Leading minimalist beauty brand MERIT has launched its first scent, Retrospect, in Australia this week. The brand, known for its industry-defying approach to product development and storytelling, is again taking the unexpected step into a new category less than four years after its launch.Â
Retrospect, a complex, layered scent that took more than two years and over 200 rounds to develop, is MERIT’s first foray into the fragrance industry.
MERIT has quickly become one of the defining voices in modern beauty, with its luxury, quality and approachable, skin-safe formulas fueling its rapid growth. The brand is known for its easy less-is-more makeup routines.
Now, MERIT is making its boldest move yet with the introduction of Retrospect, a nuanced scent that runs counter to the linear, one-note fragrances dominating the market today.
Inspired by the complex, expertly crafted fragrances of the past, MERIT worked with master nose Fanny Bal in Paris to develop Retrospect – a rich, balanced scent that evolves and changes as you wear it. A unique blend that mediates nostalgic vintage notes with a modern sensibility, Retrospect is instantly familiar yet difficult to describe.
With top notes of bergamot, pear, and aldehydes, a heart of jasmine, synthetic rose, rosemary, violet, and orris, and a bottom of vanilla, musk, and moss, Retrospect eschews any single category in favour of balance and nuance.
In contrast to the overly literal scents that have become a favourite of the fragrance industry due to their marketability, Retrospect opens with soft, clean notes, evolves to a subtle floral center, and settles into a rich base for a warm, second-skin finish.
A concentrated extrait de parfum, Retrospect is nearly 30% fragrance oil, double the concentration of most perfumes on the market. This means that Retrospect only requires one spray to last all day – a crucial detail for the MERIT customer, who doesn’t have time for touch-ups throughout their day.
Retrospect – meaning to reflect on the past – was named to honour the centuries-old craft of fragrance-making and the way our individual experiences shape our perspective on scent. After hundreds of rounds and years of perfecting, Retrospect embodies the meeting place between old and new, softness and depth – it’s not just a fragrance for right now, but something you’ll keep coming back to for years to come. It’s a new perspective on modern fragrance.
In line with MERIT’s clean beauty standards, Retrospect is a phthalate-free fragrance. Interested in why we should be avoiding these and other toxic chemicals in our beauty routines? Read more on the hidden dangers in your beauty bag.
Retrospect is available in Australia from meritbeauty.com
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