Katherine Power
Who What Wear founder and serial brand-builder Katherine Power launched Merit Beauty in 2021 with a tightly edited, five-minute-routine philosophy. Within three years it was a Sephora top-ten clean makeup brand and reportedly closed a funding round valuing it near $1B.
"Less, but better — every shade should be the only one you need."
— Katherine Power
Katherine Power co-founded Who What Wear in 2006 and went on to build Versed Skincare and the wine label Avaline with Cameron Diaz before founding Merit Beauty in 2021.
Merit launched with eight products, no shimmer, and a deliberately limited palette — positioned as the antidote to the 'more is more' beauty cycle. It became one of Sephora's fastest-growing makeup launches and was reported in 2024 to be raising at a near-unicorn valuation.
Edit ruthlessly. Eight things you'll actually wear beat fifty you won't.
Clean by default — but lead with how it looks, not what it doesn't contain.
- 2006Co-founds Who What Wear
- 2019Launches Versed Skincare under Clique Brands incubator
- 2020Co-founds Avaline wine with Cameron Diaz
- 2021Launches Merit Beauty
- 2024Reported funding round valuing Merit near $1B
Inside Katherine Power's Merit Beauty
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