I’m SO ready for summer! Despite being an Eskimo, I loathe the cold. Give me the beach and my flip-flops any day of the year, and I’ll be happy!
Luckily, one of my favorite products that I use year-round reminds me of summer and the beach- Monoi Tiare Tahiti (or Monoi Tiki Tahiti)! Monoi Tiki Tahiti is THE original monoi oil. In case you’re wondering, the real thing is very specific, with very strict standards.
Monoi is a French-Tahitian oil that consists of pure coconut oil and tiare, the Tahitian gardenia. It was formulated centuries ago, but was first produced commercially in 1942. It can be used as a moisturizer for your skin, hair conditioner, bath oil, and yes, even as a tanning oil (Hawaiian Resources, 2017).
While there are copies and oils that are made from pure coconut oil and gardenia, true monoi oil comes only from pure Tahitian coconut oil and Tahitian tiare flowers, and bears the Appellation d’Origine symbol (Hawaiian Resources, 2017).
One of the things I like best about getting the original oils from monoi.com is that it’s available in several varieties. My favorite is the original Tiare, but I also really like the sandalwood- it’s great when I want a bit more of a woodsy scent.
If you’ve never used coconut oil, keep in mind that it solidifies at a much higher temperature than other oils. So, you may need to run the bottle under warm water to return it to an oil form. I keep mine in the bathroom, then when I step out of the shower, the heat and steam makes it the perfect consistency. I massage it onto my skin while it’s still damp, then run my hands through my hair.
My skin is left soft and hydrated, and when I let my hair dry naturally, it’s shiny and soft. Plus, I smell heavenly! Not overpowering, but I feel beach-fresh, even when I haven’t been to the beach. This is one of those products that I will always come back to. I often try other types of oils (argan, olive, etc.), and love them very much, but I’ll never, ever give up using good ol’ coconut or monoi oil!
Source:
Hawaiian Resources (2017). Monoi Tiare Tahiti. Retrieved April 2, 2017, from www.monoi.com.
