Ylang Ylang

Cananga odorata v Genuina

Annonaceae family

Ylang ylang is part of the annonaceae family and they are related to that green fruit with soft white flesh called either cherimoya, custard apple, guanaba, or sour sop.

Ylang ylang is very “important” in many ways—first, it’s a magnificent, strong and luscious floral, indispensable in both perfumery and aromatherapy. It’s also comparatively affordable, known by a few to be a more cost effective stand-in for Jasmine.

But Ylang Ylang and jasmine don’t really smell that similar….It’s a magnificent oil in its own right, and no need to compare them. Ylang Ylang’s character and attributes stand on their own, and does not depend in any way on it being a cheaper or somehow second best version of jasmine.

We have two: Ylang Ylang extra and Ylang Ylang complete.

They are both super beautiful and both from one of Ylang Ylang’s preferred terroires, the Northern Madagascaan island of Nosy Be. Ylang Ylang does grow, however, in many other rainforest ecosystems, and islands in the Indian and Pacific ocean, in particular Reunion, the Comoros Islands, Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia. The tree is native to Indonesia and the Philippines

Ylang Ylang

A Poem by Ric Bastasa

Tonight the ylang-ylang blooms
amidst the darkness and the rain
spreading its scents
still sweetest to my smell

you are still the ylang-ylang that
i once kissed.
In my rain and darkness
you still bloom best.

Let’s see how Arctander describes it

In general, he says a good quality ylang ylang need not be compared to any other oil. It is so unusual in itself, so simple and yet so complex of odor, so genuinely popular a fragrance, that it easily finds its own place in perfumery, not merely as replacement for jasmine, but as an improvement on almost any type of floral fragrance.

The oil is produced by water or steam and water distillation from freshly cut early morning picked flowers. All Ylang Ylang oil is today produced from flowers of cultivated trees.

Ylang ylang distillation is carried out in small stills, since the weight of all the plant material would adversely impact the scent if larger stills wee used. The distillation is interrupted, by fractionating, with the first fraction collected separately after a short amount of time, the second fraction after a longer distillation period, and finally the third fraction.

The classification of these fractions is based on the specific gravity for each, with specific parameters set. The specific gravity of the first distillate usually starts over 1000 and it decreases as the distillation progresses and in each fraction thereafter. The first fraction is called “extra” and the specific gravity is somewhat standardized at 0.975-0.985 but this is not necessarily a guarantee of genuineness.

The first distillation, the “extra”, is the first 30-45% of the total distillatate, followed by the Ylang Ylang First, Ylang Ylang Second and Ylang Ylang third.

Acrtander says (as of 1960) that demand was only for the Extra grade, and the third grade, which was used to replace and bolster Cananga oil. He says first and second grade were combined to make Ylang Ylang extra, and we do know Ylang Ylang extra as a combination of all the grades.

Arctander on Ylang Ylang Complete

Ylang Ylang complete is usually a yellowish, somewhat oily liquid, with a powerful and intensely sweet, but also soft-balsamic floral odor and an unusual tenacity in its floral-woody undertones. The oil is useful in soap perfumes and in general perfumery as a floral additive of extremely versatile application.

Battaglia on Ylang Ylang complete

He states that although it technically should be made from the entire uninterrupted distillation, Ylang Ylang complete is actually made from blending Extra, and the first and second fractions.

There are many studies on Ylang Ylang including:

Antiepileptic activity

Anti-microbial activity

Anxiolytic activity

Hypotensive activity

Sedative activity

He lists uses for clinical aromatherapy as effective on the

Circulatory system for treating palpitations and regulating blood pressure,

Nervous System for shock, anxiety, anger and emotional stability

Reproductive System for PMS

Skin and hair care for softening and balancing, for both dry and oily skin and all hair types

Blending he recommends using Ylang Ylang with, (if blending for depression) Bergamot, frankincense, geranium, lavender, jasmine, mandarin, neroli, rose absolute, sweet orange, patchouli or sandalwood.

For anxiety and stress. He also recommends Atlas cedar, lemon, palmarosa, petitgrain, and rosemary

This oil is suitable for inhalation, bath and topical uses as a compress, massage oil, ointment and in skin care.

There is a lot of information on this beautiful oil. We recommend

The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy

Safety Warning

As with most essential oils, dilute before using on skin. Perform a patch test before use if essential oil sensitivity is suspected. Do not take essential oils internally. Do not use on children or pets. Seek advice from a trained aromatherapist before using on people with compromised immune systems. Keep away from eyes and mucus membranes.
Enfleurage makes no medical claims relating to any products, essential oils or otherwise, on our website or through social media. We are an essential oil company, not doctors, The FDA has not evaluated the statements on this website. We present our information in order to educate our customers on traditional and general uses of essential oils; in no way do we diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease or condition.
You the customer are responsible for understanding the safe use of any and all of our products, including essential oils, and use them accordingly.