Ylang Ylang and Its Benefits
YLANG YLANG: THE FLOWER OF FEMININE POWER & CALM
WHY YLANG YLANG FEELS LIKE GENTLE RADIANCE
Sensual and serene, Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata) is a flower that grows in tropical regions with a fragrance as lush as it is grounding. Its scent is sweet, floral, soft, yet unmistakably strong, much like the women who are drawn to it. With roots in tropical islands like Comoros and Indonesia, this golden flower offers one of the most sensual awakening & heart-opening scents.
Cananga odorata brings a fragrance that is lush, exotic, yet calm and serene.
To perfumers, it's a golden note of balance and beauty and to use it as a heart note to bring softness and depth, and to scientists, it’s a flower with real impact on the body and brain. It's confirming what its scent already hints at: Ylang Ylang can calm the nervous system and enhance emotional balance. Ylang Ylang is a radiant floral. Its presence is like warm sunlight at the end of a long day restorative, slow, and strong.
This is what makes fragrances vs essential oils used in perfumery such an interesting conversation: Ylang Ylang delivers both sensory pleasure and evidence-based wellness benefits. Ylang Ylang means "flower of flowers." Ylang Ylang flowers have been used to cover the beds of newlywed couples on their wedding night. It is rich and creamy, with whispers of jasmine and soft fruit, grounded in green spice.
Ylang Ylang is not sharp; it flows. It moves like silk across skin. It’s the kind of scent you want when you are ready to soften the edges, tune back into your body, and lead with heart instead of force.
In aromatherapy, Ylang Ylang is your go-to for emotional reset. It’s known to reduce anxiety, regulate heart rhythms, and increase feelings of calm confidence. Often used in practices of sensual awakening and heart-opening, it helps restore emotional flow without numbing your clarity. Whether worn, diffused, or used in ritual, Ylang Ylang reconnects you with your body’s wisdom.
Perfumers love it because it adds warmth, softness, and complexity to the heart of a fragrance. It’s often used as a middle note to bring emotional depth, slow-release elegance, and a creamy floral balance that feels like emotional security in a bottle. It makes a perfume feel fuller, richer, and more intimate.
Researchers are uncovering why. A randomised controlled trial involving 60 adults with mild depressive symptoms found that inhalation of Ylang Ylang essential oil twice daily for 14 days resulted in a 30% reduction in depression scores and a 22% decrease in salivary cortisol levels, indicating its potential anxiolytic effects. (Source: https://vitalibrary.com/blood-pressure-support)
Additionally, a study with 30 healthy volunteers who underwent daily 20-minute inhalation sessions of Ylang Ylang for 10 days observed a mean systolic blood pressure drop of 6 mmHg, a diastolic drop of 4 mmHg, and improved heart rate variability, supporting its traditional use for stress-induced hypertension. (Source: Essential Oil Sage)
These findings suggest that your body feels the shift; even before your mind catches up.
EMOTIONAL BENEFITS (BACKED BY DATA)
Encourages self-worth
Inhalation lowered heart rate and blood pressure, while increasing calm alertness. Often used in practices around receptivity and self-love. (SciELO)
Soothes nervous energy
Inhalation increased heart-rate variability by 15 %, showing enhanced relaxation response. Calms overactive thoughts and promotes emotional stillness. (ResearchGate)
Balances emotional flow
Self-reports showed increased relaxation and reduced anxiety after topical or inhaled use. Supporting feelings of joy, sensuality, and trust. (SciELO)
WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS; PHYSICAL & METABOLIC BENEFITS
Anti-inflammatory
Reduced leukocyte activity and swelling in lab studies (MDPI)
Antimicrobial
Effective against Staph aureus and E coli at low concentrations. (Springer)
Cardiovascular support
Lowered blood pressure and heart rate in multiple clinical trials (e-JER)
Mood and depression
Reduced cortisol and improved mood after blend inhalation (Everywomanover29)
Lifts mood and self-worth
Boosted parasympathetic tone and reduced heart rate in 20 minutes (NaturalRemedyIdeas)
Appetite and calm
30 percent drop in depression scores and lowered salivary cortisol after 14 days (Vitalibrary)
Want help finding high-quality Ylang Ylang oil?
Email us at wellnessthroughmotion.au@gmail.com. We’re happy to point you in the right direction.
“When I work with Ylang Ylang, I think of women reclaiming their radiance quietly, fully, and without apology.”
