UPDATE to the update: I figured out that this reacts very well to warm skin. The first time I used it, I had been out of the shower for long enough that my skin was cool. When I used this on my warmer skin (warm day, warm home), the scent was much more noticeable and pleasant. So... yeah.
UPDATE: I received the Vanille and... The positive: it feels and works just like the Tiare scent. The not-so-positive: the vanilla is so faint that I had to hold the bottles side by side and sniff to notice a difference. I was really disappointed by that because I love most things vanilla-scented. Because my skin is "mature", it does not hold or project fragrances as well as when I was younger. Now, if you are younger, your body chemistry will probably enhance the scents better - as with perfume.
Also, I noticed that the bottle from Piping Rock has a nicer cap.
Look for this ❤❤❤❤ if you want to bypass my chatter & skip straight to the review.
When I lived in Anchorage, there was a sizeable and growing population of Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders. A lot of my immediate neighbors in the 5 years or so before I moved away were Pacific Islanders. We had a lot in common with our love of family, food, and cooking. Unlike some of our former neighbors, they knew that a large gathering of people at our house didn't necessarily mean we were having a riot or a party. It might just be a night where my sister made collard greens or a night when half our family decided to visit the "main home".
Another thing I loved about my P.I. neighbors was that they shared with us their recipes and cultural life hacks. My sister told them how we fix greens by adding smoked meats (neckbones or turkey pieces) and one of them told her about Monoi oil.
Well.
I have since learned that Monoi (which just means "scented oil") was traditionally used in ways I would never use it for (various religious rites and ceremonies). When I started using what the neighbors gave us, I was just amazed at how much better it worked for me than straight coconut oil. And Monoi is basically just coconut oil with a specific floral added. The Tiare (a type of gardenia) is steeped in the oil to infuse it with whatever properties that make Monoi better than coconut oil by itself.
Here's the thing: I had forgotten about the oil. It's been about 8 years since the neighbor began bringing it to my sister on a regular basis. I was into oils but not obsessive like I have become since then. The other week, I was perusing blogs and forums for something new to use on my skin. It's my opinion that one can never have too many oils and natural butters!
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This is when its not warmed up:
It's warmed in a 75 degree room:
That's Monoi oil from an approved seller. There are lots of fakes out there. And because I didn't want to deal with fakes, this is one time I bypassed Amazon and went elsewhere. It seems that Amazon is becoming a home for fake products. This one is from Piping Rock (where I rarely shop anymore because...) but I have now ordered some for a friend from the actual U.S. importers of the 'original' Monoi (according to their site).
How is this different from plain coconut oil?
In my opinion, this has a totally different feel on the skin. I'm not sure why. I did check around online and found some interesting information:
- Wikipedia mentions the strict process for manufacturing Monoi. That involves hand-picking the flowers. Hmmm...
- Also according to Wikipedia, the Tiare is sometimes used in perfumery but is costly.
- According to Eminence Organics Skincare (which is where I learned about the religious uses for Monoi & that there is an actual Monoi Institute) the blossoms have anti-inflammatory properties and are used to cure earaches, some eczema, and to prevent insect bites. That last part made me remember how we used to use Avon's Skin So Soft to repel mosquitos! Going to the (possibly untended) Monoi Institute site, you can even download documentation and technical information about Monoi (I did not).
- When my brain woke up from its nap, I thought to check the importer's site for some information. Hah! I learned more about the flower; more than I ever thought to know about the coconut tree; why the rules of processing are so (thankfully) strict; more about Tahiti (since I am horrible at geography and details); and lots and lots of technical data. Lots.
I was a little alarmed until I realized that this "floatee" thing is the flower. The flower should always be in the bottle you purchase.
Is my bottle authentic?
Because I have had issues in the past with a couple of purchases from Piping Rock, I immediately checked my bottle carefully. The shelf life is shown to be 12 months but I noticed there are no manufacturing or expirations dates on the bottle. Hmmm...
Again, because this is from Piping Rock, (they are either
really good or not) I wanted to ask some questions. The Piping Rock customer service rep I chatted with couldn't tell me any more than that the bottle was from a "recent batch". Not good enough. Not from Piping Rock. I contacted the U.S. importer sending photos of the bottle and its labels and markings. I got a response directly from the "Regulation Advisor" who verified that the product was authentic. The bottle I received was from the official distributor. I was assured that:
"As this product is registered in Europe, it is conformed to the European regulation which requires the batch number and the time after opening (12 months) for any cosmetic which shelf life is longer than 36 months. This is the case of Monoi oil. To be clear, Monoi can be maintained unopened 36 months, then 12 other months after opening without hygiene risk." (my emphasis)
Good enough. So if you wonder if your bottle is authentic, I suggest you contact Boutique Monoi Tiki at info@boutique-monoitiki.com.
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| Shelf life & mark of the origin process |
Nothing I could find explained more about why Monoi seems to work better than plain coconut oil. Of course, I have not read all of the technical data I've linked to.
I have been using coconut oil on my hair (for pre-poo) but not so much on my skin. It seemed to quit being as soothing and moisturizing as it was a couple of years back.
How does it smell?
Monoi comes in a variety of scents. I did not know this until recently. The neighbor always gave my sister some in a plain glass bottle with a dropper. I think she was just sharing from her bottle. This must have been the "original" or the Monoi Tiki Tahiti Tiare scent because, as far as my nose remembers, it smells like what I currently have.
The scent is, again in my opinion, very, very faint out of the bottle. On my skin, the body heats brings up a stronger (but still faint) tropical scent. Not really floral and not very coconut-like. Hard to describe. It is really pleasant. I cannot wait to try the Vanille.
I have ordered my friend and myself a bottle each of the "Vanille". I counted 9 scents (including the original. You can
see the various scents here with descriptions.
What else?
In addition to the oils, there are also
soaps and
perfumes. You know how I love perfumes! I will put the perfumes on my Christmas Wish List. I probably won't try the soaps because I'm not a fan of bar soaps.
Top Benefits, IMO?
On my skin, Monoi has a silkier feel than plain coconut oil. It makes the skin feel almost velvety and the softness lasts longer than from coconut oil alone. I can apply some after an evening shower and my skin still feels good the next morning. Also, there is no oily shine. This stuff absorbs really well. My hands tend to be very dry and this leaves them feeling really supple and smooth.
I am using it daily on my skin and I hope that it will help keep my psoriasis at bay.
On my hair, I notice it more when I use after washing - but not as a sealer. I apply it before I apply something heavier and more coating (usually Blue Magic grease). I apply a little bit every day to my hair and every now and then to my scalp.
(It's just my opinion, but I would not use this as the sole sealant to washed hair. This seems better applied before sealing so that it can soak into he hair for overall moisture.)
After I use it on my hair and body, I rub the excess into my cuticles and over my lips.
By the way, even though this is fragranced, I tested it on my face and had no problems. I like to spritz my face with water, then massage in just a couple of drops of the oil. Like velvet, baby!
And on a personal note:
Monoi has been really trendy and popular for a while now. I was looking at some of the many, many products that have "Monoi" included in the names or on the labels. Then I looked at the prices. Crazy, stupid, high prices. High as giraffe's noses.
I'm too broke for nonsense. Even if I wasn't...You guys know that I would rather get base products from suppliers like Making Cosmetics to add to less expensive OTC hair and skin products. Why on earth would I pay 15 to 30 bucks or more for a product that probably only has a few drops of Monoi included? And how do I know the Monoi they use is authentic and not just any kind of "scented oil"?
What I have done is taken some of this Monoi (about $13 for 4 ounces from the importer site and about $9 for a 2oz bottle from Piping Rock) and added some to my current conditioners and curl creams and puddings. People, there is a reason that somebody and her daughter and somebody's auntie are making all that money hyping their over-priced products.
I'd rather buy something cheaper than those "name-known" brands and add the Monoi, argan, hemp, or whatever else there is. DIY, people. DIY and SYM (save your money). I'm just saying...
Peace
--Free
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