I have always loved monoi oil- it makes your skin feel great, look gorgeous and smell delicious. Monoi (pronounded mah-noy) oil is made from a coconut oil that has been infused with Tahitian gardenias (also known as tiare) and has been used in the French Pacific for softening skin and hair forever. There really is something about the coconut-gardenia scent combination is so delicious and beautiful. It really does conjure up images of a tropical sunset with richly scented air that is practically intoxicating.
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| Gardenia aka tiare soaking in coconut oil- mmmm |
As per my usual preference though, I like a soft monoi. Some are suffocatingly sweet, some are obviously synthetic and plastic smelling, and some (most?) are actually based in mineral oil, not coconut oil. The scent is not the same and I’ve been disappointed in the past. I’m a better label reader now though, and had pretty much given up on finding a soft sweet floral monoi that would sink into my skin locally. I just happened to be in The Body Shop recently however and, always being on the lookout for skin oils, spied their Polynesia Monoi Miracle Oil which is part of their Spa Wisdom collection. A quick scan of the ingredient list confirmed no mineral oil or silicone- yay! And good stuff like coconut, almond and sesame oil and of course, tiare gardenia.
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| The delicate scent is intoxicating… |
The real kicker here is how soft and light the texture of the oil and the scent is. Not a cloying sickly sweet fake flower concoction, but soft and gentle, in an oil mixture than just sinks into the skin. I have used in the my parched hair this summer as well. Highlights combined with driving a convertible have not been kind to my hair. So I rubbed some of the Monoi Miracle Oil on my hands and pulled it through the ends of my hair and let it soak in for a few hours with my hair twisted up. I shampooed & conditioned as usual and the ends of my hair were silky smooth. I add a few drops to towel dried hair for a touch of shine and scent as well. I am a moisturizing scenting fiend, as you know.
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| And my hair smells like I am here. Perfect. |
My favourite way to apply the Monoi Miracle Oil to my skin is to emulsify a few drops in my hands then add a few drops of my body lotion and apply head to toe as usual. My skin drinks it up and it adds a lovely sheen and a dewy appearance. I used it in conjunction with my Body Shop Baby Buriti body lotion for a fantastic combination that smelled so beautiful I wanted to chew my arm off. But it also pairs quite nicely with my unscented go-to Palmers Body Lotion. I will add a little comment about the bottle and the dispenser. It has a tiny hole that nicely dispenses a perfect amount of oil in little droplets so you never end up with a handful of oil making for no waste. Nicely designed.
I got my 150ml bottle at The Body Shop near me for $20. A little goes long way so this will last a long time. I would LOVE a perfume that smelled this good. Gentle soft gardenia with a sweet twist- perfect.