One evening I was casually flipping through Elle magazine and I came upon an article about Monoi – a Tahitian oil that consists of gardenia flowers soaked in coconut oil that is a longtime beauty secret of Tahitian women. Monoi oil smells like a fresh coconut on the beach, and adds natural resilience and shine to hair, resealing split ends and leaving hair healthy, shiny, and lustrous. The women of Tahiti have been using Monoi oil to revitalize their hair and skin for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, to protect their hair and skin from the damaging effects of sun, salt, and sand–inevitable byproducts of living on a beach island paradise.
As a female who has always coveted the idea of long luscious locks, yet never quite had the discipline to let my hair actually grow until recently, this article piqued my curiosity. There are definitely days, as I stare at my growing (yet splitting) ends, when it is hard to resist calling the hairdresser for a ‘little trim’ that will surely set me back most of the 12 weeks’ growth that I have painfully endured. I do want long hair, but I want it to look shiny and thick and wonderful, not mangy and dull.
So the mention of this wonder-product with a natural origin enticed me to investigate a little farther. A few days later, I revisited the Elle article in detail, taking note of any brands they mentioned that made hair care products containing this magical ingredient that might possibly be available in Canada. After reading the fine print, it was clear that Carol’s Daughter was the recommended choice for those not willing to make the voyage to the South Pacific. After a little more digging I discovered that even this brand was not available in Canada! It was, of course, available online, so I took the plunge and ordered a trio of shampoo, conditioner, and deep-conditioning treatment containing Monoi.
When the package arrived I opened it up eagerly, and was welcomed by a smell somewhere between coconut and cocoa butter. A smell that was subtle in intensity but screamed beach. The shampoo boastfully claims to prevent 95% of hair breakage after a single use. The conditioner specified that one must leave it on for 3-5 minutes to ensure that it soaks into the hair appropriately. I followed the instructions, lathered up, and was immediately hooked. Despite the fact that outside there were snowdrifts all around me, my hair felt healthier than it maybe ever had. And this was only the first try.
Four months later I am now a loyal consumer of Carol’s Daughter shampoo and conditioner. A couple of female friends have also been converted, as if by accident. After using the shampoo while staying at my place, they asked me what it was, commenting that after using it their hair looks and feels so thick, shiny, and healthy–healthier than it ever has. My hair has not been cut for 14 weeks and looks and feels healthier than ever.
I don’t know if Carol’s Daughter had some sort of arrangement with Elle regarding the article plugging their brand, but that magazine article definitely opened my eyes to one of the best haircare products around. And I will continue to order it online until I can find it in a retail store, because it really is that good.