Monoi de Cali is a full on love project that I began two years ago when I was suddenly no longer able to import Monoi de Tahiti oil due to an export ban by the Tahitian government. I felt it truly miss to not have this nourishing oil in the shop. I began searching for just the right coconut oil; that was refined enough to not have a lingering coconut smell but not overly refined to take the soul out of the oil. It proved to be a two year search, by buying every coconut oil I could find in every international market I had access to. When I discovered Fujian coconut oil, I found the beginning of my project I decided to call Monoi de Cali. Over the years, I’ve done more than my share of enfleurage work. When I began this project, I nicknamed it lazy man’s enfleurage but as the macerations grew in number, I realized there was not one lazy component about this project. I began harvesting gardenia flowers when they arrived the last week of May. I collected blossoms from all over my city four times a week to complete an equal number of infusions. I did these infusions in July, two weeks in August, September and completed my final infusion on October 3rd. I completed a total of 56 infusions, creating an oil that absorbs quickly into the skin. It took a little research to understand why this oil aligns almost identical to Monoi de Tahiti. I came to realize that the most important component of gardenia is crocin, the same bioactive found in saffron which protects the skin and absorbs quickly, much like squalene. Monoi de Cali is solid at room temperature and liquid when warm. Like authentic tahitian oil, this creation has delicate gardenia notes but nothing overpowering or immediately obvious. Surprising, considering the sheer volume of flowers I macerated and filtered out on a by-daily basis. But, the magic of Monoi de Cali is how one’s skin feels after application, almost as velvety as the thousands of petals I spent this summer picking in the morning sun.
Monoi de Cali is available in 15 ml or 30 ml size glass jar.
Dawn Rodriguez (verified owner) –
Decadent! This oil has a rich fragrance, quite leathery with a sweet floral overtone. It soak in so quick, leaving my skin feeling so soft and nourished. Truly a treat!