Ingredient

Ylang Ylang

Benefits

Fragrancing, Sensual, Calming

Ylang-ylang’s flowers diffuse a heady, sweet and floral scent that is often recommended to calm the mind. It is featured in a few of our most popular fragrances, such as Sex Bomb, Sleepy and Magik.

What is ylang-ylang?

The cananga tree, also called ylang-ylang or ilang-ilang, is a tropical plant native to Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. It can grow very tall in the wild, averaging 12 meters (40 feet). In British English, ylang-ylang is pronounced ee-lang ee-lang. In Tagalog, an old language of the Philippines, it means ‘flower of the flowers’. 

The tree’s branches are quite flexible and are often positioned vertically and pruned by farmers to ease harvest. Flowers bloom nearly all year round, hanging from stalks. Their drooping, long and narrow petals are thick and wavy - and wonderfully fragrant! They start off green but reach their optimal scent when turning yellow.

What are the benefits of ylang-ylang?

• The scent of ylang-ylang flowers is known to help you relax, slow down and fall asleep more easily. It is said to reduce anxiety while increasing a sense of well-being.
• The sensual flowers’ scent is also considered an aphrodisiac.
• The yellow petals can be distilled into an essential oil or extracted into an absolute. These are highly valued in perfumery but also in cosmetics, for their numerous benefits to the skin, scalp and hair.
• Not just a scent, it is also a flavour! Ylang-ylang works really well in mouth products.

Learn more about the benefits of ylang-ylang oil on this dedicated page.

Where does Lush source ylang-ylang from?

Lush uses ylang-ylang essential oil in various products, ranging from perfumes to bath bombs and hair conditioners. The essential oil is steam-distilled from the petals, and the process can last up to 20 hours! We also use a fair amount of ylang-ylang absolute, which is extracted from the petals as well, but using solvents.

We purchase the essential oil and the absolute from the Comoros Islands, but we also produce our own oil in Ghana. Click on the links below to learn more about these different sources:

Ylang Ylang Oil

Ghanaian Ylang Ylang Oil

Ylang Ylang absolute

Are sweet, sensual and tropical scents your thing? Have a go at this collection of floral-scented products.