A journey through Tanaïs’ handcrafted fragrances that blend the timeless allure of South Asian aromatics and western contemporary tastes.
In the realm of niche and artesian beauty, many claim to venture into fragrance landscapes and concepts that promise to captivate and awe, yet very few do it quite like Tanaïs, Founded by the visionary writer, perfumer, and multimedia artist Tanaïs, this Brooklyn-based beauty house has piqued the interest of many perfume aficionados by interweaving South Asian heritage with contemporary artistic expression. Through their masterfully crafted scents, Tanaïs doesn’t just create perfumes, they craft olfactory narratives that celebrate diversity, representation, and sacred beauty rituals.
Contemplation in the Rain
Amongst their captivating releases, Mati stands as a testament to the brand’s keen approach to perfumery. That is to say, every note and every material that goes into the finished scent is intentionally chosen because it adds to the story of the blend. In the case of Mati, each batch is made different due to the very nature of one of it’s ingredients, mitti attar. For those who haven’t gotten lost in the rabbit hole of traditional South Asian perfumery, mitti attar is produced by distilling clay and smells like hot earth in the first 30 seconds of a rain fall. And in this case, mitti attar is the scent lingering in the background as you pause mid-conversation just to watch the rain soak your grandmother’s flower garden. It’s a longing scent for those who’ve lived in monsoon stricken places. Wistful but comforting at the same time with the way that the floral notes of this scent reminds the wearer that life will continue on.
Mati, meaning “earth” in Bengali, truly embodies its name by grounding users in a sensory connection to nature and heritage, even if said memories are a bit bittersweet.
Of Sand and Vast Skies
A fragrance that transports wearers to the heart of the desert landscape. Mojave is a masterful creation embodies the stark beauty of traveling through arid terrains, combining dry woods with not so subtle aromatic elements in a cool leather jacket. The composition features a stingingly sweet eucalyptus and deeply keen white sage, followed by a flirtation of leather and woods, perfectly capturing the mystical allure of traveling the Mojave Desert just before the first flash flood of the season; once again while highlighting the brand’s commitment to environmental storytelling through scent. For my fellow Southern Californians who have been forced to use The 138 at night on their way back from The Valley or Northern California, it smells like that. But less creepy and more cool. If you know, you know.
