When it comes to choosing the best perfumes with ylang ylang, the number of options available on the market today can be mind-boggling. Although this fragrantly floral essential oil is used in many beautiful fragrances, actually finding a perfume that has ylang ylang as its prominent note was more challenging.
Viora is about to make your selection a whole lot easier as Ingrid & myself have done all of the leg-work and discovered what we feel are the 10 best perfumes with ylang-ylang. I truly hope you enjoy this guide!
What Is Ylang Ylang?
Pronounced ‘e-lang e-lang’, ylang-ylang oil is made from the flower of the Indian Cananga tree. The tropical tree is quite majestic with broad green leaves. It also has sizeable, majestic flowers that seemingly hang upside-down, allowing the luscious yellow petals to be viewed nicely from ground-level. As beautiful as the tree itself is, the essential oil contained within its flowers is what is truly famous for.
Where Is Ylang Ylang Grown?
Although it is native to India, you can now find these trees scattered all throughout the Asia-Pacific region, including in countries like Indonesia, the Philippines, and even Australia.
Over time, the range of places where these gorgeous trees are grown has expanded to include various islands across the Indian ocean and they have even made their way over to Madagascar in Africa.
What Does Ylang Ylang Smell Like?
Varying notes of custard, rubber, and even hints of jasmine greet the nose and combine to give it an irresistibly unique aroma that tends to play nicely with other fragrance notes. As the initial notes fade, lingering scents of fruit and wood provide a perfect base.
10 Best Perfumes With Ylang Ylang
Ylang ylang is an enticingly alluring sweet-floral note with hints of both jasmine and banana that is perfect all year round. Here are our picks for the 10 best perfumes with ylang ylang.
1. 24 Faubourg Hermès
Review
Hermes introduced Fauborg in 1995 as an experience that was to evoke a voyage to the sun. Master perfumer Maurice Roucel is the nose behind this lovely fragrance that incorporates ylang-ylang in a perfect way.
The scent opens in wonderful floral fashion. Ylang ylang, hyacinth, Jasmine and iris are supported by warm wood and vanilla to round things out nicely.
This perfume is best worn day or night during the cool months of the autumn and spring seasons.
I found the longevity of this fragrance to be very long-lasting, some 5+ hours on skin.
French designer Hermes is known worldwide for its luxury leather goods and handbags in addition to its fragrance collection.
A lovely squarish glass bottle with a cinched waist encapsulates this golden nectar.
Top Notes:
Ylang-ylang, bergamot, orange, peach, and hyacinth
Mid Notes:
Jasmine, gardenia, orange blossom, iris, and black elder
Base Notes:
Vanilla, sandalwood, patchouli, and amber
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at John Lewis & Partners:
2. L’Instant de Guerlain
Review
L’Instant de Guerlain, which was introduced in 2003, is a beautiful presentation of floral freshness and the perfect combination of citrus and honey.
The most prominent scent of this pleasant nectar is Magnolia and ylang ylang with touches of honey and powder. The sweetness of vanilla provides an attractive enhancement. The implementation of an olfactory pyramid that has been doubled makes this fragrance especially complex.
This perfume is best worn day or night during the cooler months of the autumn and winter seasons.
Thanks to the floral mids and woody base I found this fragrance to be very long-lasting. 5+ hours on skin.
Guerlain is another famous French design and fragrance house that is known to be a powerhouse in the world of cosmetics and fragrance.
In one of the most beautiful presentations I have seen for some time, L’Instant sits gracefully within a bell-shaped bottle that is flanked by a lavender glass bezel.
Top Notes:
Mandarin orange, bergamot, and red apple
Mid Notes:
Magnolia, ylang-ylang, magnolia, and iris
Base Notes:
Benzoin, honey, vanilla, musk, and amber
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at John Lewis & Partners:
3. Le Labo Ylang 49
Review
Ylang 49 is Le Labo’s chypre floral perfume that launched in 2015. The work of perfumer Frank Voelkl is behind this beautiful fragrance which incorporates such delicacies as Tahitian gardenia and ylang-ylang.
The scent of Le Labo is definitely woody and earthy, however, brighter notes of ylan ylang and citrus provide freshness while there is also a bit of spice present.
This perfume is best worn day or night during the cool months of autumn.
Lighter than some of the others, the ylang ylang hold up well considering its a mid note. I found this fragrance to be long-lasting. 4+ hours on skin.
As a French transplant in New York City, Le Labo is one of the more modern entrants to the luxury fragrance arena. Their signature bottle designs definitely stand out among those of their peers.
The presentation here appears as though it came straight from the aroma lab and into the store. The white label resembles a scientific formula, adding a quirky touch.
Top Notes:
Tahitian gardenia
Mid Notes:
Patchouli, ylang-ylang
Base Notes:
Vetiver, benzoin, sandalwood, and oakmoss
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at John Lewis & Partners:
4. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Apom
Review
Apom Pour Femme is one of Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s simplest fragrances, yet the quality of its alluring expression is executed very well. The creation of this particular perfume was inspired by a journey to Lebanon.
The scent is a fantastic marriage of ylang ylang and orange flower, balanced with the punch of cedarwood.
This felt more of a daytime perfume that’s perfect during the sunny months of spring and summer.
Thanks to the woody base I found this fragrance to be very long-lasting. 5+ hours on skin.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian is one of France’s premier fragrance houses. They pride themselves on creating scents that freely express sensuality.
The signature MFK squared glass bottle is accented by a rectangular gold top.
Top Notes:
Tunisian orange flower
Mid Notes:
Ylang-ylang
Base Notes:
Cedarwood
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at John Lewis & Partners:
5. Paco Rabanne Pure XS For Her
Review
After Pure XS For Him made a big splash in the fragrance world, Paco Rabanne naturally followed up with the feminine counterpart which happens to be just as extraordinary as the male version.
The scent is a sweet and savoury blend of everything from vanilla to popcorn. This aromatic cocktail produces a nice level of floral from the ylang ylang mid notes.
This perfume is best worn at night during the cool months of autumn and winter.
This fragrances lasted 5+ hours before a top-up was required.
Paco Rabanne is known throughout the world for his wild and outlandish designs. His use of odd notes in his range of perfumes fits perfectly within his avant-garde portfolio of creations.
A pink bottle that resembles an apple with a golden snake wrapped around the top encapsulates this luscious serum.
Top Notes:
Coconut, vanilla
Mid Notes:
Popcorn, ylang-ylang
Base Notes:
White musk, amber wood, sandalwood, musk mallow
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at John Lewis:
6. GABRIELLE CHANEL Essence
Review
Gabrielle Chanel Essence was created as an ode to the bold passion of its namesake. Introduced in 2017, it is one of the latest entrants into the vast Chanel fragrance portfolio.
Of all the fragrances here, I think this one would be my top recommendation. It’s beautiful. The scent here is a delicate white florals including the subtle sweetness of ylang ylang that is enveloped in notes of sweetness, wood, and citrus.
This perfume is best to wear on a fresh spring or autumn day.
The longevity of this fragrance was far better than I expected at 6+ hours.
Chanel is among the most famous of all design houses in history. Hailing from Paris, the behemoth has conquered almost every corner of the luxury goods market.
Chanel’s perfume bottles are always top-notch, and this one stays true to form with a simple square glass shape and gold top.
Top Notes:
Citrus, petitgrain, black currant, red fruits, and peach
Mid Notes:
Coconut, white flowers, tuberose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, and orange blossom
Base Notes:
Vanilla, musk, and sandalwood
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at John Lewis
7. Tom Ford Soleil Blanc
Review
Sweet coconut and ylang ylang are the stars here, with dashes of spice and wood accenting floral undertones. Warming amber remains throughout.
I feel Soleil Blanc fragrance is perfect for both spring and summer. It layers really well with Tom Fords Tobacco Vanille if you want to invite a little autumn/winter into the mix.
This was a fairly long-lasting fragrance at 5+ hours. Amber still remained after this time but the tops and mids has faded.
Tom Ford is a designer who rose to fame in the new millennium. The design house has since become a juggernaut in the luxury realm.
The classic Tom Ford bottle is rendered here in opaque white.
Top Notes:
Pistachio, cardamom, pink pepper, and bergamot
Mid Notes:
Ylang-ylang, tuberose, and jasmine
Base Notes:
Coconut, benzoin, tonka bean, and amber
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Harrods:
8. Clive Christian Noble VII Cosmos Flower
Review
Noble VII Cosmos Flower is Clive Christian’s vers7 Head-Turning Clive Christian Perfumes For Womenion of pure overindulgence, taking a seemingly endless list of luscious ingredients and carefully orchestrating them into an aromatic masterpiece.
The scent is a blend of many of my favourite notes, from ylang ylang, apple to violet, rum, leather, and even chocolate! This is truly a sensory experience for all to indulge in.
I felt that this perfume would be best worn during the cooler days of winter and spring. However it can quite easily be an all year round fragrance.
This is a very, VERY long-lasting fragrance. I could still smell it on me after 8+ hours. Just goes to show that you get what you pay for.
Clive Christian’s fragrance house is yet another behemoth in the world of luxury perfumes.
The presentation here is a classic Clive Christian bottle resembling the “King” chess piece.
Top Notes:
Mandarin orange, rum, pink pepper, and apple
Mid Notes:
Jasmine, osmanthus, plum, ylang-ylang, and violet
Base Notes:
Caramel, benzoin, leather, amber, and cacao
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Harrods:
9. Roja Parfums Haute Luxe
Review
Roja Parfum Haute Luxe is an extravagant expression of wealth and royalty. The bottle design says it all with its glittering gold and purple crown.
The scent is a floral adventure into a world of rose, jasmine and ylang ylang. It’s earthy with numerous spicy notes in the base that blend in nicely. These notes are further accented by balsamic and powder aromas.
This fragrance is best worn during the cool days and nights of the autumn, winter, and spring seasons.
Another very long-lasting fragrance from Roja Parfums. I find all their fragrance have excellent longevity and this one is no different. 7+ hours on skin.
Roja Parfums is known as one of the more exclusive brands in the industry. Although they may not be as popular as some of their peers, they still produce fragrances that are befitting of the privileged few.
A regal gold glittery bottle is topped with a purple crown jewel.
Top Notes:
Bergamot
Mid Notes:
Rose de Mai, jasmine, and ylang-ylang
Base Notes:
Styrax, labdanum, benzoin, amber, iris, Amyris, vanilla, cedar, patchouli, vetiver, oakmoss, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Harrods:
10. Diptyque Eau Mohéli
Review
Diptyque Eau Moheli is a woody floral musk perfume that was originally introduced in 2013. Master perfumer Olivier Pescheux is responsible for creating this lovely fragrance.
The scent here is a fresh yellow floral of ylang ylang and patchouli that is rounded out by nicely wood, spice, and balsamic notes. It fun, light and fresh. I loved it.
This fragrance is best worn on sunny days during the warm spring and summer seasons. Gave me a carefree & happy feelings inside.
The longevity of this perfume is only moderate 4+ hours. But that’s fine, simply top up to reinvigorate and enjoy!
Diptyque stands at the forefront of the French fragrance house scene and is widely regarded as one of the best perfumeries in the world.
The bottle is sleek with a detailed wilderness scene on the label over clear glass. The box is much more colourful while keeping with the garden theme.
Top Notes:
Floral notes, pink pepper, and ginger
Mid Notes:
Ylang-ylang, patchouli
Base Notes:
Incense, benzoin, and vetiver
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Harrods:
What Other Notes Go Well With Ylang Ylang?
As you might imagine, based on the common use of ylang-ylang in the creation of so many perfumes, it pairs well with numerous other aromatic notes.
Some of the more popular complementary notes used by perfumers around the globe are:
- Top Notes: Bergamot, grapefruit and lemon
- Mid Notes: Jasmin, rose & lavender
- Base Notes: Sandalwood, amber, marjoram, and vetiver.
Conclusion
As you can see, the breadth of perfumes that have been produced with the inclusion of ylang-ylang’s essential aroma is extremely wide-ranging. You can literally find an example from every major fragrance house that uses this prized aroma to tie together all sorts of wonderful combinations and create perfumes that anyone can enjoy.
After reading this guide, you now have the knowledge to go out and treat yourself to the best perfumes with ylang-ylang. You may also be happy to know that this popular aroma is used in everything from candles to soaps, and even grooming products! I hope you have truly enjoyed this list of the 10 best perfumes with ylang-ylang.