Essential oils such as Ylang Ylang oil have formed the basis of many different forms of medicinal treatment of a variety of internal and external ailments for over 922 years of our existence on this planet. Isn’t that incredible? To think, this knowledge has been pas sed down throughout the years from one generation to another, by will of scribes, historians and folklore. 

The techniques and methods as well as the correct ingredients and blending ratios have existed long before any of our modern techniques and products ever came about.

The idea of humans harvesting elements of nature and using them to benefit themselves is clearly nothing new and if it’s worked for nearly a thousand years, clearly it’s a tried and trusted approach – or it would have been discontinued, for lack of a better phrase. Of these wonderful essential oils, few have proven as helpful as Ylang Ylang essential oil. Get ready to read all about it here in our Ylang Ylang feature!

What Is Ylang Ylang Essential Oil And Where Does It Come From?

Ylang ylang flower

The term Ylang Ylang (pronounced EE-Lang EE-Lang) refers to the flowers that bloom on the Cananga Odorata tree that is native to countries in South-East and Central Asia as well as the Pacific Islands. The tree is ever-green and is generally found in the acidic soils of jungles and rain forests common to the area. The essential oil is extracted from the flowers of this tree (the Ylang Ylang) by steaming the flowers in a large metallic bin in order to form what we know as the ‘essential oil.’

Ylang Ylang oil was largely unknown to the wider public for the latter half of the 20th century and was almost exclusively known only to and used by fragrance companies for perfume, specifically in France. Once beauty and cosmetic companies discovered the amazing qualities of the Ylang Ylang, the market was flooded with the stuff and it soon became a common item in an any aromatherapists arsenal.

Because of the Ylang Ylang’s unique and therapeutic aroma, it became an essential ingredient in many beauty products and fragrances – most consider it irreplaceable (France imports roughly 32 tonnes of essential Ylang Ylang oil on an annual basis). An interesting fact is that Ylang Ylang essential oil is one of the main ingredients in Chanel No.5 – and one can trust that Coco Chanel would only use the best of the best in anything that she would put her name on.

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil Uses

How do you use ylang ylang oil?

Ylang Ylang is an incredibly versatile essential oil that has many uses spanning a variety of medicinal and therapeutic purposes. Firstly, some of the most impressive qualities of the Ylang Ylang’s essential oil is that it has the ability to treat and help reduce the effects of depression or symptoms relating to a nervous breakdown. It is a natural antidepressant. The smell of the Ylang Ylang stimulates the release of small amounts of a chemical in the brain known as dopamine.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that sends messages to different parts of the body and nerve cells within the body that are responsible for certain bodily functions. Some of these include memory, mood, pleasurable reward (happiness), sleep and cognition – all of which are important aspects of diagnosing depression.

However, it is important for me to stress that depression (or nervous breakdowns) are serious illnesses that should be treated under the supervision of a qualified medical professional. Discussing natural solutions and options is always a good idea, as they generally have far less side-effects than most pharmaceutical drugs do.

The essential oil of the Ylang Ylang flower is also very effective with regards to lowering blood pressure and reducing the effects of hypertension when induced in regulated doses.

Ylang Ylang oil also acts as a light sedative, which means you’ll be sleeping more and stressing less! The Ylang Ylang oil can also be used to combat internal infections that commonly occur in the stomach, colon and urinary tract. It has a series of naturally occurring chemicals that lend themselves to treating infections – as well as contributing to the oil’s aromatic scent known as sesquiterpenes.

Sesquiterpenes are molecules that are derived from a naturally occurring form of terpene which has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory qualities. Besides all this, the magnificent scent of the Ylang Ylang oil also lends itself to the oil’s natural quality as an aphrodisiac – another key factor to stress relief!

Benefits Of Ylang Ylang Essential Oil For Skin

Ylang ylang for skin

Ylang Ylang oil is great for your skin in a variety of ways. There’s a reason it can be found in the always excellent Lush Bath Bombs! As mentioned previously, the oil contains anti-septic qualities in the form of sesquiterpenes which means that it’s perfectly suitable as a treatment for any cuts, wounds, sores or burns that may occur on your skin.

The oil soaks into your skin and keeps the area moisturized and balanced while killing any germs that may lead to infection later.

This also makes the oil appropriate for treating acne as it acts a a strong anti-seborrhoeic. Essentially this means that it works to suppress, and regulate the amount of sebum that is produced by your sebaceous glands – glands that release an oily substance that is supposed to lubricate your hair follicles and skin.

However, when there is a backlog of this oily substance, your pores become clogged and this leads to blemishes like blackheads and acne.

The oil acts as a natural toner that removes excess oil and dead skin cells and keeps your skin clean and regulated. Ylang Ylang oil also works to inhibit microbial growth which means wounds heal faster as they are less vulnerable to infections that slow the healing process.

Benefits Of Ylang Ylang Essential Oil For Hair

Ylang ylang for hair

Are you suffering from hair-loss or are looking to speed-up your hair-growth naturally? Then Ylang Ylang Essential Oil is perfectly suited to you. A lot of hair-growth formulas on the market promise amazing results and often don’t deliver – plus they generally have loads of unforeseen side-effects that could prove harmful. 

After repeated washing with off-the-shelf shampoo’s, over-exposure to the sun and repeated dry-blowing or straight-ironing, your hair will get damaged, possibly even resulting in split ends. As a solution to this, most hair-dressers will recommend some costly hair-product that contains ingredients you can hardly read, let alone pronounce.

They’re toxic and simply won’t do! We highly recommend Ylang Ylang Essential Oil as a natural and organic substitute for moisturizing and replenishing dry, damaged hair. It works on its own or excellently as a component in a mixture of essential oils.

Here’s a basic recipe that’s guaranteed to make your hair feel fresh, rejuvenated, moisturized and smelling fantastic at a fraction of the cost!

Simply add a 12 drops of Lavender Oil to 12 drops of Blue Chamomile, then add 16 drops of Ylang Ylang Essential Oil and to finish it off either 12 drops of Sandalwood Oil or 10 drops of Raw Almond Oil. This stuff works like a charm, is totally natural and perfectly healthy for your hair and body.

We put Ylang Ylang in our products because it combats #stress #depression low #sexdrive #insomnia and more! #essentialoils #mind #body #soul pic.twitter.com/F0lH6dUPOp

— MadFlowers (@MDFLOWRS) February 14, 2017

What Does Ylang Ylang Essential Oil Smell Like? What Does It Blend With?

It’s quite challenging to describe a smell to you in words, but don’t take my word for it – trust Coco Chanel’s nose here! From my experience, Ylang Ylang has a light, floral scent very similar to that of jasmine – only more citrusy. The smell is calming and known as a ‘top note’ scent, making it key in the composition of fragrances (or  a ‘haute gamme’ ingredient).

Because of its distinct scent, it does have to be paired or blended carefully with other essential oils in order to make sure that they complement each other. As I mentioned before, Ylang Ylang works really well with Almond Oil, Blue Chamomile, Sandalwood Oil, Jojoba Oil and Coconut Oil. If you run out of all essential oils (or don’t access to any other than Ylang Ylang for some reason), you can also blend the oil with Extra Virgin Olive Oil as a carrier oil. 

Conclusion

This ancient remedy is clearly a multifaceted solution for a variety of ailments and a healthy, natural replacement for most of the over the counter solutions that are on offer in your local supermarket or pharmacist. Ylang Ylang Essential Oil’s amazing antibacterial and antimicrobial qualities make it a strong component in fighting off and resisting infection on both the inside and outside of your skin, leaving your epidermis moisturized, well-balanced and clean.

Not to mention the amazing smell that comes with it and the affordability, it’s really hard for one not to choose Ylang Ylang Essential Oil over most commercial products. Reliable, healthy and natural – bring on the future!