Here comes the rain again...

Aftelier Perfumes Rain Perfumed Bath Oil

Today is Day Two of Primordial Scents Project: Water here at Feminine Things. And what fortuitous timing, as the first good rain has come to the PNW this week, and it has made everything cool and wet and beautiful.  And speaking of our lovely rain, have I got a scent for you today.

Mandy Aftel is a terrific indie perfumer, and her contribution to the Primordial Scent Project is Aftelier Perfumes Rain Perfumed Bath Oil. The scent is described as:

Fresh, uplifting with apple notes featuring ravensara and a special chamomile from South Africa along with other essential oils. Our bath oils are made of pure essential oils, with no carrier.

Do you ever try to smell water, like breathe deeply into a long sip of water, and smell an almost earthy scent, like a mixture of bark, earth, and rubber? Something deep and rooty, slightly sweet and salty. This bath oil is that aspect of rain. Rain splattering against dirt and matted, fallen leaves, bouncing off warm concrete, steaming off a hot car hood, spun through rubber tires on the highway, sliding down wood shingled roofs, dripping into rivulets that become rivers that flow into the ocean. It's somehow both brackish and clean, as clear as the kinds of mountain streams they show in television commercials  and as dark and dirty as the Mississippi-fed Gulf waters I grew up in.

A little bit goes a long way with this bath oil, which is strong enough to scent you and your bathroom both beautifully with only a few drops. It might seem strange, taking a bath scented like the rain, but there is something so beautiful, so soothing, about being able to take the scent of the water with you, gently clinging to your skin for hours after you leave your soak. Me? I found it terrific right before bed. I'd wake up with the vague memory of rain-scented dreams.

Rain Perfumed Bath Oil is a luxurious experience, and as we head toward the holidays, may I recommend this as a terrific stocking stuffer for the water lover in your life? Trust me. They'll be thrilled. Moderate sillage, but incredibly long lasting, traces lingered on my skin for up to twelve hours.

Rain Bath Oil is available for $45 for a .5 oz from the perfumer. You can also get a 2ml sample for $4.

If you'd like to try the entire Primordial Scent Project: Water set, it's available here for $25.00.

For more reviews of the primordial water scents, try: EauMG; The Perfume Critic; Fragrantica.

...falling on my head like a memory,
falling on my head like a new emotion.
I want to walk in the open wind.
I want to talk like lovers do.
I want to dive into your ocean.
Is it raining with you?"
~ "Here Comes the Rain Again," Eurythmics