A full, sweet floral that is too much for many people on its own — but in a blend it lends depth. A long-standing name in hair care.
Where it comes from
Plant part used: flower. Extraction method: steam distillation. Typical origin: Madagascar, the Comoros.
Steam distillation means that hot steam passing through the plant carries the volatile compounds with it. The steam is cooled, and the water and the oil separate on their own — the oil floats on top.
What it smells like
Aroma notes: heavy, sweet, intensely floral.
If you are meeting it for the first time, do not sniff straight into the bottle. Hold it a few centimetres from your nose and waft the aroma towards you — that way the stronger oils will not hit you, and you will pick up the finer notes too.
How people use it
- One drop diffused with citrus.
- A few drops in a hair mask.
- Diluted into body oil.
- One drop on the wrist instead of perfume.
Recipes
The ratios are worked out, and one drop is roughly five hundredths of a millilitre. Where a companion oil is listed, feel free to swap it for whatever you have at home — the drop counts stay the same.
Palm blend for a deep breath
What you get: 5 ml, lasts a long time.
- Put fractionated coconut oil into a 5 ml bottle.
- Add 2 drops of Ylang Ylang and 1 drop of Geranium.
- Put a little in your palm and rub it in.
- Hold it in front of your face and take three slow, deep breaths with your eyes closed.
This is the quickest way for an aroma to actually reach you — diffusing is slow by comparison.
Hair mask with scalp massage
What you get: one application, medium-length hair.
- Melt two tablespoons of coconut oil in your palms or in lukewarm water.
- Stir in 5 drops of Ylang Ylang.
- Massage it into your scalp in circles for at least three minutes, then work it through the lengths.
- Leave it for half an hour, then wash your hair — shampoo first, water only after.
If you wet it first, the oil will not come out. That is the most common mistake on a first attempt.
Abdominal roller
What you get: 10 ml, plenty for one cycle.
- Into a 10 ml roll-on bottle, add 6 drops of Ylang Ylang.
- Top up with fractionated coconut oil — that is three per cent.
- Roll it onto your lower abdomen and your lower back.
- Put a warm compress on top and lie down for twenty minutes.
The warmth matters at least as much as the oil. The two together are the point.
What to pair it with
These suit the same situations, so they sit well together in a blend:
- Geranium — shared topic: Balanced mood
- Jasmine — shared topic: Balanced mood
- Rose — shared topic: Balanced mood
Safety and storage
Always patch test a new oil on a small area of skin, diluted, and wait a day. Keep it away from eyes and mucous membranes. In pregnancy, while breastfeeding, with a chronic condition or while taking regular medication, seek professional advice first.
In dark glass, somewhere cool, tightly closed. Heat, light and air all age it: citrus oils keep for roughly one to two years, woods and resins for years. It does not need to go in the fridge, but the bathroom windowsill is the worst place for it.
Questions
How much should I use?
For adults, daily whole-body use usually works out at around two per cent: that is roughly twelve drops in thirty millilitres of carrier oil. For sensitive skin and for children, considerably less. The dilution helper on the home page works out the number of drops for your bottle.
What should I dilute it with?
Fractionated coconut oil is the easiest, because it stays liquid, has no scent of its own and does not go rancid. Sweet almond, jojoba and grapeseed oil are good choices too. Essential oil does not mix with water, so for a bath always disperse it in something fatty or in salt first.
What should I watch out for?
Always patch test a new oil on a small area of skin, diluted, and wait a day. Keep it away from eyes and mucous membranes. In pregnancy, while breastfeeding, with a chronic condition or while taking regular medication, seek professional advice first.
How long does it keep?
In dark glass, somewhere cool, tightly closed. Heat, light and air all age it: citrus oils keep for roughly one to two years, woods and resins for years. It does not need to go in the fridge, but the bathroom windowsill is the worst place for it.
