Ylang Ylang Oil

Ylang Ylang oil is distilled from the fragrant flowers of Cananga odorata tree. Let us take a look at the various aspects of this oil.

Ylang ylang oil is extracted from the flowers of the Cananga odorata tree, through the method of steam distillation. This tree, which belongs to the family Annonaceae, is native to the rainforests of south east Asia. Ylang ylang tree has oval pointed leaves with a glossy finish. It can grows to a height of around forty feet. The flowers produced by this tree have long and drooping greenish yellow petals. Each star-shaped flower has six petals that can be sometimes pink in color. It is from these flowers the ylang ylang oil is extracted through steam distillation. Different grades of ylang ylang oil are produced through the process of steam distillation.

Ylang Ylang Oil Benefits

As mentioned above, ylang ylang tree is much valued for its fragrant flowers. In fact, this tree is also known as perfume tree. The oil extracted from this tree is very widely used for its fragrance, especially, in making perfumes. Ylang Ylang oil is also used in aromatherapy, as it is said to be effective in relieving various health problems. It is also an active ingredient in some herbal remedies. This oil has an exotic fragrance and is yellowish in color. Studies show that ylang ylang oil contains chemical components, like, geranyl acetate, p-cresyl methyl ether, linalool, benzyl acetate, methyl benzoate, caryophyllene, benzyl benzoate, sesquiterpenes, etc. The following paragraph deals with the health benefits of this oil.

Ylang Ylang Oil for Health

This oil is said to be primarily an aphrodisiac, but, it has antidepressant, antiseborrheic, antiseptic, hypotensive, nervine and sedative properties too. It is very widely used in aromatherapy for getting relief from stress-related conditions. It is found to be effective in reducing anxiety, depression, insomnia, nervous tension, etc. Ylang ylang oil is also found to be beneficial for both skin and hair care. Use of ylang ylang oil for skin care include its role as a remedy for acne, excessive oily skin, etc. It is said to be useful in normalizing sebum secretions. You might have heard of the use of ylang ylang oil for hair care. This oil is said to stimulate the scalp and thereby promote hair growth. It was an active ingredient in some of the hair care products, like the macassar oil. It is also claimed that ylang ylang oil is useful in alleviating health problems, like, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, etc. In some regions, this oil is used in treating intestinal infections. This oil is one of the main ingredients in some herbal remedies meant for motion sickness. Read more on ylang ylang essential oil.

Ylang ylang oil can be used as a blended massage oil or as a bath oil. While, most of the essential oils are found to blend well with this ylang ylang oil, grapefruit, bergamot, lavender and sandalwood are the most suitable ones. It can also be used in burners and diffusers. However, if you want to take it internally, then, it must be as per the instructions of a qualified herbal practitioner. Apart from its fragrance, there is no scientific evidence to prove the health benefits of ylang ylang oil. Even though, this oil is found to be safe, some people may develop some mild side effects, after using it. The possible side effects of ylang ylang oil are nausea, sensitivity, headache, etc.