The Ylang-Ylang flower begins its life a vibrant green.
"The Ylang-Ylang flower begins its life a vibrant green. As it matures, it transforms. Six long, narrow petals twist and droop gracefully as they ripen to a buttery, golden yellow star-each petal a slender, convoluted ribbon unfurled.
The flower itself is small but profuse with a captivating potent aroma wafting from the petals most strongly in the evening ensuring attraction of its specific nocturnal pollinators, moths and beetles, and enabling its intoxicating aroma to fill the tropical night. "
Tamara's Tale
My first encounter with Ylang Ylang was on a family holiday in Jamaica about 30 years ago
We were in west central Mandeville, on a slightly hilly cooler inland plateau with magnificent wild horticulture such as hibiscus, mango, ackee, blue mahoe and lignum vitae with the famous bamboo avenue nearby. We were staying at a beautiful lodge and in the centre of the courtyard was a huge Ylang Ylang tree.
It was over 100 feet with pendulous slender branches covered in yellow and pink flowers looking like curled starfish. The ground was clothed in these gorgeous flowers which released a buttery exotic sweet fragrance which I remember at the time reminded me of marzipan, lemon and roses.
Recipe for Rejuvenation face cream
This is the first cream that I made from my own distilled essential oils of lavender and rose geranium from my Greek herbiary. All three of the essentials oils used contain similar chemical constituents encourage skin cell renewal, skin health and work with the parasympathetic system to relax and restore.
4 tablespoons of organic base cream
1 tablespoon of calendula infused oil
1 tablespoon of chamomile infused oil
I tablespoon of avocado oil
1 ml of lavender essential oil
1 ml of ylang ylang essential oil
1 ml of rose geranium essential oil
100 ml of lavender/ rose geranium/rose (your choice) hydrosol
1 ml of naturally derived preservative benzoic acid
5 drops vitamin E
Method
Carefully mix the oils into the base cream in a glass bowl. Add the synergetic mix of essential oils and stir well. Drizzle in the hydrosol, the vitamin E and the preservative and combine with a handheld blender or small electric whisk until light and creamy. Scrape or pipe into 3 or 4 clean dark glass face cream jars and store in a cool dry spot. Apply with joy! Use within 6 months.