Fragrance note guide

What Does Ylang-Ylang Smell Like in Perfume?

Ylang-ylang in perfume usually smells rich, creamy and floral, with sweet, spicy, fruity and slightly banana-like sides. It is a warm tropical white-floral note with more density than jasmine and a softer texture than tuberose. Ylang-ylang can appear in both the top and heart.

Yellow-green ylang-ylang flowers with glossy leaves on a pale lavender-grey background

What Does Ylang-Ylang Smell Like?

Ylang-ylang has a heady floral scent with creamy petals, warm spice and ripe fruit. Givaudan describes it as a heady, slightly spicy fragrance material, while IFF’s Ylang Heart Madagascar has a creamy, solar profile.

Where Does Ylang-Ylang Come From?

Ylang-ylang oil is distilled from the flowers of Cananga odorata, a tropical tree native across parts of Southeast Asia and the western Pacific. The Comoros islands are an especially important source of ylang-ylang essential oil for fine fragrance.

How Ylang-Ylang Is Usually Described

  • Floral
  • Creamy
  • Rich
  • Sweet
  • Spicy
  • Tropical

How Is Ylang-Ylang Used in Perfume?

Ylang-ylang is used in floral, amber, gourmand, woody and tropical fragrances. It blends well with jasmine, orchid, tuberose, orange blossom, coconut-like notes, vanilla, sandalwood and patchouli. It can add creamy volume to flowers or warm a woody base.

Notes Commonly Paired With Ylang-Ylang

White bitter orange blossoms, glossy green leaves and flower buds on a pale peach background
Fragrance note

Orange Blossom

Orange blossom in perfume usually smells rich, white floral and softly sweet, with citrusy, honeyed, green and slightly creamy sides. It can feel bright and fresh in one...

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Pale purple orchid flower with unopened buds and green leaves on a warm grey background
Fragrance note

Orchid

Orchid in perfume usually smells creamy, floral and softly sweet, although there is no single natural orchid smell. Different orchid species can smell fruity, spicy, green, powdery, vanilla-like...

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Fresh green patchouli leaves and natural stems
Fragrance note

Patchouli

Patchouli in perfume usually smells earthy, woody and deep, with herbal, slightly sweet and sometimes camphor like sides. It can feel dark and damp in one fragrance but...

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Pale sandalwood pieces with smooth wood shavings and green leaves
Fragrance note

Sandalwood

Sandalwood in perfume usually smells warm, creamy and softly woody. It can also have milky, balsamic, powdery or lightly spicy sides. Unlike sharper woods, sandalwood often feels smooth...

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Natural vanilla pods with a vanilla orchid flower and green leaves
Fragrance note

Vanilla

Vanilla in perfume usually smells sweet, warm and creamy. It can also have soft woody, powdery or spicy sides, depending on the material used and the notes around...

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Luxaro Perfumes With Ylang-Ylang as a Top Note

These fragrances introduce Ylang-Ylang near the opening of the scent.

Luxaro Perfumes With Ylang-Ylang as a Heart Note

These fragrances reveal Ylang-Ylang through the central body of the scent.

Related Fragrance Notes

White jasmine flowers and green leaves against a soft blue green background
Fragrance note

Jasmine

Jasmine in perfume usually smells rich, sweet and floral. It can also seem creamy, green, fruity or slightly spicy, depending on the type of jasmine and the other...

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Creamy white gardenia flowers and glossy dark green leaves on a dusty lilac-grey background
Fragrance note

Gardenia

Gardenia in perfume usually smells rich, creamy and floral, with sweet white-petal, green and softly fruity sides. It can feel smoother and more velvety than jasmine, although the...

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Fresh white tuberose flowers with green stems and leaves on a light pale peach background
Fragrance note

Tuberose

Tuberose in perfume usually smells rich, creamy and strongly floral, with sweet, warm, green and sometimes coconut-like sides. It is much fuller and heavier than delicate flowers such...

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