Copaiba Balsam Essential Oil
Copaifera officinalis
Description
Copaiba Balsam is steam distilled from the gum/resin of Copaifera officinalis, a tree that is native to Brazil and parts of South America. It's a lesser known botanical and oil, and I'm still getting acquainted with its intriguing aroma and applications.
Aromatically, Copaiba Balsam Essential has a deep, rich, earthy, grounding aroma. It can be used as a fixative in natural aromatics in place of Oakmoss Absolute. This is especially appealing since Oakmoss Absolute possesses a high risk of skin sensitivity.
Emotionally and spiritually, Copaiba Balsam Essential is calming, balancing and grounding.
Limited information about Copaiba Balsam is documented in reliable texts. However, GC/MS reports from reliable suppliers concur that Copaiba Balsam consists of at least 90% sesquiterpenes. Sequiterpenes tend to possess noteworthy antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Please see the uses section below for additional uses for Copaiba Balsam.
Copaiba Balsam Essential Oil Benefits and Uses
Because Copaiba Balsam contains over 90% sesquiterpenes, the oil is said to be a powerful anti-inflammatory and may also exhibit anti-bacterial and antimicrobial properties.
Jane Buckle cites a study that indicates that Copaiba Balsam shows promise in assisting with acne. Source: Jane Buckle, PhD, RN, Clinical Aromatherapy: Essential Oils in Healthcare, Edition 3 (London, UK: Elsevier, 2015), 272.
Julie Lawless cites these additional possible uses:
- Bronchitis
- Coughs
- Colds
- Stress
- Perfumery Fixative
Source: Julia Lawless, The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Updated Edition) (London: Harper Thorsons, 2014), 42.
Botanical Name
Plant Family
Common Method of Extraction
Steam Distilled
Plant Part Typically Used
Color
Light Yellow
Consistency
Medium
Perfumery Note
Base
Strength of Initial Aroma
Medium
Aromatic Description
Copaiba Balsam Essential Oil smells sweet, woody, resinous and earthy.
Major Constituents
- B-Caryophyllene
- a-Copaiene
- delta-Cadinene
- Gamma-Cadinene
- Cedrol
See Essential Oil Safety for a more complete list of typical constituents.
Source: Stashenko, E., et al,Catalytic Transformation of Copaiba (Copaifera officinalis) Oil Over Zeolite. (Journal of High Resolution Chromatography 18, 1995) 54-60. Source cited in Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 259.
Copaiba Balsam Essential Oil Safety Information
Tisserand and Young do not indicate any special precautions when using Copaiba Balsam. However, reading Tisserand and Young's full profile is recommended.[Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 259.]
General Safety Information
Do not take any oils internally and do not apply undiluted essential oils, absolutes, CO2s or other concentrated essences onto the skin without advanced essential oil knowledge or consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. For general dilution information, read AromaWeb's Guide to Diluting Essential Oils. If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, use oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Use extreme caution when using oils with children and be sure to first read the recommended dilution ratios for children. Consult a qualified aromatherapy practitioner before using oils with children, the elderly, if you have medical issues or are taking medications. Before using this or any essential oil, carefully read AromaWeb's Essential Oil Safety Information page. For in-depth information on oil safety issues, read Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young.
Shelf Life
Important Information About the Profiles
The essential oil information provided on AromaWeb is intended for basic educational purposes only. The references to safety information, test results, constituents and percentages is generalized information. Essential oils can vary greatly in composition. The data is not necessary complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate. The essential oil photos are intended to represent the typical and approximate color of each essential oil. However, essential oil composition and color can vary based on harvesting, distillation, age of the essential oil and other factors. Profiles for several CO2 Extracts and absolutes are included within the directory, and are denoted as such.
