Two years after debuting its first perfume, Retrospect, Merit today launches its sophomore fragrance, New Wave. Where Retrospect was fruity, floral and fresh, New Wave (from $34)—like the French cinema movement from which it borrows its name—is sensual, daring, deep and bold. I love perfume, but typically go for fresh, floral fragrances. (Retrospect is very much in my profile.) When I had the opportunity to get an early preview of New Wave, I was skeptical, but open. It is very much a gourmand scent, something I usually avoid because strong scents often give me a headache. But, after getting an early peek—and sniff—six weeks ago, I've found myself reaching for it more often than my "signature" scent. (Diptyque's Eau Rose, if you were curious.) Below, my thoughts on Merit's latest after weeks of spritzing.
Merit Just Launched a New Perfume, and It's an Artistic Feast for the Eyes (and Nose)
From master perfumer Dominique Ropion
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What Is New Wave L'Extrait de Parfum?
Merit
Like Retrospect, New Wave is an extrait, meaning it has a much higher fragrance concentration than an eau de toilette (5 to 15 percent) or even an eau de parfum (15 to 20 percent), with a 30 percent fragrance concentration.
When I met with the Merit team, I learned an interesting tidbit about the fragrance, which was formulated by master perfumer Dominique Ropion, is that some of the accords were gleaned from oak barrels used to age Cognac, adding an incredible richness to its scent profile. The top note features pink pepper and angelica seed, with an orange flower, ylang ylang and honey floral heart note. The base note is a mix of musks, incense and woods.
Fast Facts
- Top notes: pink pepper, angelica seed
- Heart notes: orange flower, ylang ylang, honey floral accord
- Base notes: benzoin, labdanum, olibanum, patchouli heart, ambrarome, ambroxan, musk, cypriol, vetiver, tobacco accord, cedarwood heart, oakwood, vanilla bean, tonka bean
My Review
Merit
Upon spraying, the most prominent note is vanilla, with a hint of that Cognac-soaked cedar. Thanks to the citrus heart notes, the scent strikes a balance between bright and sultry, the latter coming through with its base notes, which are heavy on musks and woods. There's also a slight smokiness from the tobacco accord. I'm so pleasantly surprised at how well it renders—it doesn't feel dizzying in the way some other tobacco-forward scents can. The peppery top notes give the perfume a kick, preventing it from being too gourmand with a little tingling that keeps all the profiles moving.
True to its promise, New Wave is an all-day perfume. Like Retropsect, it delivers on a solid 12 hours of wear time without fade. I'll dab it on in the morning before hurrying to the office and still catch it on my skin when I walk through the door late at night after an evening of events. My beauty routine is the laziest definition of low-maintenance, so I never reapply anything during the day. That makes the longevity of this perfume a huge plus.
We also need to talk about the bottle. I'm a huge art history nerd, and was completely tickled by the story behind the sculptural packaging. Merit took a page from the Surrealists when designing the glass, which is probably the most unique bottle I've come across. (Please take this from a girl who's moved dozens of perfume bottles across her vanity over the years.) It's meant to be an ode to its name, with the soft undulations and curves mimicking bobbing waves.
The Bottom Line
Merit
New Wave continues to be a staple in my perfume rotation. Since getting my hands on it, I've barely worn anything else, and it was my perfume of choice for a black-tie wedding I attended in Hawaii. Yes. That means I liked it enough to tote the fairly hefty bottle in my carry-on suitcase across the continental U.S. and the Pacific Ocean. Pick up this perfume if you want a bold, bright fragrance that commands a room, while still leaving room for softness.
