Ylang-ylang
rich yellow flower, sweet and faintly banana-like with a creamy finish
In 128 of 1747 fragrances here
What it is
Flowers from a tree in Madagascar and the Comoros, distilled in fractions. The first fraction is the most prized and the later ones are cheaper and flatter, so the grade matters more here than with most materials.
What it smells like
Rich and sweet with a banana-like creaminess and a faint medicinal edge. It softens other flowers and is often used to give a blend body, which means it is frequently present without being the thing you notice.
Where it sits
Which layer of the pyramid it is listed in, across every fragrance here that carries it. A base note is one you smell for hours; a top note is usually gone within the first.
What it turns up with
How much more often than the catalogue average. 1.0x would be chance, so these are the things that genuinely travel with it rather than the things that are simply common.
When it is worn
Against the average fragrance here. The line marks that average, so a bar past it means this is worn in that season or setting more than most.
Houses that use it most
Counted across the fragrances here, which reflects what we cover as much as what a house makes.
Givenchy (8), Guerlain (8), Dior (6), Lancome (6), Prada (6), Tom Ford (6).
The description above is written here. The counts, pairings and seasons are measured across every fragrance on this site that lists it. We have not smelled every bottle behind those numbers.
Fragrances with ylang-ylang
The best known of them, each with its full note pyramid and its cheaper alternatives.
Tom Ford
Tom Ford Eau De Soleil Blanc
Availability may vary
