Merit Expands Its Presence In Fragrance With Second Scent Launch, New Wave

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Merit Beauty is launching New Wave L’Extrait de Parfum, its second fragrance, on October 22 for £79. Created by perfumers Dominique Ropion and Meabh McCurtin, the scent reworks an amber perfume structure; Merit says it follows the brand’s first fragrance, Retrospect, released in 2024.

Merit Beauty will launch New Wave L’Extrait de Parfum, its second fragrance, on October 22, expanding the US cosmetics brand’s presence in perfume after the 2024 debut of Retrospect. The scent will cost £79 and be sold through Merit’s website and Sephora, according to Cosmetics Business.

New Wave was developed by Master Perfumer Dominique Ropion and perfumer Meabh McCurtin. The brand describes it as an “unconventional amber,” drawing on the classical Ambre 83 structure while departing from a citrus-led opening, powdery florals and aldehydes. Those descriptions and the framing of the scent are the company’s, rather than independent assessments of the perfume.

The fragrance opens with pink pepper and angelica, followed by a heart of orange flower, ylang ylang and a honey floral accord. Its base combines incense, benzoin, labdanum, patchouli, tobacco, vanilla and woods, according to the brand’s description. Merit presents the composition as moving from a bright, spicy opening toward warmer, resinous notes.

The company says the scent was inspired by a visit to the Musée Picasso in Paris, where the team explored cubism and surrealism. Merit connected those art movements’ reinterpretation of inherited conventions with its aim of revisiting a traditional amber structure. The fragrance is scheduled to go on sale on October 22; the source report does not specify a year for that date.

Merit Builds Beyond Its First Perfume

New Wave gives Merit a second product in a category where the brand has so far had one fragrance, Retrospect, launched in 2024. A second release provides a clearer indication that fragrance is becoming an ongoing part of Merit’s range rather than a one-off extension of its cosmetics business. The available information does not establish how much the category contributes to the company’s sales or how it plans to develop the line further.

The launch also adds another scent with a distinct composition and story for existing customers to consider. Merit says its approach is focused on nuance and a slower pace, and positions New Wave as a different offering from Retrospect. For shoppers, the practical details are its £79 price, listed retail channels and note profile; the report does not provide bottle size or other information needed to compare price per volume.

From Retrospect to New Wave

Merit’s first perfume, Retrospect, debuted in 2024 and took inspiration from vintage scents, according to the source report. New Wave is the brand’s second fragrance and is presented as a separate interpretation of perfume history, centered on reworking a classical amber construction rather than reproducing it. The two launches establish a sequence, but the source gives no sales figures or other evidence to quantify the performance of Retrospect.

The announcement comes as Merit marks its fifth anniversary. The brand’s CMO, Aila Morin, said its entry into fragrance two years earlier was intended to bring a different approach to the category. The report also describes Merit as aiming to serve millennials and Gen X, though it provides no additional detail about how the brand defines or measures that audience.

“Our move into fragrance two years ago aimed to bring something new to the category; an approach to fragrance that slows down and focuses on nuance.”

— Aila Morin, CMO at Merit Beauty

Launch Details Still To Confirm

The source gives the launch date as October 22 but does not specify the year, nor does it give a more precise publication or announcement date. It says the fragrance will be available on Merit’s website and at Sephora, without clarifying whether those channels will launch at the same time in every market or which Sephora markets are included.

The report lists a price of £79 but does not state the bottle size, availability outside the UK or whether additional formats are planned. It also contains no sales projections, performance data for Retrospect, or independent evaluation of New Wave’s scent or longevity. Those details should not be inferred from the brand’s positioning statements.

Sales Begin on October 22

Merit says New Wave L’Extrait de Parfum is due to go on sale through its website and Sephora on October 22 at a listed UK price of £79. The next concrete development is the product’s retail availability. The source does not identify further launches, events or performance milestones, so broader distribution and the fragrance’s reception remain to be seen.

Key Questions

What is Merit’s new fragrance?

New Wave L’Extrait de Parfum is Merit Beauty’s second fragrance. The brand describes it as an amber scent developed by Dominique Ropion and Meabh McCurtin.

When does New Wave launch?

The source report gives the launch date as October 22. It does not specify the year for that date.

How much does New Wave cost?

The reported UK price is £79. The source does not state the bottle size or provide prices for other markets.

Where will the perfume be sold?

According to the report, New Wave will be available through Merit Beauty’s website and Sephora. The report does not specify the markets or whether availability will be simultaneous across retailers.

What notes are in New Wave?

The listed notes include pink pepper and angelica at the opening; orange flower, ylang ylang and a honey floral accord at the heart; and incense, benzoin, labdanum, patchouli, tobacco, vanilla and woods in the base.

Source: rss