THE MONOÏ STORY · FRENCH POLYNESIA

What goes into Monoï de Tahiti?

White tiaré petals. Rich coconut oil. Discover the island origins of Monoï — and the everyday pleasure of a fragrant skin-and-hair ritual.

Soleil des Îles Tiaré shimmer oil bottle
Real aerial photograph of Bora Bora's turquoise lagoon, reef and green islands
The lagoon of Bora Bora, French Polynesia

BORN IN THE ISLANDS

Tiaré flower and coconut oil

The soft floral scent of tiaré. The richness of coconut. Monoï brings them together through maceration: flowers steeped in oil, in a tradition rooted in Polynesian care for skin and hair.

Fresh white Gardenia taitensis flowers with droplets on their petals and green leaves

THE FLOWER

Tiaré. Small flower, unforgettable scent.

Gardenia taitensis is the fragrant white flower at the heart of Monoï de Tahiti. For the protected-origin oil, the flowers are gathered as buds in French Polynesia.

Two freshly opened coconut halves showing white flesh and fibrous brown shells

THE COCONUT

Richness beneath a rough shell.

Ripe Polynesian coconuts provide the oil used for Monoï de Tahiti. Refined before the flowers are added, it becomes the base for their fragrant infusion.

THE MAKING · MACERATION

Flower meets oil. Time does the rest.

  1. 01

    Coconut oil, refined to receive the flowers.

  2. 02

    Fresh tiaré buds, gathered before they open.

  3. 03

    Slowly steeped together to create Monoï.

Coconut palms beside the clear shallow water and sandy beach of Moorea, French Polynesia
Moorea · French Polynesia
A close-up photograph of garlands made from real tiaré buds and flowers

A LIVING TRADITION

A flower to welcome you.

In French Polynesia, tiaré flowers are threaded into welcoming garlands, worn behind the ear and woven into crowns for celebrations. Their fragrance belongs to everyday life, as well as to the long tradition of Monoï.

PROTECTED SINCE 1992

Polynesian origins. French formulations.

Monoï de Tahiti received its Appellation of Origin in 1992. Our Soleil des Îles oils are made in France with this Polynesian ingredient, bringing the ritual into your everyday body care.

Find your Monoï ritual