Monoi De Tahiti – Polynesian Paradise For Your Skin
Think of where various plant oils originate from: soybean and corn oils suggest images of Midwestern cornfields, sweet almond hails from California, olive from Italy, sesame and moringa from India, and Monoi de Tahiti from the South Pacific.
Monoi, which translates as ‘scented oil,’ comes exclusively from Tahitian coconuts. The genus of Cocos nucifera that grows in this island brings to mind images of coconuts, but also the native flower, Gardenia tahitensis. Similar to jasmine, the white petals of this flower also have a distinct sweet floral aroma that some find reminiscent of another sultry flower that thrives in a hot, humid environment: tuberose.
The Tahitian gardenia contains seven petals and is used by natives to decorate their hair. The scent is used naturally as the closed gardenia blossoms are placed into a bowl of water and their scentual magic is gradually dispensed. Additionally, the gardenia’s buds are turned into leis. Read more!