GOOD NATURE

STYLE

GOOD NATURE FLOWER OF LOVE

YLANG-YLANG BOASTS CALMING PROPERTIES BEYOND ITS WONDERFUL AROMA

BY TAMMY FENDER

In South Florida, we’re surrounded by so much natural beauty that we can almost take it for granted. Recently, my husband, Marc, and I were taking a stroll when a ylang-ylang tree stopped us in our tracks with its mesmerizing scent. That moment alone was a gift. But, because of the tree’s long, cyclical blooming, ylang-ylang has been the lucky aroma for a number of our most cherished moments, whether giving our youngest daughter a roller-skating lesson or joining our son as he walks the dogs. After a recent family trip to Portugal, the tropical perfume of the ylang-ylang’s sunny blossoms was the scent we came home to.

The plant world beckons to our senses, creating connections through its beauty, but also through a long legacy of healing. So many powerful medicines are derived from plants, including aspirin, which has its roots in willow, and the compounds used in chemotherapy, some of which come from the yew tree. As a holistic practitioner, I believe the aesthetic splendor of the plant kingdom is not separate from its healing strength. While working in my apothecary, I rely on plant extracts and essences to create transformative skin care formulas. And so many of nature’s most potent wonders can be found right here in South Florida.

Native to tropical Asia and used in many traditional healing cultures, the ylang-ylang tree features graceful, draping branches that bloom with star-like fl owers. While perfumers treasure ylang-ylang for its lightly fruity and sweet aroma (it’s a key ingredient in Chanel No. 5), it can also help to tone and balance the skin as well as alleviate stress. My clients share a range of emotions in the treatment room, and

tracks with its mesmerizing ylang-ylang is the essence I recommend in times of grief or anxiety. Though science has yet to uncover precisely which bioactive molecules in the plant’s composition reduce anxiety, there is evidence that applying this essential oil to the skin helps to calm the nervous system, lowering blood pressure and one’s pulse rate.

As a wife, mother, daughter, and business owner, I have often turned to ylang-ylang when I’ve felt overwhelmed. I can recall one day in particular when I was dropping our son off at college, which is always emotional for me. As I was driving away, the phone rang with news of a family emergency, followed by a reminder of a pressing need at work—all while being stuck in morning traffi c. Thankfully, I always have a little bottle of ylangylang essential oil close by. Even just one quick inhale brings restoration. «

In addition to its aesthetic beauty and sought-after aroma, ylang-ylang is known for its range of holistic healing benefi ts.