What Does Ylang-Ylang Smell Like?

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The smell of ylang-ylang can be unmistakably noticed among many others due to its specific notes, sweet and heavy. This odorous fragrance is widely used in perfume-making industry and in producing various skin and hair care products like shampoos, soaps, balms and creams, and more related information you can find here.

However, some people have never sensed this fragrance, and they don’t know what it is like.

Let’s figure out more about this!

What Is Ylang-Ylang?

Ylang-ylang is the name of the flowers that bloom on the Cananga tree. This tree is famous thanks to the perfume that is extracted from its flowers; that is why it is sometimes even called a perfume-tree.

This plant is the evergreen climbing species that reminds liana a bit. It is woody with long ivy-like pointed leaves (only of bigger size than ivy has), smooth and with a slight gloss, and it grows pretty fast.

Ylang-ylang flowers are yellow-colored with a slightly greenish shade. They have significant long stalks and six narrow, drooping petals.

The Area and Purpose of Usage of Ylang-Ylang

Ylang-ylang is highly appreciated for its fragrance. That is why, as being a source of precious oil, it is used in aromatherapy, perfume-making industry, in producing essential oils and as an ingredient for different skin and hair care products.

• They say that it helps to lower the elevated blood pressure and stabilize it
• The odor of this oil helps us to boost our memory and thinking skills
• It normalizes our sebum secretion which allows us to treat and sometimes even avoid different skin problems
• The oil from this plant is used for promoting relaxation
• It is good for killing bacteria
• This oil can even be used as an ingredient in a spray for killing head lice!
• And finally, it is believed to be a strong aphrodisiac.

In the perfume-making, its primary products are used for creating oriental and floral perfume compositions as it is possible to mix well with the most scents.

But except for the utilitarian use, ylang-ylang flowers take place in many national traditions, too. For example, in Indonesia, natives cover the bed of newly-wed couples with them whilst in the Philippines, there is a tradition of decorating necklaces with these gentle flowers, as well as having them as offering for the gods.

Some nationalities even add this oil to their foods to add more flavor! They say that consuming several drops daily will improve our digestion and will release us from any side effects of improper digestion like poor blood flow, anxiety, or stress.

Useful Qualities of Ylang-Ylang Scent

Ylang-ylang scent is commonly used in aromatherapy. It is believed to balancing our blood pressure, stabilizing the sebum secretion, and nourishing our skin.

It is also good when you are stressed, anxious, or sad as this scent calms down and soothes very well.

For healing sleeplessness, as well as for those who tend to be too tensed, ylang-ylang essential oil will also be a great help.

To use it for aromatherapy purposes, add two or three drops of the oil into a small amount of water and slowly heat it with a candle (use special aromatherapy lamps for that). As a variant, apply the same amount of the essential oil into a special aromatherapy pendant to carry it with you if you need it.

You can also enrich your cosmetics with one or two drops of ylang-ylang essential oil by mixing it into a jar of your hand cream, for example.

Before adding this oil to any of your cosmetics, make sure you are not allergic to this substance!

What Does Ylang-Ylang Scent Look Like?

So what does the smell of this exotic flower look like? It is rich and deep, with the light but recognizable notes of rubber and custard. It also has bright shades of jasmine and neroli.

Because of such an exotic composition, not everyone likes this odor.

That is why, before buying the ylang-ylang essential oil or any products, no matter whether it’s a perfume, a skin or a hair care product, smell them for ensuring that you can stand the odor well. Sometimes people may find out that they can’t stand this smell and can even have a headache because of it!

Can Ylang-Ylang Be Dangerous To Human? Possible Side Effects

Let’s clarify at once. Now we don’t mean those who have allergies to this scent or the ylang-ylang essential oil since it is obvious that for these people, this essence will be harmful anyway.

But what about the others? Is ylang-ylang oil safe to use for everyone who has no health restrictions for that?

Everything hangs upon how carefully we use it, of course.

For example, when being mixed with other herbal essences or oils, ylang-ylang can safely be applied to our scalp if the proportions of the ingredients are proper according to the recipe.

For children and elderly people, as well as for adults, this oil is safe as long as it is used in the amounts approved by the instruction indicated on the bottle. For instance, for taking a bath with ylang-ylang essence, it is enough to add only two or three drops of this oil to the bathtub.

It is known that the oil of this plant can be consumed in some countries. However, unless the doctor prescribes it, we would not recommend anyone to experiment with their health since each person can have a different sensibility to this essence.

Also, before applying this oil to the skin directly, take an allergy test by applying a bit of it on a small area of your skin. Wait and look at what will happen. If any itching or other unpleasant symptoms appear, wash off the oil and don’t use it in its pure state on your body.

Finally, note that ylang-ylang is poisonous for cats; that’s why to take away the bottle and hide it in a place your pet won’t get it.