EO Spotlight: Ylang Ylang

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*Me, deeply inhaling over my diffuser*, "Ughh, smells SO.GOOD." 

Ylang Ylang (pronounced e-lang, e-lang) essential oil comes from steam distillation of the draping, yellow, fragrant flowers of the Ylang Ylang Tree, native to islands of the Indian Ocean, Madagascar being one of them (remember, to get the most potency from the constituents of each oil, it is IDEAL that they are harvested where they grow indigenously; doTERRA follows this protocol. In fact, Madagascar is one of their Co-Impact Sourcing sites, which you can learn more about, here). 

Because of its fragrant floral aroma, Ylang Ylang trees are known as "perfume tress" and their flowers have been used for centuries in rituals and ceremonies such as weddings; in more recent decades, they've been used in the creation of perfumes, beauty, personal care, and food products (1). 

Each essential oil contains many, many chemical constituents, which is why each oil has a wide variety of applications. The main constituents of Ylang Ylang (or Cananga Odorata, its species name) include Germacrene D, and Beta-Carophyllene, both of which fall into the sesquiterpene category, and tend to have a calming, soothing effect. In fact, a recent review of the research on applications of C. Odorata essential oil included (2):

• a reduction in stress index upon inhalationreported by participants in comparison to a control group (who received peppermint)
• a sedative effect in systolic and diastolic blood pressure upon inhalation
• a potent free radical scavenger (aka holds potent antioxidant properties)

As you can see, indigenously grown, properly harvested, pure Ylang Ylang essential oils has many possible applications! Here are a few:

Aromatically: 

• Inhale straight from the bottle to support a calm, uplifted mood
• Diffuse 3 drops of Ylang Ylang combined with a citrus oil (my FAVE combo is adding 2 drops Wild Orange) to provide a calming, uplifting aroma in any room. (FYI: this is not the oil to diffuse when you are needing to do mentally focused work; rather when you are looking to create, peace, ease, and to release tension). 
• Add a drop to pillow and linen sprays to promote feelings of calm and relaxation 
• Create an aromatherapy steam facial for yourself by boiling water, pouring into a large bowl, and adding 1 drop of Ylang Ylang and resting face over bowl. Your skin and your nervous system will thank you <3

Topically:

• As Ylang Ylang is very supportive in skin and hair health, you can add 1 drop of the oil to your non-toxic conditioner or create a deep conditioner of your own by putting 1 drop of the oil in a tbsp of fractionated coconut oil and applying to scalp (double up with longer, thicker hair)
• Add 1 drop of Ylang Ylang to your favorite non-toxic moisturizer or serum to support health of skin
• Add 1 drop to 1tbsp of fractionated coconut oil or unscented lotion and massage into areas of tension (BONUS: Ylang Ylang is an aphrodisiac, so feel free to incorporate this massage into an intimate moment with your partner or as a self massage); you may also apply to pulse points to support a calm, uplifted mood

Internally:

• Add 1 drop to 4 oz. of water or take in a veggie cap with 1tsp carrier oil for antioxidant support; REMINDER: internal use is only recommended with oils that have been rigorously tested for impurities. The essential oil industry is a part of the larger supplement industry that is largely unregulated. As there are at present no regulatory standards for a therapeutic grade oil, DoTERRA has created their own standard. It is quite rigorous and includes both independent and in-house laboratory testing of EVERY batch of oils for consistency, potency, purity. You can check your own bottle by typing the SKU number on the bottom of your bottle HERE !

Alright, that's the basics of this gorgeous oil. I hope you found this helpful! Feel free to download the image and keep a growing library reference of uses that support you! 

Big Love,
Jadi

References:
1. https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/spotlight-ylang-ylang-oil
2. ​https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4534619/