What does ylang-ylang smell like? The sunny flower of the tropics

Ylang-ylang is the quiet workhorse of perfume. You may never have noticed it, but it sits in the heart of some of the most famous perfumes ever made. It smells like a tropical holiday: sunny, creamy and a little bit exotic.

What does it smell like?

Sweet, rich and creamy, with a fruity and slightly spicy twist. Ylang-ylang has several sides:

• Banana and custard: a ripe, creamy fruitiness that surprises many people
• Jasmine-like floral: sweet, heady and warm
• Spice: a soft, clove-like or peppery edge
• Solvent and medicine: a sharp, nail-polish or slightly medicinal note in the opening
• Sun and skin: a warm, golden, sun-cream feel as it dries down

It is often described as somewhere between jasmine and banana. It is less animal than jasmine and less heavy than tuberose, which makes it a friendly way into white florals.

Where it comes from

Ylang-ylang comes from the flowers of Cananga odorata, a fast-growing tropical tree. Its native range stretches from Southeast Asia to northern Australia. The name comes from the Tagalog ilang-ilang, from the Philippines. You will often see it translated as "flower of flowers", but that is a popular mistranslation.

The trees can grow very tall in the wild, but on farms they are pruned short so the flowers can be picked by hand. The yellow-green flowers droop in long, twisted petals and turn yellow as they ripen.

Today most perfume-grade ylang-ylang comes from islands in the Indian Ocean, especially the Comoros, Mayotte and Madagascar (especially the island of Nosy Be). Indonesia and the Philippines also produce it. In the Comoros, ylang-ylang has long been one of the most important export crops.

How ylang-ylang is made

Ylang-ylang has one of the most interesting extraction methods in perfume.

Fresh flowers are steam-distilled, but the oil is collected in fractions, one after another, during a long distillation that can run many hours. The first oil to come over is the most precious. Each grade smells different:

• Extra superior / Extra: collected first. The sweetest, most floral and most delicate. Used in fine perfume.
• First (I) and second (II): collected next. Heavier and less floral.
• Third (III): collected last, sometimes after many hours. Woodier and flatter. Often used in soap and candles.
• Complete: a blend of the fractions, or the oil from one uninterrupted run.

The early grades are rich in lighter, sweeter molecules such as linalool, benzyl acetate, methyl benzoate and p-cresyl methyl ether. The later grades contain more heavy, woody molecules such as caryophyllene and germacrene. A close relative, cananga oil, comes from a different variety and smells rougher and woodier.

There is also a ylang-ylang absolute, made with solvents, which smells creamier and closer to the living flower.

A short history of ylang-ylang

• Southeast Asia: Ylang-ylang flowers have long been worn and used in oils across the region. In Indonesia, the flowers are traditionally scattered on the beds of newlyweds.
• The Philippines (19th century): Distillation for export is believed to have begun in the Philippines in the second half of the 1800s.
• The Indian Ocean: French planters introduced the tree to Réunion, Madagascar, Mayotte and the Comoros, which became the main growing region.
• Macassar oil: In the 1800s, a popular men's hair oil called Macassar oil used ylang-ylang among its ingredients. It was so widely used that people put cloths on chair backs to stop it staining. Those cloths are still called "antimacassars".

Ylang-ylang in modern perfume

Ylang-ylang is a key part of the heart of Chanel No. 5 (1921), where it adds sweetness and roundness to jasmine and rose. It also features prominently in Samsara by Guerlain (1989), a creamy blend of sandalwood and florals.

More often, ylang-ylang works quietly. Perfumers use it to make jasmine richer, to soften sharp notes and to add a warm, sunny glow to a floral heart.

Real vs synthetic ylang-ylang

Natural ylang-ylang is relatively affordable compared with jasmine or tuberose, so it is widely used in its natural form. Perfumers may also rebuild it from synthetics like benzyl acetate, linalool and methyl benzoate when they want a cheaper or more stable version.

Ylang-ylang oil can irritate sensitive skin, so the International Fragrance Association (IFRA), the perfume industry's safety body, sets maximum levels for its use in products. This matters more for people using pure oil at home than for finished perfumes, which are already formulated within these limits. Never put undiluted ylang-ylang oil straight on your skin.

What ylang-ylang pairs well with

• Jasmine and tuberose: make a lush, creamy white-floral bouquet.
• Sandalwood: a classic pairing, creamy and warm.
• Vanilla: turns ylang-ylang soft, sweet and gourmand.
• Coconut and tropical fruits: play up its holiday side.
• Citrus: brightens it and calms its heaviness.

Perfumes to try

• Chanel No. 5 by Chanel (1921): ylang-ylang in a supporting but important role.
• Samsara by Guerlain (1989): creamy ylang-ylang and sandalwood.
• Ylang 49 by Le Labo: a bright, green and mossy take on the flower.
• A good-quality ylang-ylang Extra oil, diluted, if you want to smell the raw material itself.

How to wear ylang-ylang

• It suits warm weather and holidays, but it also adds comfort in winter.
• Ylang-ylang perfumes are often rich, so start with one or two sprays.
• If the opening smells sharp or medicinal, wait 20 minutes. The creamy heart takes a little time to appear.
• It layers well with vanilla, sandalwood or coconut scents.

Who will love it

People who like sunny, creamy, tropical florals, fans of classic perfumes like No. 5, and anyone who wants a white floral that feels warm and friendly rather than heavy.