If you know me, you will already know how much I love floral scents. In aromatherapy, rose and neroli are my favourite essential oils but lately, ylang ylang has joined that group!
Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata) is a beautiful yellow flower that has an intense, creamy floral scent. It grows in countries with tropical climates such as the Philippines, Madagascar, India and even in the Dominican Republic. (more info)
What interests me the most about ylang ylang essential oil is its potential to both beautify the skin and deeply relax the body. Stress and anxiety can influence the health of our skin so an essential oil that has the ability to reduce inflammation, add antioxidants to the skin and relax the mind/body is going to be beneficial to include in a face oil or moisturizer.
I have very sensitive skin, so my experiments with ylang ylang oil have been cautious since the oil may cause reactions such as dermatitis and eczema (as noted in Robert Tisserand’s Essential Oil Safety). Low dilutions are always best, particularly with topical applications of essential oils, and I have not used more than a .05% dilution of ylang ylang on my face. My latest blend includes ylang ylang, rose, neroli in a base of jojoba and prickly pear oil.
Ylang ylang is a very strong floral, so even in low dilutions, you will get a lovely aroma. It blends well with rose and neroli, and with citrus oils such as sweet orange and bergamot. You may even be able to smell notes of ylang ylang in popular perfumes like Chanel No5 and Diorissimo by Dior.
Combining a facial oil infused with a drop or two of ylang ylang, with a gentle face massage could be the best way to relax tension in the facial muscles and prepare for sleep while you nourish the skin.
What to know when shopping for Ylang Ylang:
Ylang ylang is one of the less expensive floral oils, but be sure to pick a quality oil from a company like Absolute Aromas or Living Libations. There are also different distillations of ylang ylang:
- ylang ylang extra (1 hour of distillation) is the most aromatic and densest oil. Very aromatic and often used in perfumery.
- ylang ylang complete (10-20 hours of distillation): higher in sesquiterpenes and esters with a more subtle aroma. I am loving the aroma and effects of this oil from Living Libations!
Full List of Potential Benefits of Ylang Ylang:
- anti-inflammatory
- antimicrobial
- lowers blood pressure
- reduces stress & anxiety
- sedative
- aphrodisiac
- insect-repellant
- possible skin-lightening effects
safety tips:
Always do a patch test with this oil as it may be more irritating to sensitive skin. It may cause drowsiness since it is a sedating oil!
read more:
Borgonetti, Vittoria, et al. ‘Ylang-Ylang (Cananga Odorata (Lam.) Hook. f. & Thomson) Essential Oil Reduced Neuropathic-Pain and Associated Anxiety Symptoms in Mice’. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, vol. 294, 2022, pp. 115362–115362. ocul-bu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2022.115362.
de Freitas Junior, Robson Araújo, et al. “Effect of Ylang-Ylang.” Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), vol. 27, no. 12, 2022.
Ghédira, K., and P. Goetz. “Ylang-ylang – Cananga odorata Hook F. & Thomson (Annonaceae).” Phytotherapie, vol. 16, no. 1, 2018, pp. 59-63.
Hongratanaworakit, Tapanee, and Gerhard Buchbauer. ‘Relaxing Effect of Ylang Ylang Oil on Humans after Transdermal Absorption’. Phytotherapy Research, vol. 20, no. 9, 2006, pp. 758–63. Wiley Online Library, https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.1950.
Sade, Danielle. The Aromatherapy Beauty Guide : Using the Science of Carrier & Essential Oils to Create Natural Personal Care Products. Robert Rose 2017.
Barre with Justine 
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