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.
