Description

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil – Exotic Floral Luxury for High-Performance Formulations

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil is one of nature’s most opulent floral distillations, prized for centuries across beauty, perfumery, and wellness traditions. Ours is steam distilled from the freshly harvested blossoms of the Cananga odorata tree in Madagascar, where the warm, humid climate produces some of the world’s most aromatic flowers.

The resulting oil is exquisitely sweet, deeply floral, and multifaceted with soft fruity, woody, and slightly balsamic undertones. This complexity makes Ylang Ylang a star ingredient for skincare formulations, aromatherapy blends, and fine natural perfumery.

Ylang Ylang is traditionally distilled in stages, creating different aromatic grades, Extra, I, II, and III, each prized for unique olfactory characteristics. These variations make the oil one of the most versatile florals used in the global beauty and fragrance industry.

INCI: Cananga Odorata Flower Oil

Plant Part: Flowers

Origin: Madagascar

Processing Method: Steam Distilled

Appearance / Consistency: Thin, clear to pale yellow liquid

Aroma Profile: A base note with a lush, exotic, deeply floral scent highly sought after in perfumery.

Blends Well With: Bergamot, Grapefruit, Lavender, Neroli, Rosewood and Sandalwood.

Common Uses / Benefits

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil is valued for its balancing, soothing, and beautifying properties, making it suitable for a wide range of skin and hair applications:

• Regulates sebum production
  Helps balance both oily and dry skin types, making it ideal for mature, combination, and youthful skin.

• Enhances hair strength and shine
  Historically used in “Macassar Oil,” a luxurious hair treatment known for promoting silky, fuller-looking hair.

• Supports skin comfort
  Known for its soothing effects, making it beneficial in calming formulations, massage oils, and restorative balms.

• Aromatherapeutic benefits
  Emotionally grounding with mildly sedative qualities, encourages relaxation, reduces tension, and promotes a sense of sensual warmth.

• Natural deodorizing and antimicrobial activity
  Traditionally used to reduce surface bacterial activity in formulations.

• Cultural heritage
  In Indonesia, Ylang Ylang flowers are famously scattered on the beds of newlyweds, a testament to its long-standing reputation as an aphrodisiac.

Pro Tips 

• Use Ylang Ylang Extra sparingly in skincare, it’s the most potent grade and offers incredible aromatic payoff at low percentages.

• Add to hair oils and deep conditioners for shine, slip, and a luxurious floral fragrance profile.

• Blend with calming oils like Lavender, Neroli, or Bergamot, to soften its intensity and create balanced aromatherapy profiles.

• Keep usage low in facial products (0.1–0.3%) to avoid irritation while maximizing skin balancing benefits.

• Combine with carrier oils rich in oleic acid (like Sweet Almond Oil) to create indulgent body oils.

Cautions

Dilute before use. Patch testing is recommended. Overuse may trigger headaches or sensitization in some individuals. Avoid contact with eyes.

Storage

For best shelf life, transfer to dark glass bottles and store in a cool, dry place away from direct light.

Disclaimer:
For cosmetic formulation use only,  not for internal or medical applications. Because many of our ingredients are naturally derived, slight variations in colour or texture may occur.

At Skin Foodie, we believe that what goes into your formulations should be as pure as what goes into your body. That’s why we source only ingredients that meet exceptional standards of purity, performance, and safety. Remember: not all ingredients are created equal,  the same name or CAS number does not guarantee the same quality.