Fragrance as Literature: An Introduction to TANAÏS
Fragrance is one of the most intimate forms of expression. It is worn on the skin, carried through the day, and remembered long after the moment has passed. At its best, it is a form of literature: a story told in scent, drawn from memory, place, and identity.
TANAÏS is a Brooklyn-born fragrance and beauty house founded by Hi Wildflower, a Bangla-American writer, perfumer, and activist. Each scent is a story drawn from South Asian heritage, diaspora memory, and the sensory landscapes of travel, devotion, and desire. The names alone tell you what kind of house this is: Pilgrimage. Heart Chakra. Lovers Rock. Ancients. These are not fragrance names. They are invitations.
TANAÏS makes scent for those who wear their story on their skin.
The Extraits
The extrait de parfum collection is the heart of the TANAÏS range. PILGRIMAGE and MATÍ are the two extraits we carry, each a concentrated, long-lasting fragrance at the highest concentration of perfume oil. Extraits are the most intimate format: applied to the pulse points, they evolve slowly over hours, revealing different facets of the composition as the day progresses.
The Perfume Oils
The perfume oils offer the same TANAÏS storytelling in a format that is warmer, more skin-close, and longer-lasting than alcohol-based fragrances. NÅMAKA and LOVERS ROCK are the two perfume oils in our edit, both applied directly to the skin for a deeply personal fragrance experience.
The Candles
The HEART CHAKRA and ANCIENTS candles bring the TANAÏS world into the home. Each candle is a scented object and a statement, designed to fill a space with the same intention and specificity that Hi Wildflower brings to every fragrance composition.
Explore the full TANAÏS collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded TANAÏS?
Hi Wildflower, a Bangla-American writer, perfumer, and activist based in Brooklyn. TANAÏS is an independent fragrance and beauty house rooted in South Asian heritage and diaspora memory.
What is an extrait de parfum?
The highest concentration of perfume oil in a fragrance, typically 20 to 40 percent. Extraits are the most long-lasting and intimate format, evolving slowly over hours on the skin.
What is the difference between an extrait and a perfume oil?
Extraits are alcohol-based at the highest concentration. Perfume oils are oil-based, applied directly to the skin for a warmer, more skin-close fragrance experience that is also very long-lasting.
What inspires the TANAÏS fragrances?
South Asian heritage, diaspora memory, and the sensory landscapes of travel, devotion, and desire. Hi Wildflower approaches fragrance as a form of literature, each scent a story told in smell.
Is TANAÏS an independent house?
Yes. TANAÏS is an independent fragrance house with a singular voice, not affiliated with any larger beauty conglomerate.
