Discover

ABOUT US

A fragrance house rooted in ritual, built for the modern mystic.

CARDIFF SCENTS / MAISON DARSAN

C A R D I F F S C E N T S / MAISON DARSAN

1999

Tara, an ancient historian and the founder of Cardiff Scents, draws deeply from her archaeological research on the Silk Road incense routes during her studies at UCSD. With each creation, she transforms the wisdom of the ancients into fragrance—bottling history, memory, and myth for the modern mystic.

In 1999, Tara introduced DARSAN, a Sandalwood fragrance that reached 84 stores across the East and West coasts—well before the era of social media. Its labels, adorned with Braille and crystals, reflected her early vision of fragrance as both inclusive and luminous, carrying meaning beyond the bottle. She later journeyed across India, leading pilgrimages as both scholar and guide, deepening her connection to sacred landscapes and traditions. Her 2022–23 archaeological studies abroad in Israel, Petra, Jordan, Malta, Sicily, and Sardinia continue to shape her work today, where scent becomes a vessel of storytelling and reverence—bridging ancient worlds from Petra to the Pacific.

Frankinecense Myrrh Petra Jordan Cardiff Scents
FROM PETRA TO THE PACIFIC

At Cardiff Scents, we don’t just craft perfumes—we uncover them, from the earth and across time.

Create Your Own Signature Scent

Step into the world of bespoke fragrance.t
Make an appointment at our Encinitas studio and craft a scent that is entirely your own—rooted in your story, your senses, your soul.