The Benefits of Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

If you’ve dabbled in aromatherapy or organic skincare products, you’ve likely come across ylang ylang before. A yellow, star-shaped flower that grows on the Canaga tree -- native to Malaysia, India, the Philippines, and parts of Australia -- ylang ylang is used in many self care products, including candles, essential oils, skincare products, and haircare.

But why, and what are the benefits of ylang ylang as an ingredient? Here’s what you need to know.

The Benefits of Ylang Ylang

The Chemicals

The chemical composition of ylang ylang can vary widely based on how it’s distilled, the stages of flower maturity, and the geographic area from which it is picked.

That said, recent studies have shown a wide variety of bioactivities exhibited by the essential oils and the extracts of C. odorata including antimicrobial, anti-biofilm, anti-inflammatory, anti-vector, insect-repellent, anti-diabetic, anti-fertility and anti-melanogenesis activities.

Because of these properties, ylang ylang can be used for many applications.

The Applications

Traditional Medicine

Both historically and presently, ylang ylang has many medicinal and traditional uses around the world:

• In Java and Vietnam, the dried flowers are used to treat malaria-life symptoms.
• In the Northern Mariana Islands, the flowers and bark are used by local healers to treat pneumonia and stomach ache.
• Ylang ylang has also been used as an antidepressant, to lower blood pressure, and to manage hypertension.
• In India and the Indian Ocean, ylang ylang leaves are believed to relieve dandruff-related itching.
• In Papua New Guinea, the inner bark is consumed to treat gout and stomach ailments.
• In India, the bark is also used to treat rheumatism, phlegm, ophthalmia, ulcers, and fever.

On top of that, it’s used in Western cultures in aromatherapy, skincare, and more.

Aromatherapy

Ylang ylang is often used in aromatherapy. A sweet and floral scent similar to jasmine, ylang ylang has been shown to:

• Decrease systolic and diastolic blood pressure when inhaled
• Reduce stress levels
• Increase alertness and attentiveness
• Have sedative effects, decreasing heart rate
• Increase calmness

In short, it’s shown to have sedative, relaxing, and harmonizing effects when used in aromatherapy.

Skincare

When applied topically, ylang ylang’s anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory compounds can make it an effective ingredient for:

• Soothing redness
• Treating acne-causing microbes
• Reduce pore size

Though it’s suitable for all skin types, these benefits make it extra appropriate for blemish or acne-prone skin.

Find it in:Down to Earth