Ylang Ylang - can anyone explain the smell?

[not_ally]

Saponista, I've tried one from one vendor, a couple more from another, b/c I thought maybe it was the vendor. Didn't like any of them. After this thread I really do think it is one of those things that depends on your own nose more than most. Ie; most florals I am just kind of "meh", this was one of the few I actively do not like. From this thread it really does seem like one of those love/hate scents.

I actually do like jasmine e.o., which it is supposed to resemble, but to me they were v. different.

 

[kumudini]

I do not like certain fruit scents when they are very ripe, like the banana, pear and guava and this floral strangely falls in to that category for me. It's sickeningly sweet and odd. I'm fine with young flowers though, the light green ones as opposed to the mature, ready to fall off the tree yellowish flowers. I know people who love those over ripe fruits and may be they love the ylang ylang as well. I'm just trying to find a reasoning for the conflicting descriptions for this scent.
Another one I really dislike is the coriander leaves scent. Unfortunately it's almost ubiquitous in Indian cuisine. Atleast I have a choice when it comes to soaps.

 

[not_ally]

K, you poor thing, I can't believe you don't like cilantro/coriander leaves! That *is* tough for one of us (Indians), we use it so much. I know some people hate cilantro, but I guess I figured Indians would have some kind of Darwinian adaptation device in place b/c we have used it so much for so long I even like it in soap, NG's Cucumber Wasabi Cilantro is one of my favorite FO's, although the cilantro is not clearly discernible, as it is in food.

I agree w/you about the over-ripe aspect to Yl, to my nose it does have that slightly rotting smell that Susie noted as well.

 

[OliveOil2]

Another Hate it vote! I agree that it smells like strong cat pee, and I gave away the only bottle I ever purchased. I also thought it must have been the vendor. Vkumundi I get that same smell from guava and papaya, it makes me sick to my stomach. But Cilantro is one of my favorites. I love the green sauce in Indian cuisine, but I hear many people dislike cilantro.

 

[Obsidian]

Its weird you all mention cilantro, I though about it yesterday as I was reading this post. Apparently Cilantro has some compound in it that only certain people can taste and since its such a unusual compound, our bodies can't quite place the flavor so it makes it up with something close which is usually a bitter/soapy flavor. I figured yalang was like that too, it must have something in it only certain people can smell and it isn't good.

Thing is, with cilantro you might be able to train your body to learn to like the unusual compound. I used to hate the stuff but after three years of eating small amounts, I don't taste the yucky bit near as much and the lemony notes come through. Now I can eat anything with cilantro and not be repulsed, I even cook with it myself at times.

 

[FreeBird]

Oh, but add lavender and it softens to a delicate floral I never use III by itself (and do not know anyone who does, actually) but it can add wonders to a blend!!!! Don't discount it because of its single note!

 

[not_ally]

O, you are one of the v. few people I have ever heard who has trained yourself to like cilantro. Most people, if they do not like it, seem to hate it so much that they never go near it. It is kind of awesome that you could do that.

 

[Obsidian]

It was more of a challenge to myself to see if I could do it. Glad I did as I like mexican food and the local restaurant use excessive amounts of cilantro. Its great on shrimp tacos too.

freebird, I think ylang is worse in a blend then out of bottle. In a blend, you have all the other wonderful scents...dipped in cat pee:silent:

 

[kumudini]

I actually like the green chutney, mostly because it is equal parts mint and cilantro with a good amount of lime in it. The mint takes over so I don't detect much cilantro at all. B, I tried to train myself to like cilantro but to this day those pesky stems make me gag. So I just gave up. But wasabi is a favorite so I might try that scent and see.

 

[not_ally]

K, it is not really wasabi-ish either. Or even cucumber! Just very, very green and clean smelling, in a natural (not-laundry) way to me. Also it sticks really, really well.

I LOVE green chutney as well, I eat it with almost everything as a dollop on the side. I find it kind of a pain to make b/c you need so much cilantro and mint, it takes a while in the food processor, and makes a mess. So I just buy large containers of it at the local Indian store, which has a cheap buffet/take-out section, and freeze it! I love living in America

 

[galaxyMLP]

Its weird you all mention cilantro, I though about it yesterday as I was reading this post. Apparently Cilantro has some compound in it that only certain people can taste and since its such a unusual compound, our bodies can't quite place the flavor so it makes it up with something close which is usually a bitter/soapy flavor. I figured yalang was like that too, it must have something in it only certain people can smell and it isn't good.

Thing is, with cilantro you might be able to train your body to learn to like the unusual compound. I used to hate the stuff but after three years of eating small amounts, I don't taste the yucky bit near as much and the lemony notes come through. Now I can eat anything with cilantro and not be repulsed, I even cook with it myself at times.

I did this as well. I still don't like cilantro all that much but I can now tolerate it in almost anything (except straight...) It has a very strong bitter flavor. It doesn't taste soapy to me b/c I don't actually mind the taste of my soaps from zap testing. Plus, all my soaps taste different.

So, it looks like you can actually train yourself to like some things.

 

[OferaliO]

I'm sure I have smelled ylang-ylang once long ago but now I MUST smell again. Very interesting thread!

 

[TVivian]

I'm another one who can't stand cilantro! My friends think I'm crazy and I know I'm tasting something they're not. I do like coriander tho which is probably odd. I don't like ylang ylang, jasmine, or lavender very much either. Really don't get the obsession with lavender. I don't detest it, but I'd never choose it in a soap or lotion. Ever.

 

[not_ally]

Man, our noses are all so different. I recently visited Jo Lasky, of Fragrance Lab, b/c I had sent her an email about aroma chemicals and she was kind enough to invite me, and a fellow soaper/fragrance nut, over to her house for some sniffing and education. Jo is really, really knowledgeable, generous, and willing to share her knowledge, and supplies, we left laden with samples.

Anyway, I am a serious FO HO, as is J, the soaping friend that was with me. We both have zillions of FOs, and do tons of testing. It was kind of funny to see just how much we varied on what we liked, Jo even commented on it. I do not relish the knowledge of how much time and money I have spent on fragrances, but I certainly do know what I like at this point. And it often varies from that of people whose opinions I respect!

 

[MrsSpaceship]

I hate it OOB, it is a noxious blend of granny perfume, cat urine and how I imagine embalming fluid would smell in the Victorian era. Not something you want to be right under your nose.
I don't find it as bad when I hold it further away and let the scent come to me, so I do use it (albeit very sparingly) in a bath salt blend and it comes out smelling quite exotic and lovely.
I over did it once though, and my husband was convinced that our cat had peed on the bed.

 

[Saponista]

I am another cilantro hater. I had some in a jar in oil like lazy garlic and it literally made me gag.

 

[IrishLass]

The ylang blend that I make for my family member has 4 parts orange, 1 part myrrh and 1 part ylang. She loves the stuff, but to me it's blech because of the ylang. Without the ylang, though, I rather like the blend. She also loves the smell of skunks (she says they smell like fresh-squeezed lemons to her), so, yes- our noses can be very different indeed! lol

Regarding cilantro- I love the stuff so much that I could happily roll in it all day long, and I always keep a bunch of fresh cilantro in my fridge's crisper (not for rolling in, mind you, but for eating, ) As a testimony to how much I love it, I actually blend a small handful into my daily smoothie. Not only does it add a wonderful taste to it (in the opinion of my taste buds), but I've found that it's a wonderful deterrent against those who like to steal sips of other's smoothies ).

For what it's worth, I also love jasmine and lavender and pine. I don't detect cat pee at all (thankfully!).


IrishLass

 

[not_ally]

IL, you and I are going to have to exchange (actual food) recipes. We seem to like the same things to eat. I am going to have to dig up my green chutney recipe and send it to you so that you can try it out, in the event that you do not have a local, cheap Indian source. That stuff really is the bomb, super healthy and (if you are OK w/cilantro) really delicious.

This is totally a take-off on your name, but another of my favorites is a real Irish breakfast, with big thick bacon slabs, white and black sausage patties, butter laden home-made soda bread, the whole shebang. I can never finish them, or even come close, but it is the most delicious and satisfying breakfast on earth.

 

[Aline]

I must be a Scent **** because I honestly cannot think of a fragrance type that I don't like! Same with food....

And I add cilantro to everything - eggs, salad, soup, stir fries. I even take extra cilantro with me if going to an Indian restaurant because however much I ask, they never give me enough!

 

[Aline]

I'm another one who can't stand cilantro! My friends think I'm crazy and I know I'm tasting something they're not. I do like coriander tho which is probably odd. I don't like ylang ylang, jasmine, or lavender very much either. Really don't get the obsession with lavender. I don't detest it, but I'd never choose it in a soap or lotion. Ever.

Coriander EO is distilled from the seeds and the smell is really quite different from the leaves, so I'm not surprised you like one and not the other....