Mixing essential oils is often a little like a magic spell! I’m often asked if you can mix ylang-ylang and lavender. Lavender and ylang-ylang are beautiful on their own in a diffuser, pillow spray, or massage oil but what happens if you mix them?
So in this article today, I’m going to answer the question once and for all you budding aromatherapists out there! I’ll include some blend recipes and some details on why, where, and how!
Let’s start with the mini answer first before we head into more details about these powerful and aromatic oils.
can you mix lavender and ylang-ylang? Ylang-ylang and lavender can be mixed. They are both relaxing, calm nerves, are anxiolytic, have hand care and anti-bacterial qualities. They both aid sleep, lower blood pressure, stabilize mood and ease tension. When mixed, expect a heady mix of floral, spice, and botanicals.
So now we’ve got the short answer so you can get started creating beautiful blends with lavender and ylang-ylang let’s dive right in with a list of 10 therapeutic qualities to expect when they are mixed.
Then we can look at the different properties that make the magic happen!
Lavender and ylang ylang mix – 10 therapeutic benefits
Together in a mix or blend both lavender and ylang-ylang may:
- Help you to relax
- Have sedative and harmonizing properties
- Lower pulse rate and blood pressure
- Calm and revive
- Restore focus and clarity
- Aid sleep
- Have aphrodisiac qualities
- Promote a positive mood
- Skin benefits
- Helps with skin irritation and other skin conditions
Mix ylang ylang and lavender for therapeutic properties
So now we can see some of the shared benefits of both lavender and ylang-ylang, it’s fairly easy to understand they will mix well together!
Both oils have relaxing qualities which give a double dose of calm when mixing!
By mixing ylang ylang and lavender with their joint properties of mood-lifting in a diffuser blend, or room spray, the combined effects will not only help to stabilize mood and reduce tension, but ylang ylang brings alertness and focus to add into the mix.
A scientific study in their 2013 article, goes one more step in proving scientifically the similarities of both ylang-ylang and lavender.
This will go a fair way in helping us to more easily understand that you not only can mix lavender and ylang-ylang but together they are a winning combination!
A scientific study in their 2013 article, goes one more step in proving scientifically the similarities of both ylang-ylang and lavender.
Lavender and ylang ylang aroma mix
So together these two beautifully aromatic fragrances work so well together on many levels!
The slight herbal notes of both lavender and ylang-ylang mix together so well.
The more botanical floral aroma of lavender gets a tropical hit with ylang-ylang and intensifies the sweetness of the oils when blended.
Both have a spicy note which complements each other, along with the woody herbal qualities of both lavender and ylang-ylang.
Overall when lavender and ylang-ylang are mixed or blended, the result is a heady mix of floral, spice, and botanicals.
So what about the therapeutic effects of these two popular aromatherapy oils?
Read on to find out why they combine to form a powerhouse of benefits!
“The more botanical floral aroma of lavender gets a tropical hit with ylang-ylang and intensifies the sweetness of the oils when blended.”
Why do lavender and ylang-ylang blend well together?
So now we know for sure that you can mix lavender and ylang-ylang in diffuser blends, room sprays, bath oils, and a million other uses!
But why do they mix well? Let’s start by looking at what they both smell like and why the aromas of these popular oils mix beautifully.
Lavender aroma
The aroma of lavender is most probably the most recognized of all essential oils.
English Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) are prized for their gorgeous scent.
Its beautiful botanical fragrance is mixed with a light floral scent.
Its aroma is intense with green and woody herbal notes, a little similar to rosemary but a more floral top note.
“English Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) are prized for their gorgeous scent.”
Ylang-ylang aroma
Ylang ylang’s aroma is well known by the world’s perfumers and anyone who works with beautiful fragrances.
Cultivated commercially for its stunning flowers and aroma, it hails from Indonesia and Thailand. This exotic bloom has an aroma to match!
Ylang ylang has a beautiful heady tropical aroma with a hint of woody spice and a sweet note.
“This exotic bloom has an aroma to match! “
Lavender therapeutic qualities
So where do we start when describing all the benefits of lavender! Let’s take a look at some of them below, so we can find out how they mix with ylang-ylang.
lavender has a wealth of benefits from relaxation through to calming down an insect bite!
It also has well-researched and documented benefits for sleep. This is probably its most well-known use for lavender oil. Its sedative effect is the main benefit of this useful essential oil.
Lavender is one of the only essential oils to be added to the skin without dilution. It’s perfect for liking the bacteria that can cause skin complaints such as dryness and flakiness.
According to scientific research, lavender may have the same sedative effects as modern drugs such as diazepam.
It also has a wealth of benefits for the nervous system too including:
- Anxiolytic ( may help to relieve anxiety)
- Lifts mood
- Pain reliever
- Anticonvulsive
- neuroprotective properties ( this means lavender could protect nerve cells against damage or degeneration)
So why do the undoubted therapeutic effects of lavender help it to mix with ylang-ylang?
Let’s find out.
Ylang-ylang therapeutic qualities
Along with ylang-ylang oils beautiful tropical aroma, are a wealth of researched therapeutic benefits.
Ylang-ylang shares the same relaxing effects as its more herbal counterpart, lavender.
In scientific studies, those inhaling ylang ylang showed a decrease in not only pulse rate, but also blood pressure. These benefits are often referred to as ‘autonomic functions’.
Along with its relaxing properties, according to the same scientists, ylang-ylang has been shown to increase focus and alertness.
ylang-ylang oil has been used as an antidepressant and also contains therapeutic nerve-calming qualities, similar to lavender.
Again, similarly to lavender, ylang-ylang has antibacterial properties.
This means mixing both oils in a massage oil or a hand cream can see a double hit regarding their joint skin benefits and ability to calm skin complaints
ylang-ylang oil has been used as an antidepressant and also contains therapeutic nerve-calming qualities, similar to lavender.
To finish on let’s look at a few blend recipes which put lavender and ylang-ylang mix as joint stars of the show!
Ylang-ylang and lavender relaxing bath oil blend
- 5 drops ylang ylang
- 5 drops lavender
- 2 drops chamomile
- 2 tablespoons of evening primrose oil ( if you don’t have this a good olive or sunflower oil will work just as well)
Mix all ingredients well in a small screw-top jar or a saucer and add to a warm running bath. The best temperature for an aromatherapy bath is between 89 and 100 degrees f. (This is just above body temperature) but it’s fine if you fancy a slightly hotter bath.
Lavender and ylang ylang hand cream
- ¼ cup shea butter
- 1tablespoons yellow beeswax pellets
- 2tablespoons sweet almond oil
- 10 drops each lavender and ylang- ylang essential oil
- A small glass jar
Method
- Using a double boiler or a heat-proof glass bowl over a pan filled with about an inch of boiling water, melt the shea butter, beeswax pellets, and almond oil.
- Once all solids have become liquid, remove from heat and allow to cool for about 2 minutes
- Add the essential oils and stir to combine.
- Pour into jars and allow to become solid. This usually takes just a few minutes
- Keep refrigerated and use within 2 weeks
Ylang-ylang and lavender relaxing diffuser blend
- 5 drops ylang ylang
- 5 drops lavender
- 250 mL
Add to a diffuser and switch on 10 minutes before settling down to sleep. If your diffuser has a timer set it for 1 hour to reap the benefits of the mix between lavender and ylang-ylang.
This also works well in a ceramic oil burner too. Reduce the water to fit the water well, but keep the same amount of ylang-ylang and lavender
And finally…
So there’s the definitive answer as to whether lavender and ylang-ylang mix well. Here at Willowyard, it’s a no-brainer!
These beautiful oils mix and blend perfectly together, enhancing each other’s therapeutic properties and aromas.
So make sure you have both lavender and ylang ylang in your aromatherapy diffuser, DIY beauty or massage oil kit!
For more helpful aromatherapy articles and for diffuser addicts don’t forget to check out my blog!
Find out what else you can put in a diffuser besides oil and how to use a diffuser!
This content has been checked and verified by a medical professional or aromatherapist The article has been reviewed by our editorial board and has been approved for publication by our editorial policy.
