Extrait, Perfume Oil, Candle: How to Layer TANAÏS into Your Ritual
Fragrance is not a single moment. It is a layered experience that begins in the space you inhabit, moves to the skin you wear, and lingers in the memory of everyone who encounters you. The most considered fragrance rituals work across all three layers: the room, the body, and the intimate skin-close scent that is yours alone.
TANAÏS, the Brooklyn-born fragrance and beauty house founded by Hi Wildflower, offers all three formats. Each one tells the same story in a different register, drawn from South Asian heritage, diaspora memory, and the sensory landscapes of travel, devotion, and desire.
The Space: Candles
Begin with the space. The HEART CHAKRA Candle and ANCIENTS Candle set the olfactory environment of a room before you enter it. In Ayurveda, the sense of smell is the most direct pathway to the nervous system, bypassing the analytical mind and landing immediately in the limbic system where emotion and memory live. A TANAÏS candle burning in a room is not decoration. It is an invitation into a particular state of being.
The Body: Perfume Oils
Perfume oils are the most skin-close format. Applied directly to the pulse points, they warm with the body's own heat and evolve throughout the day in a way that is uniquely personal. The NÅMAKA Perfume Oil and LOVERS ROCK Perfume Oil are the two oils in our edit. Oil-based fragrances also last longer than alcohol-based ones on most skin types, making them the ideal format for a full day of wear.
The Signature: Extrait de Parfum
The extraits are the most concentrated and complex format, the fullest expression of each TANAÏS composition. PILGRIMAGE and MATÍ are the two extraits we carry. Applied sparingly to the pulse points, they evolve over hours, revealing different facets of the composition as the skin warms and the top notes give way to the heart and base. A single application can last an entire day.
The Layering Ritual
Light the candle first. Apply the perfume oil to the wrists and neck. Finish with a touch of extrait to the inner wrists or behind the ears. The result is a fragrance environment that moves with you from the room to the world, consistent in its story, layered in its depth.
Explore the full TANAÏS collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between extrait de parfum and perfume oil?
Extrait de parfum is alcohol-based at the highest concentration, typically 20 to 40 percent perfume oil. Perfume oils are oil-based, applied directly to the skin for a warmer, more intimate fragrance experience. Both are long-lasting; oils tend to stay closer to the skin while extraits project more.
How do I layer TANAÏS fragrances?
Begin with the candle to set the olfactory environment of the space. Apply the perfume oil to the pulse points for a skin-close base. Finish with a touch of extrait for depth and projection.
Which TANAÏS candle should I start with?
The HEART CHAKRA Candle for a warm, devotional atmosphere, or the ANCIENTS Candle for something deeper and more grounding.
Are TANAÏS perfume oils long-lasting?
Yes. Oil-based fragrances last longer than alcohol-based ones on most skin types and stay closer to the skin for a more intimate wear experience.
Who is Hi Wildflower?
The founder of TANAÏS, a Bangla-American writer, perfumer, and activist based in Brooklyn. Each TANAÏS scent is a story drawn from South Asian heritage, diaspora memory, and the sensory landscapes of travel, devotion, and desire.
