1979 New Wave by Les Bains Guerbois is a scent that completely escaped my mint-loving radar until last year spring, and now it has solidified its place in my top ten all-time favorite minty fragrances. I’ve had New Wave for quite a long time  now, and I intentionally waited on reviewing it because I felt it would change with the weather – and my hunch wasn’t wrong.

In winter when I first got it, this fragrance was all about the mint: cold, fresh, crispy herbaceous mint that hit you immediately. It was like a cold breath of air that slowly softened into warmer, powdery iris as it developed on the skin. The transition reminded me of morning frost melting with early morning light, gradually exposing the gentle structure of what lies underneath. That seasonal specificity made it feel almost alive, responding to temperature and atmosphere in real time.

But now, in spring, though the air is still cold where I am, the scent unfolds completely differently on my skin. Iris is by far more dominant straight from the opening: clean, delicate, musky, and powdery, with this whisper of old book pages, dust, and a fleeting sweetness coming from the sandalwood working quietly in the background. And somewhere in between all these layers, a memory of dried spearmint tea lingers, like the ghost of a once flourishing neon green smelling herb. It’s intriguing to say the least, unexpectedly wearable and genuinely unisex, even for someone like me who doesn’t usually gravitate toward iris-dominant scents.

Within a few hours, it fades into the softest sandalwood and iris duo, losing the mintiness entirely and sitting close to the skin. At least that’s what I thought at first glance. But it turns out that perception is a complete mirage. People around me consistently tell me I smell fresh and clean, and I’ve worn it to the gym a few times with overwhelming response. People were literally smiling and stopping me twice during one workout to ask what delicate fragrance I was wearing. That disconnect between what I perceive and what others experience is fascinating and speaks to how well this fragrance projects while feeling intimate to the wearer. I’m honestly beating myself up for not discovering this beautiful fragrance earlier.