The Marine + Vine Story

In 2019, I embarked on a journey with Marine + Vine, a brand born from my passion for travel and a desire to encapsulate the essence of time and place in a single product: Tahitian Oil. Five years have passed, and as I reflect on the growth within the brand I became more and more focused on a single word: TAHITI. I wondered why this place evoked so many images and feelings within me.

In 2021, my life path shifted dramatically as I became a caregiver for my mother during her final chapter. Her passing in early 2024 left me feeling adrift after an intensely structured period of my life where Marine + Vine took a back seat. I found myself exhausted and grappling with uncertainty on what to do next in life. I was looking for that new spark.

Then one day clarity emerged from the most obvious yet unexpected place. Staring at a bottle of Tahitian Oil on my desk my next step became clear. Without thinking too much I bought a large backpack and booked a ticket to Tahiti. It felt as though this journey had been waiting for this precise moment in my life.

Two weeks later I stepped off an Air Tahiti Nui plane and onto the soil of Tahiti on my own. I had a detailed plan but after 3 days I completely abandoned my itinerary, moving wherever I felt drawn. All I really wanted to do was visit tiare (Tahitian gardenia) plantations, witness the art of monoi creation firsthand and go as far off the beaten path as possible, in search of the raw beauty and authenticity of this place. No resorts, no Netflix, and no air conditioning. What I discovered there was transformative. I found the truth of a place that I had been craving and a reality better than I had imagined.

I first rented a bungalow nestled just past what the locals called “the end of the road” in Tahiti Iti. Beyond "the end of the road", dirt roads were accessible by wading or driving across the narrow of a river. Once those roads faded into the wilderness, the only way to venture into the Fenua Aihere ("wild lands"), was by boat or on foot.

At night I often had the feeling I was standing at the edge of the Earth, under a blanket of stars where anything was possible.

I found my way back to "the end of the road" several times during my month in Tahiti, and each time was more remarkable than the last. By the end of my journey, I had a strong desire to manifest this new connection with Tahiti into Marine + Vine.

Now, with a reinvigorated spirit, refreshed website, refined Tahitian Oil formulation, and a renewed vision, Marine + Vine is more authentic than ever. Here’s to new beginnings and the continued journey of capturing the essence of time and place.

Maruuru