Beauty and monoi: find the product that suits you best

Monoï is a beauty product made in the various Polynesian atolls and nowhere else. It is an ancestral oil with multiple benefits. But its worldwide fame has given rise to a number of counterfeit products. Here's how to avoid the pitfalls, while choosing the product that suits you best.

Monoï Appellation d'Origine

Genuine monoï is made in Tahiti. But with the popularity of this product, the whole world wanted to coat itself with this precious oil. To export it, however, the original recipe had to be changed, replacing coconut oil with refined coconut oil. The latter is less prone to mildew and the rancid odor that can sometimes emanate from coconut oil.

In response to strong demand, imitation monoi oil has been produced in various parts of the world. To protect their work and certify authentic oil, Tahitians slipped a tiare flower bud into each of their bottles in the 1960s. But this did not prove convincing.

On April 1, 1992 monoï de Tahiti was recognized as a genuine Tahitian product. It therefore received an Appellation d'Origine to guarantee its manufacture and origin. To recognize a genuine monoï from a fake, you need to look at its ingredients, which must be composed solely of "Cocos nucifera" and "Gardenia tahitensis". If these two ingredients are not present, then the product is not real monoï, even if the label claims otherwise. Finally, monoi oils are sometimes cut. It is therefore essential to check the monoï de Tahiti content of the bottle! Finally, the appellation d'origine is not necessarily mentioned on genuine products.

The different monoï derivatives

While the real monoi oil exported is made from coconut oil and tiare flowers, other fragrances are also available. Here are a few other monoi derivatives.

At some point in its history, monoï could no longer be prepared with the basic ingredients of its original recipe, as tiare flowers were reserved exclusively for the king and his court. The substitutes used in the past are still used today, such as monoi with ylang-ylang, frangipani, vanilla and orchid flowers.

There are also other traditional recipes, in which ingredients of animal origin are added. Bernard L'Hermite's abdomen is an excellent additive for accelerating the fermentation of flowers in coconut oil. It also enhances the fragrance of the Tiare flowers. When small mollusks hide out, Polynesian mamas often use small shrimps or crabs to replace it.

Rest assured, these traditional monoi are only found in the Polynesian archipelago. Oils destined for export are totally devoid of ingredients of animal origin. They are natural, plant-based and vegan!

Our tips for finding THE perfect monoï

The ideal monoï is the one that will intoxicate you the most. It all starts with olfactory seduction. Once you've found the scent you'll love to wear every day, to let off steam and share, you'll have no trouble using your monoï for body, hair and even massage. It's also nice to sprinkle a few drops in the bath for maximum relaxation.