15 Amazing Benefits of Ylang Ylang Essential Oil for Skin and Hair
This post contains affiliate links.
If you’ve ever smelled ylang ylang, you already know why it’s called the “flower of flowers.”
This sweet, rich, and exotic scent comes from the ylang ylang flowers of the Cananga tree, a tropical species native to Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean islands.
Ylang ylang essential oil (pronounced ee-lang ee-lang) is a powerful essential oil made from these star-shaped flowersthrough a process called steam distillation. Beyond its beautiful floral scent, this fragrant oil offers some incredible benefits for your skin and hair — from balancing oil production to supporting healthy hair growth and glowing skin.
Let’s explore how you can add this incredible oil to your daily routine — and why it’s one of the most popular ingredients in natural beauty and self-care today.
1. It Promotes Emotional Balance and a Calming Effect
One of the first things people notice about ylang ylang oil is how instantly relaxing it feels. The sweet floral aroma has a natural calming effect that helps ease stress, tension, and anxious thoughts.
Many people love adding a few drops of ylang ylang oil to a diffuser, bath, or massage oils for its uplifting effects. And when you’re more relaxed, it shows — calmer emotions often lead to healthier-looking skin and a happier scalp!
So, next time you’re winding down after a busy day, try breathing in this exotic oil. Your skin and your mood will both thank you.
2. It Helps Balance Sebum Production
If your skin feels too oily one day and too dry the next, ylang ylang might be your new best friend. This popular choiceamong essential oils helps balance oil production in your skin’s sebaceous glands.
It’s perfect for oily skin types that produce too much sebum and struggle with clogged pores or shine. But it’s also gentle enough to nourish dry skin, helping your complexion find that happy middle ground.
For best results, add a drop or two to your carrier oil — like coconut oil or jojoba oil — and smooth it over your face before bed.
3. It Supports Healthy Blood Circulation
Healthy skin and hair both depend on good blood circulation. The nutrients that feed your hair follicles and skin cells travel through your bloodstream — so the more circulation, the more vitality!
When used in a massage oil blend, ylang ylang can gently stimulate blood flow. That means brighter, more radiant skin and a scalp that feels refreshed.
It’s a great way to combine beauty with relaxation — simply mix a few drops of ylang ylang essential oil with your favorite carrier oil and enjoy a soothing facial or scalp massage.
4. It May Help Reduce the Appearance of Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Thanks to its antioxidant-rich nature, ylang ylang helps protect your skin from free radicals — those unstable molecules that cause oxidative stress and premature aging.
This oil’s anti-inflammatory properties and ability to promote skin health make it a lovely addition to your skincare routine. It can help soften the look of fine lines, maintain elasticity, and keep your complexion smooth and supple.
Try adding a drop of ylang ylang to your nightly moisturizer or serum — it’s a natural way to glow while you sleep.
5. It’s Soothing for Sensitive Skin
Because ylang ylang oil is both gentle and balancing, it can be used (in moderation) on sensitive skin when properly diluted. Its anti-inflammatory properties help calm redness and skin irritation, while the floral aroma makes it feel like a mini spa moment.
Just remember — this is a potent essential oil. Always do a patch test before applying it to larger or sensitive areas to ensure you don’t experience allergic reactions.
Mix 1–2 drops with a tablespoon of carrier oil, apply to a small patch of skin, and wait 24 hours before using it on your face or scalp.
6. It Can Help Control Breakouts
Oily skin often leads to breakouts — but so can dryness. Because ylang ylang helps balance oil production, it can help both skin types find stability.
Its unique properties also make it mildly cleansing and soothing, which can reduce irritation around blemishes. By supporting your skin’s natural balance, it helps you avoid the “oil overdrive” that can clog pores.
Add a few drops to your skincare products or use it in a weekly DIY face mask mixed with clay and coconut oil for a clear, nourished glow.
7. It Has a Naturally Sweet, Floral Scent
Beyond its functional benefits, the rich scent of ylang ylang is what makes it so irresistible. It’s no wonder it’s used in perfume, skincare, and hair care products all over the world.
The floral aroma is warm, sensual, and exotic — a perfect way to add a little luxury to your daily routine. It’s often blended with carrier oils in massage oils for a calming, full-body experience.
If you’re looking to elevate your self-care with something simple yet luxurious, this fragrant oil is an ideal choice.
8. It Nourishes the Scalp for Healthy Hair Growth
When it comes to hair, ylang ylang isn’t just about fragrance — it’s also known for its hair care benefits.
Massaging a few drops of ylang ylang oil into your scalp (diluted with coconut oil) helps boost blood flow to the hair follicles, supporting healthy hair growth.
It also helps balance oil production on your scalp — preventing greasy roots or dry scalps that cause itching and flaking.
Whether your hair is curly, straight, or textured, ylang ylang can be a beautiful part of your hair care routine.
9. It Adds Shine and Softness to Hair
This exotic oil coats your strands lightly, helping seal in moisture and restore softness without feeling greasy. It’s especially helpful for dry scalps or dull, brittle hair.
You can add a drop or two to your conditioner or create your own DIY hot oil treatment with coconut oil and ylang ylang essential oil.
Leave it on under a shower cap for 15–30 minutes, then rinse for a glossy, manageable finish.
10. It Helps Reduce Hair Loss
Stress and poor scalp health can contribute to hair loss. Because ylang ylang offers both therapeutic properties and a calming effect, it can support your hair follicles from the inside out.
Regular scalp massages using ylang ylang oil (with a carrier oil) may help minimize breakage, improve scalp comfort, and keep your hair feeling thicker and more resilient over time.
11. It’s a Lovely Addition to DIY Hair Masks
If you love natural beauty treatments, ylang ylang is a must-try.
Combine it with coconut oil, avocado, or honey for a deeply moisturizing hair care mask. Its floral scent makes the experience feel like a tropical getaway — and its therapeutic properties support scalp balance and hydration.
For a simple recipe:
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon honey
3 drops ylang ylang essential oil
Massage into your scalp and strands, leave for 20 minutes, then rinse well.
12. It Enhances Your Skincare Routine Naturally
If you’re simplifying your beauty products, ylang ylang is one oil that fits beautifully into a minimal, natural skincare routine.
You can add a drop to your moisturizer, toner, or facial serum for an instant aromatic oil boost. It blends beautifully with essential oil blends that include lavender, frankincense, or rose.
It’s also a popular ingredient in toners and skincare products meant to refresh the complexion and restore balance after cleansing.
13. It’s a Traditional Beauty Secret
Ylang ylang has been used in traditional medicine and beauty rituals across tropical regions like the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and the Indian Ocean islands for centuries.
The fragrant flowers were used in religious ceremonies, skincare rituals, and hair ointments — a testament to their timeless appeal.
Today, that same distillation process continues to deliver one of the world’s most popular essential oils — proof that sometimes, nature truly knows best.
14. It Works Well in Blends with Other Oils
Because ylang ylang has such a rich scent, it pairs beautifully with other essential oils.
Try mixing it with:
Lavender (for extra calm)
Geranium (for balance)
Sweet orange or lemon (for freshness)
Rosemary (for scalp stimulation)
Always remember to dilute these oils with a carrier oil before applying to your skin or hair. Essential oils are powerful, and a little goes a long way!
15. It’s a Gentle, Luxurious Way to Practice Self-Care
Sometimes, the biggest benefit isn’t just physical — it’s emotional. Adding ylang ylang essential oil to your daily lifehelps you slow down and care for yourself in small, meaningful ways.
Whether you’re massaging it into your hair, inhaling its floral aroma, or adding a few drops to your bath, this fragrant oil turns everyday routines into self-care rituals.
It’s a reminder that beauty isn’t about perfection — it’s about creating moments that make you feel calm, confident, and connected to yourself.
How to Use Ylang Ylang Oil Safely
Before you start blending, here are a few simple tips to make the most of your ylang ylang essential oil benefits safely:
1. Always Dilute with a Carrier Oil
Ylang ylang is a potent essential oil, so never use it undiluted on your skin. Combine 1–2 drops with a carrier oil such as coconut oil, sweet almond, or jojoba before applying.
2. Perform a Patch Test
Apply your diluted blend to a small area of skin and wait 24 hours to check for any skin irritation or allergic reactions.
3. Avoid Sensitive Areas
Keep it away from your eyes, lips, or broken skin.
4. Choose Quality
Look for the best ylang ylang oil you can find — preferably labeled “complete grade” or “extra,” which are the most aromatic.
5. Store Properly
Keep your oil in a dark glass bottle, away from sunlight and heat to preserve its freshness and aroma.
The Beauty of Ylang Ylang in Daily Life
Adding ylang ylang to your skincare routine or hair care routine doesn’t need to be complicated. Here are a few easy ways to enjoy its potential benefits:
Facial oil: Mix a few drops of ylang ylang with a tablespoon of carrier oil and use it nightly for smooth, glowing skin.
Scalp massage: Combine ylang ylang with coconut oil, massage gently into the scalp, and rinse after 20–30 minutes for stronger, softer hair.
Aromatic bath: Add 3–4 drops to your bath water for a spa-like experience that relaxes both body and mind.
Perfume blend: Mix with a touch of vanilla or jasmine for a warm, natural perfume.
These small rituals can make your daily routine feel luxurious, grounding, and deeply nurturing.
Final Thoughts
Ylang ylang essential oil is so much more than a beautiful scent — it’s a powerful essential oil with a heart-warming history and a long list of skin care benefits.
From improving blood circulation and balancing sebum production to calming the mind and nourishing hair follicles, this exotic oil truly does it all.
Its therapeutic properties, relaxing properties, and unique fragrance make it an ideal choice for anyone looking to elevate their skincare or hair care routine in a natural way.
Whether you’re looking to soothe sensitive skin, add shine to your hair, or simply unwind with a sweet scent, ylang ylang — the “flower of flowers” — is a reminder that nature’s beauty secrets often come from the most fragrant blossoms.
So, the next time you’re curating your beauty shelf, add a bottle of this fragrant oil to your collection.
It’s the little drop of tropical luxury your self-care ritual has been waiting for.