Ylang Ylang essential oil appears to be good for your hair. This natural aromatic is often recommended for softening and conditioning.
Some people also use it in hopes it will stop hair loss and facilitate new growth.
Ylang ylang oil will leave your locks smelling like a tropical flower garden.
Aromatic extracts from the flowers of the Cananga odorata tree have long been used in perfumes. Once you sniff its intoxicating floral scent, you’ll know why. I read somewhere that in Madagascar, where ylang ylang grows, women use this floral exquisite floral to attract men.
Ylang Ylang Hair Benefits
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Although ylang ylang essential oil usually isn’t the first aromatic that people purchase when starting their collection, sooner or later they’ll probably hear so much about this versatile aromatic, they’ll want a bottle of their own. In addition to its potential hair-enhancing benefits, pure ylang ylang essential oil is also considered a general health tonic and mood booster.
Plant Therapy, which sells this aromatic oil, notes on its website that ylang ylang “can help reduce worry, calm the mind, and help uplift mood.”
Benefits of Ylang Ylang for Hair
Because so many commercial hair care products contain parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate and other potentially hazardous chemicals, there’s now a booming interest in natural cosmetics. Several years ago I got rid of my “beauty” products that were likely contributing to my overall poor health. I don’t miss them at all, because I now realize plant-based formulas work just as well. (Plus, now that I’ve cleaned up my lifestyle, I feel a lot better.)
Some women add a drop of ylang ylang essential oil (which is pronounced eeelang eeelang) to their hairbrush. Ylang Ylang oil can be used as a moisturizing conditioner before you shampoo. Or, you can use it as a conditioning rinse after washing your hair. This is probably the easiest way, but adding a couple drops to a half cup of coconut oil, and massaging it into your scalp, has obvious benefits if your hair is too dry.
For centuries, a blend of coconut oil and ylang ylang has been used in various cultures for hair care. This mix has since come to be known as Macassar oil.
I’ve used ylang ylang essential oil after I’ve showered and washed my hair. What I did was put two drops in an empty cup of water. Then I added enough warm water to make a mix that will cover my entire head. I rubbed this into my scalp and wait for a couple of minutes. Then I rinsed it off. It did seem to make my hair softer and shinier.
Some aromatherapists believe ylang ylang can reverse hair loss. That’s because it’s said to have a balancing action, mitigating hormonal excess, including those responsible for male and female baldness. This essential oil does appear to be a great natural stress reliever.
Although I’m not aware of any scientific studies proving this aromatic can help maintain a full head of hair, one study did show that other essential oils, such as lavender and cedarwood essential oil, can reverse baldness.
Where to Buy Ylang Ylang Oil
The distillation process of ylang ylang essential oil is complex and confusing. This precious oil is sold in several grades, although there’s no official standardization process. That’s why different brands of the same oil may not smell the same. The highest grade is known as extra and is the most expensive. This is taken from the first distillation. This is followed by grades I, II and III. Another type of ylang ylang called “complete” is collected from an uninterrupted distillation process.
Professional aromatherapists generally only use the extra and complete types of ylang ylang oil. The Plant Therapy Ylang Ylang shown here is complete distillation. Plant Therapy is a family-run company based in Twin Falls, Idaho that follows some of the strictest standards in the industry, with its oils tested by in house and independently. The quality of these 100 percent pure oil is excellent. I’ve been buying Plant Therapy oils for years, as it’s one of my favorite sources for these highly concentrated plant extracts.
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Disclaimer
These statements have not been approved by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. People with health concerns should discuss them with a doctor. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use essential oils, unless under the direction of a health care professional.
I’m not a healthcare professional, so all of the above statements are my personal opinion, and are not intended as medical advice.
