Réserve en Afrique

About Réserve en Afrique

Réserve en Afrique is a perfume house founded in Dakar, Senegal, in 2024 by Etienne and Valeria; the brand was born in Senegal, while its fragrances are produced in France.

History

The house traces its story back to 1934. In its own telling, Etienne's grandfather arrived in Senegal from Lebanon that year, the same year a nearby forest was declared a protected reserve, and the family went on to spend decades working on conservation in that forest. Etienne grew up feeling that scent was bound up with his experience of nature, a sensibility he shares with his wife Valeria, and the two founded the brand together in Dakar.

Philosophy & Signature Style

The debut collection, Afrique Extraordinaire, pays tribute to the many different landscapes of the African continent and to the communities who grow its botanicals, naming specific origins such as Madagascan vanilla, Somali opoponax, Nigerian ginger and Moroccan rose. The house works with responsibly sourced naturals, upcycled ingredients and a beetroot-derived alcohol base, and its formulas are PETA-listed vegan and cruelty-free. It also donates 5% of its profits to conservation across Africa, supporting local nonprofits such as Nature Communautés Développement in Senegal and Madagasikara Voakajy in Madagascar.

Iconic Fragrances

Each scent is built around a distinct setting: Aube Lumineuse captures dawn over the savanna with South African tangerine and Nigerian ginger, while Rouge Karkade evokes a Saharan oasis at sunset through hibiscus tea, buchu and oud smoke. Vanille Mafonja moves to a moonlit island, pairing Madagascan vanilla with fleur de sel, warm spices and dark amber.