The refreshing, green and earthy scent of rain on sun-soaked African grasslands –
“Leaf Eau de Parfum”, designed for Rain Africa
Leaf – an artisanal perfume – is one of the signature fragrances of Rain Africa (South Africa), which produces and retails natural, Africa-inspired products. Leaf was designed by Max Millies of Earthgro in 2015, and had to conform to the client’s requirement to use indigenous and pure ingredients. Earthgro provided the formula and the perfume itself to Rain Africa, while Rain Africa designed the perfume bottle, bottle holder and box.
“The first crisp notes of citrus, orange blossom and indigenous green “fynbos” evoke the hills and orchards of the Elephant River Valley which winds through the wild arid Northern Cape and remote Namaqualand [of South Africa]. The deepening fragrance is made refreshing and invigorating with a middle note of Green Tea, underpinned by sensual musk, sandalwood and “kapok” bush – a white flowering indigenous plant long prized by the local Nama and Khoi tribes for its aromatic and medicinal properties.” – Rain Africa
Top Note:
The top notes are Galbanum, Cream Citrus (a softer citrus with a little Vanilla), and Bergamot Orange. The perfume is introduced with light, fresh and crisp orangey and lemony notes.
The essential oil of the Bergamot Orange (Citrus aurantium var. bergamia) is citrus-y, bitter and sour, but still light, reminiscent of eau de Cologne, and Earl Grey tea.
Galbanum has a slightly bitter, bracing scent, to balance out the rich sweetness of the other floral middle notes. Galbanum oil is derived via steam distillation from the resinoid that comes from the trunks and roots of the Ferula galbaniflua plant. The fresh distillation smells like crushed pine needles or pea pods with lemony overtones, very fresh, vegetal and sharp, like snapping the fresh leaves between forefinger and thumb.
Middle Note:
Unusually, the middle note is Green Tea, in Japanese “ryokucha”. Green Tea is often associated with utensils and components, not fragrance, other than that is smells “pleasant”. In English and in the West, it has a quite distinctive aroma and associations; herbal, refreshing, faintly sweet, slightly spicy, and invigorating. Green tea (high-quality gyokuro, powdered matcha, or ordinary sencha) is traditionally blended with essential oils of orange, bergamot, mint, jasmine, etc. (as in the top and middle notes of this perfume).
Base Note:
The base note is White Musk ( Muscone, (R)-3-methylcyclopentadecanone C16H30O). Synthetic musk, known as white musks, smells a little animalistic, earthy and woody; and some say it smells of human skin.
User review
“There are three very different perfumes that make up the [Rain Africa perfume] range and these are Leaf (very citrusy), Twig (earthy, middle eastern scent – smells very much like it) and Nectar (very sweet). My favorite from all the 3 perfumes is definitely Leaf! …I raved about the scent of Rain’s Savannah Body Butter some time last year and Leaf smells just like the Savannah range (which coincidentally smells just like DKNY Women and I mean just like it)!” (Blog post by “Raeesa”)
Where to get THE RAIN AFRICA PERFUME RANGE – LEAF, TWIG AND NECTAR*
*Rain Africa product details correct at the time of publication.
Video credits
Video Author: Mikeel Araña, Licence: ATTRIBUTION LICENSE 3.0 Creative Commons, Downloaded at Mazwai.com. Original video title: “Something More”.
maxiamoperfumes.com 
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