Tiare flower

An essential of solar notes, the flower of Tahiti enchants us! The irresistible tiare flower, emblem and good-luck charm of Polynesia, has bewitched our fragrant accords for many years. Often mistakenly confused with the frangipani flower, it pairs with floral or fresh notes to give our fragrances that fabulous scent of exoticism and vacation one might dream of all year round! For a time forgotten, perhaps from overuse, the tiare flower and monoi (produced from its essence) have made their way back into our perfumes, to our great delight!

From tiare flower to monoi: sunshine in our perfumes!

The tiare flower, or tiare, comes from a small tropical shrub growing on the islands of the Pacific. The shrub can reach up to 4 meters in height and produces magnificent white flowers with an absolutely divine scent, reminiscent of jasmine. The tiare flower has been cultivated for centuries for its soothing and nourishing properties, for both skin and hair.

However, it should be noted that many confusions arise regarding the various products derived from or related to the tiare flower. For example, there is no such thing as a monoi flower! Monoi is produced solely from the tiare flower, which is dried in the sun with coconut oil added. Furthermore, the tiare and frangipani flowers are not the same: the tiare flower is entirely white, whereas the frangipani flower (or tipanie) is white adorned with yellow.

In any case, the tiare flower and monoi are of course used in cosmetics, but have also been used in perfumery for several decades. They are behind the exotic, intoxicating fragrances used to create the famous solar note.

The solar note and tiare flower accords

The warm, ambery facet that was the signature of the famous Ambre Solaire by L’Oréal spawned in its wake a family of perfumes that used the solar note to infuse floral notes with exoticism.

The tiare of Tahiti, now an emblematic symbol of the island and a controlled designation, is used among many raw materials rich in salicylates to create this solar note so dear to our hearts. Thus, tiare flower, frangipani flower, ylang-ylang and carnation make up the perfumes known as having solar notes, the best known and very first of which was L’Air du Temps by Nina Ricci.

Monoi, a product derived from the tiare flower, is of course used in summer cosmetic products, but also by certain perfumers seeking the true scent of tanned, ambery skin. Thus, l’Huile Prodigieuse by Nuxe, released in 1992, along with its associated perfume Prodigieux, draw on the exotic charms of monoi to ride the immense wave of unquestionable success.

The tiare flower and its legendary monoi continue to captivate noses that are absolutely enamored with this touch of sunshine and exoticism graciously offered by Polynesia. This renewed favor for Polynesian products, thanks in particular to better quality control in production, has allowed this wonderful tiare flower to be diffused with elegance and naturalness in our finest summer fragrances.