Monoi Tiare - Flowered Coconut Happiness
Monoi Tiare Oil smells like an island vacation, hydrates like crazy and nourishes skin. Here's the skinny on it:
The Monoi Tiare Oil that we use is made in Tahiti. If you are using the "official" oil in the required percentages you are approved to use their symbol (look for it - it means you're getting the real stuff). Back in 1988 Monoi producers banded together as Monoi was being knocked off with inferior coconut oil and/or fake fragrances. Thus the Monoi de Tahiti AO Label guarantees the quality of the product and the Polynesian sourcing of its ingredients (and yes, we qualify for and use it on all of our Monoi products).
During COVID Tahiti halted exports for months and, as such, Monoi Tiare Oil was in scare supply. We are grateful to be able to have it to share as it's such a beautiful oil! Most of the production is done by hand by small farmers on the islands - here's how it's made:
Quick version - Our farmers start by steeping Tiare Flowers in refined Coconut Oil that has been extracted from coconuts harvested in the geographic region of French Polynesia as ripe nuts, grown in soils of coral origin. These nuts are from the Cocos Nucifera and the Tiare Flowers must be the species Gardenia Tahitensis (following Candolle’s classification) harvested in bud form. No exceptions.
Diving in a little more, it starts with Coconut Trees which are growing on coral sand beaches. The coral is full of nutrients and, as a result, your coconuts are already more power-packed.
They carve out the meat of the coconuts by hand to press for the oil.
It takes a lot of coconuts!
Then the Tiare Flowers come into play. An island version of Gardenias, they smell AMAZING.
They're picked by hand,
stacked in groups (at least 10 flowers per liter of oil are required),
and then are macerated (mashed up like crazy) in the coconut oil and sit for about 10 days. They then strain the flowers out
And are left with the beautiful liquid gold that is used in daily life as well as religious ceremonies.
Monoi Oil can be used as
*a body moisturizer/oil
*a facial moisturizer
*baby oil
*massage/bath oil
*after sun care
*hair treatment mask
*hair protectant pre heat tools
We have the pure oil available in a dropper and roller ball - to say they smell delish is an understatement!
Updated July 2021
Thank you so much Sarah!!
Learning about the ingredients you use in your products and understanding how and why you create your products makes me love them even more!
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