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In overcrowded beauty aisles where launches are a dime a dozen, Merit Beauty stands out for a minimalistic approach that prioritizes fewer, better products. Today, the cult-favorite line is expanding into the fragrance category with the arrival of Merit Beauty’s Retrospect L’Extrait de Parfum, a potent, classic perfume that our editors have been test-driving for weeks.
Merit applied the same thoughtful, less-is-more ethos to its 2021 launch when developing the Retrospect L’Extrait de Parfum. Working with renowned nose Fanny Bol, the fragrance took more than 2 years and 200 revisions to get it just right. In an exclusive interview with WWD earlier this month, Merit Beauty founder Katherine Power explained that the perfume was designed to “evoke personal memories and nostalgia, while still feeling modern.” The name of the scent taps into that desire to nod to classic perfumes in a way that feels new and now.
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Retrospect is nuanced; there are notes of bergamot, pear, jasmine, and musk, plus aldehydes that are inherent to classic perfumes like Chanel No. 5. This concoction makes Retrospect read more sophisticated than the gourmands and single-note florals that flood For You Pages today. Notably, Retrospect is an extrait de parfum, meaning it contains 30 percent fragrance oil compared to eau de parfum’s average 15 to 20 percent concentration. This gives the juice more longevity for about double the wear time of a classic perfume (true to Merit’s unfussy, time-saving approach to beauty).
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Merit Beauty’s Retrospect L’Extrait de Parfum is available to shop at Meritbeauty.com and Sephora.com for $92. Read on for our editor testing review of the women’s perfume.
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Merit Beauty Retrospect L’Extrait de Parfum
Price upon publish date of this article: $92
Merit Beauty Perfume Review — Editor Testing Notes
I distinctly remember the first time I laid hands on Merit Beauty’s products, just before the line launched in 2021. The debut collection included just seven products that were creamy in their consistencies, intuitive to use, and done in near-flawless, flattering shade ranges. Even for someone who identifies as more of a beauty maximalist (I test products for a living, after all), this was refreshing. For example, rather than fussing over liquid foundations, concealers, makeup sponges, and brushes, Merit offers up a singular complexion stick that evens and brightens skin with minimal blending required.
When I got wind of Merit’s fragrance launch, I had my money on a single-note scent; this would jibe with the brand’s minimalistic approach to enhancing the eyes, face, and lips, after all. So you can imagine my surprise when I spritzed on the perfume and struggled to put a pin in its fragrance family, let alone a singular note of the juice. At first, Retrospect L’Extrait smells fresh and floral, but it settles into the skin with more warmth and richness. This is a perfume that wears differently on everyone — it’s akin to a grown-up Glossier You in this regard — with its notes feeling more sophisticated as it dries down.
The small size of the sculptural bottle (designed to mimic modernist jewelry, according to the brand) also surprised me. But because of the high concentration of fragrance oil, I found myself needing just two spritzes to achieve the level of intensity I like in a scent.
Merit Beauty’s Retrospect L’Extrait de Parfum has nuanced, classic notes that make it feel timeless in a way that very few perfumes can. Balanced and elegant, this is the type of fragrance that you’ll want to claim as your signature.
Merit Beauty Retrospect L’Extrait de Parfum
Price upon publish date of this article: $92
More Editor-Loved Merit Beauty Products to Shop
Merit Beauty Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick
Editor testing and review notes: “It can be tricky to shade match lipstick when you’re shopping online, but you don’t have to worry about choosing the wrong color when you’re ordering one of Merit Beauty’s Signature lipsticks. I’ve had numerous shades of this formula in my rotation for years, and even colors that I would usually find hard to pull off, like this brick red, look flawless on my skin. I prefer the satin finish, which has the feel of a great tinted lip balm when I wear it.” — Sullivan
Price upon publish date of this article: $26
Merit Beauty Flush Balm Cheek Color
Editor testing and review notes: “This pocket-sized cream blush is short and squat, which helps to evenly diffuse the color onto my cheeks when I’m applying it (this is much easier than dotting on intensely-pigmented liquid blushes and blending until my arm is sore). It has a buttery consistency that melds with other cream bronzers or foundations I wear underneath it, and I love that it’s buildable for a statement cheek look.” — Sullivan
Price upon publish date of this article: $30
Merit Beauty Clean Lash Lengthening Mascara
Editor testing and review notes: “Tubing mascaras are some of my favorites for daytime wear — they define and lengthen my lashes without going overboard on volume. But many of these formulas dry out after a few weeks of regular wear, which results in flaking and smudging throughout the day. Not the case with Merit’s! This formula lasts me up to three months of daily use with flawless results.” — Sullivan
Price upon publish date of this article: $26
Merit Beauty Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil
Editor testing and review notes: “When my lips feel too dry for traditional lip gloss but I’m craving some shine, I reach for this tinted lip oil. It hydrates my lips like a great lip balm, and I don’t have to worry about a spare hair getting caught in my lips — it’s not sticky or tacky, even if you swipe on a few coats.” — Sullivan
Price upon publish date of this article: $24
Merit Beauty The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick
Editor testing and review notes: “The Minimalist Perfecting stick is one of my go-to beauty products for travel. Rather than packing my heavy glass bottles of liquid foundation and multiple concealers, I know I can rely on this crayon to conceal imperfections and brighten dark circles in one fell swoop. I usually use a makeup brush to blend foundation, but I find that I can use clean fingertips to quickly tap the pigments in place for even coverage with this formula.” — Sullivan
Price upon publish date of this article: $38
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Meet the Author
Claire Sullivan is the Senior Beauty and Lifestyle Commerce Editor for Footwear News and WWD, where she writes and edits beauty, fashion and lifestyle stories. She has over eight years of experience as a writer and editor for national media outlets including Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She keeps her finger on the pulse of all things related to beauty and wellness, as well as the latest shopping trends and clothing brands. Sullivan received an advance sample of Retrospect L’Extrait de Parfum from Merit Beauty to test for two weeks before writing this review.