Copaiba Balsam
Copaifera officinalis
Copaiba balsam is soft, woody and balsamic, with a light, peppery warmth. A gentle oleoresin from Brazilian trees, used in woody, amber and floral blends.
What does copaiba balsam smell like in perfume?
Copaiba balsam smells soft, woody and balsamic, with a light, peppery warmth. It is gentle and rounding, used to smooth and fix a fragrance.
| Botanical name | Copaifera officinalis |
|---|---|
| Plant part | Oleoresin from the trunk |
| Origin | Brazil |
| Extraction | Steam distillation |
| Note | Base |
| Scent family | Woods & Resins |
| Odour | Soft, woody and balsamic, with a light, peppery warmth |
| Perfume uses | Woody, amber and floral blends |
| Key molecules | β-caryophyllene, α-copaene, α-humulene |
| Odour impact | Low |
| Odour life on a strip | Long: a day or more |
| Found in | Rose Rondeaux |
Used within IFRA limits. Impact and odour life are our own studio guide, judged on a smelling strip.
What Is Copaiba Balsam?
Copaiba is an oleoresin tapped from Copaifera trees in the Amazon rainforest.
Copaiba Balsam Scent Profile
Here is how strongly each facet of copaiba balsam comes through, from our own smelling-strip notes.
Woody
Soft, warm wood.
Balsamic
Gentle, resinous sweetness.
Peppery
A light, spicy note.
Warm
A soft, rounding glow.
How Perfumers Use Copaiba Balsam
Perfumers use copaiba as a soft fixative and blender, smoothing transitions between notes. It pairs well with rose, woods and resins.
Growing and harvesting copaiba balsam
Copaiba comes from several Copaifera trees of the Amazon. Collectors bore into the trunk and let the oleoresin run out, then plug the hole so the tree can be tapped again later. The tree is not felled. The raw balsam is steam-distilled to give the paler, thinner oil that perfumers use.
The molecules behind copaiba balsam’s scent
Copaiba oil is unusually rich in β-caryophyllene, the woody, peppery molecule also found in black pepper and clove. α-Copaene, named after copaiba, and α-humulene add dry, woody notes. It has few bright top-note molecules, so the oil smells soft and even from start to finish.
Natural or synthetic copaiba balsam?
Copaiba is a natural material with no synthetic copy, though caryophyllene, its main molecule, is sold on its own. Perfumers use the distilled oil, or a rectified grade that has been distilled again to give a paler, smoother material. Natural copaiba has a gentle balsamic warmth that caryophyllene alone does not.
Copaiba balsam in history and tradition
The peoples of the Amazon used copaiba long before Europeans arrived. In the colonial period it was shipped from Brazil to Europe, where it was used in varnishes and lacquers. In perfumery it became a quiet workhorse, used to soften woods and round off a base.
How to smell copaiba balsam yourself
On a smelling strip copaiba seems faint at first, so give it a minute. Then a soft, woody, slightly peppery balsam appears, with little sweetness. Smell it beside black pepper to find the caryophyllene they share, and beside Peru balsam to see how much drier copaiba is.
Smell Copaiba Balsam in Prosody London Perfumes
For copaiba balsam at its most expressive, try Rose Rondeaux. Copaiba balsam softens a deep base of labdanum, patchouli and sandalwood.
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Rose Rondeaux – Natural Perfume
Price range: £49.00 through £135.00Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
What Blends Well With Copaiba Balsam?
Questions About Copaiba Balsam
Is copaiba strong?
No. It is one of the softest balsams, used more to round off a blend than to stand out.
Does copaiba last long?
Yes. It is a base note and stays on a strip long after the top notes have gone.
Copaiba balsam or copaiba oil?
The balsam is the raw oleoresin tapped from the tree. The oil is distilled from it, and is thinner, paler and lighter in scent.
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