Treatment or Peptide Lip Tint. 

“Good merch reveals an understanding of a brand’s audience,” says Fielding. “The Rhode phone case/lip tint holder is a brilliant example of this. It’s acknowledging that for its audience of 20-somethings, those are the two items that it’s essential to always have within reach. They made a really fun product based on that insight.” 

BrandSpark’s Brystal Rosensweig, fractional CMO and advisor to beauty brands, agrees that the best merch items fit seamlessly into a customer’s lifestyle. For a recent wellness-leaning client in the “skin longevity” space, for example, Rosensweig helped develop branded Pilates socks.

“Logo merch isn’t just another product—it’s a way to celebrate your most loyal customers and build community,” says Rosensweig. “It deepens brand love, fuels organic advocacy, and turns customers into brand ambassadors. When done right, it’s a strong retention lever that keeps your best customers engaged.”

Taylor Lamb, CMO for the wellness brand Juna, hails from the fashion world, and as such felt right at home signing-off on apparel-related merch like “dad hats” emblazoned with the slogans “The Reason I Feel Great” and “Don’t Be a Dick.”

“They both have this laid-back, cool fit that you can dress up or down,” Lamb says of the hats. “The ‘Don’t Be a Dick’ hat, though, has a special story. Picture this: I’m driving in LA traffic, and I’m thinking, 'Wow, everyone just needs to chill!' So that became the vibe—and at the time, it tied in perfectly with our CBD line. While we’ve moved away from CBD, this hat lives on because it’s such a great conversation starter. It’s a hit during Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, or any season when life’s feeling a bit stressful.”

Other Juna merch includes “The Reason I Feel Great Tote,” which Lamb describes as “the ultimate go-to bag” for Juna’s on-the-move customers. 

“Our merch isn’t necessarily flying off the shelves, but it’s such a core part of our brand,” Lamb admits. “Loyal customers love it, and it’s perfect when paired with our supplements for a thoughtful gift.” 

According to Charlotte Sheridan, director of UK-based Quokka Agency, it’s the rare beauty brand that makes serious bank on its merch.

“Unless we’re talking about huge brands, in most cases, beauty merch isn’t a money maker within itself,” Sheridan notes. “Rather, as a marketing tool, it can be what we call a self-liquidating asset.” 

In other words, says Sheridan, the direct sales of a merch item should at least cover its production costs. 

“But the real value is in the brand awareness it can generate,” Sheridan says of well-crafted merch. “Those who are invested enough to buy or wear it are likely loyal advocates who will also rave about your products.”