If you have ever stepped off a plane in Papeete and been handed a flower, it was probably tiare. This small white bloom is the emblem of Tahiti and the heart of every bottle of Monoi Tiki Tahiti. Here is what the tiare flower is, what it smells like, what it means in Polynesian culture, and how to wear its scent at home.
What is the tiare flower?
Tiare (say "tee-AH-ray") is the Tahitian gardenia, Gardenia taitensis. It is a shrub native to the South Pacific with glossy dark leaves and star-shaped white flowers, usually with six to eight petals. In English it is often called Tahitian gardenia or tiare Tahiti. It is the national flower of French Polynesia, and you will see it tucked behind ears, woven into leis and crowns, and floating in bowls of water across the islands.
What does tiare smell like?
Tiare smells creamy, sweet and green all at once. Think of a classic gardenia, then make it a little lighter and fresher, with a soft spicy edge some people compare to clove. It is less heavy than tuberose and less sharp than jasmine. On warm skin it becomes warmer and more rounded.
In Monoi Tiare Tahiti, tiare blossoms are soaked in refined coconut oil, so the scent you get is the flower over a soft coconut base. Many people simply describe it as "the smell of Tahiti" or "a fresh lei."
What does the tiare flower mean?
- Welcome. Tiare leis and single flowers are a traditional welcome for visitors arriving in Tahiti.
- Which ear? A popular custom says a flower worn behind the right ear means you are single, and behind the left ear means you are taken. Many people simply wear it wherever they like.
- Celebration. Tiare crowns (hei) are worn at weddings, dances and festivals, and the flower appears on everything from fabric to tattoos.
How tiare becomes monoi
Monoi is the Tahitian word for scented oil. To make Monoi de Tahiti, tiare flowers are picked as buds and steeped in refined coconut oil from Polynesian coconuts so the oil takes on their scent. Genuine monoi made this way carries the Monoi de Tahiti Appellation d'Origine. Parfumerie Tiki has made Monoi Tiare Tahiti in Papeete since 1942, and every bottle still holds a dried tiare flower. Learn more in What is monoi oil?
How to wear the scent of tiare
- As a body oil: smooth a few drops of Tiare monoi oil onto damp skin after a shower. The scent stays soft and close to the skin.
- In the shower: start with the Tiare monoi soap, then follow with the oil for the same scent from head to toe.
- In your hair: one or two drops between your palms, smoothed over dry ends. See how to use monoi oil for hair.
- Layered with another scent: every Monoi Tiki Tahiti oil starts as Monoi Tiare Tahiti, so tiare sits underneath Vanille, Tipanie (plumeria) and the rest. Compare them in our monoi oil scent guide.
Tiare vs. other island flowers
- Tiare vs. gardenia: same family. Tiare is the Tahitian species, a little lighter and greener than the gardenias sold in U.S. garden centers.
- Tiare vs. plumeria (tipanie): plumeria is softer, fruitier and more velvety. Try Tipanie.
- Tiare vs. pikake (pitate): Tahitian jasmine is bolder and sweeter. Try Pitate.
Try two scents, ship free
Tiare is a natural first bottle. Add a second oil, for example Vanille for a cozy evening scent, and two 4 oz oils reach our free U.S. shipping line of $30. Browse every scent in the Monoi Oil collection, or see gift ideas in our Tahitian holiday gift guide.
Tiare flower FAQ
What is tiare called in English?
Tahitian gardenia. Its botanical name is Gardenia taitensis.
Is tiare the same as gardenia?
It is a type of gardenia, native to the South Pacific. Its scent is similar to common gardenia but lighter and fresher.
Can I buy real tiare oil in the U.S.?
Yes. Monoi Tiare Tahiti is tiare flowers steeped in coconut oil in Tahiti. Look for the Monoi de Tahiti Appellation d'Origine and the dried tiare flower in the bottle. Hawaiian Resources Co. of Honolulu is the official U.S. importer of Monoi Tiki Tahiti.
Why is my tiare monoi oil solid?
Monoi is mostly coconut oil, which turns solid below 68°F (20°C). That is normal. Stand the bottle in warm water for a few minutes to melt it.
Keep reading: Monoi oil scent guide · Tahitian vanilla body oil: how to wear it · What is monoi oil? · Tahitian gift guide: monoi oil gifts under $35 · Monoi soap: the 6 scents and how to use them · Plumeria (frangipani) body oil: Tipanie monoi · Jasmine (pikake) body oil: Pitate monoi · Ylang ylang body oil: monoi Ylang Ylang · Sandalwood body oil: monoi Santal · Tahitian coconut body oil: monoi Coco