ylang ylang

the one little bottle that started it all 

A gagillion years ago I went to college in Vermont.

While I was shopping a little esoteric book store in Killington, I picked up a bottle of Aura Casia's Ylang Ylang - I'm not even sure I liked the fragrance much at the time... floral, exotic, spicy like pepper - I'd never been exposed to such things.

In the twenty-some years since I have gown to appreciate the complexity of Ylang Ylang: as a tonic for skin (for dry, irritated or mature skin). And as a component in botanical perfume.

Ylang Ylang is found in widely popular commercial fragrances like Chanel No 5 - and in a simple fragrance created by my Bunny (combined with vanilla it makes a lovely almost-musk with a subtle youthful powder).

Some plants have a straight forward distillation process. For some it can't even be done: heliotrope, lilac, lily of the valley. Ylang Ylang has a very sophisticated process and even numbers the distillates based on the length of 'boiling' time (for more: White Lotus Aromatics)


Ylang Ylang for skin: combine with patchouli and a touch of sweet orange in your favorite lotion, cleanser or bath: always dilute.

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