Copaiba Balsam

Copaifera langsdorffii

Chemotype: beta-caryophyllene dominant copaiba balsam type

softsweetwoodybalsamic

PLANT PART: resin
EXTRACTION: extrusion
AROMA NOTE: base

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LEARN AS YOU COMPARE

What’s inside this oil?

Constituents are the natural chemicals that give an oil its character. See the main ones, learn what they do, and explore differences between batches.

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FOLLOW YOUR SENSES

Aroma & character

A closer look at this oil's scent, strength, and staying power.

softsweetwoodybalsamic

Aroma intensity: 35 / 100

Soft & subtleBold & expressive

Note layer: base

If you like this scent, explore

A LITTLE CARE GOES A LONG WAY

Using it thoughtfully

Read the full safety context before bringing this oil into your routine.

Cited dermal maximum · leave-on: 80%
Phototoxicity: Not flagged in this profile
Oxidation risk: Unknown

A cited maximum is a limit, not a suggested dilution. Missing restrictions do not establish safety.

No phototoxic restriction was identified in the reviewed public GC/MS or IFRA documents for copaiba balsam essential oil.

Contraindications & cautions

minorThe dominant constituent beta-caryophyllene is classified by Tisserand & Young as a weak skin allergen (non-toxic, non-mutagenic); this is a low-level sensitization note rather than a use restriction, and the oil is otherwise reported to have no known hazards or contraindications.

Read the complete safety guide

Explore measured chemistry from supplier batches

A supplier report describes a particular sample. Open this workspace to investigate measured constituents and their original documents.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SCENT

Inside the oil

29 constituents

An oil's character comes from its natural chemical composition. Explore each constituent to understand the connections.

About this composition

The reviewed 2025 Brazil copaiba balsam essential oil report shows a strongly beta-caryophyllene-dominant sesquiterpene profile with substantial germacrene D, alpha-humulene, trans-alpha-bergamotene, alpha-copaene, beta-bisabolene, and delta-cadinene, plus a long tail of minor sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and alcohols (gamma-muurolene, germacrene B, bicyclogermacrene, beta-elemene, beta-selinene, alpha-cadinol, gamma-cadinene, alpha-cubebene, alpha-muurolene, beta-cubebene, delta-cadinol, epi-alpha-cadinol, trans-alpha-bisabolene, aromadendrene, cyperene, caryophyllene oxide, viridiflorol, guaiol, tau-cadinol, cis-alpha-bergamotene, cis-alpha-bisabolene, and trace eugenol) directly transcribed from the same full GC/MS peak table. The linked IFRA listing identifies beta-caryophyllene as the principal regulated constituent in the referenced material.

Constituent	Typical amount	Reported range	Chemical family	Source
beta-caryophyllene	63.29%	57.43–69.14%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538; IFRA 51st Amendment Listing - Copaiba Balsam Essential Oil GC/MS page 2, line 62; IFRA page 1, line 37
germacrene D	6.4%	6.4–6.4%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 2, line 80
alpha-humulene	4.64%	4.64–4.64%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 2, line 72
trans-alpha-bergamotene	4.53%	4.53–4.53%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 2, line 64
alpha-copaene	4.09%	4.09–4.09%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 2, line 50
beta-bisabolene	2%	2–2%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 3, line 93
delta-cadinene	2.19%	2.19–2.19%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 3, line 97
gamma-Muurolene	1.31%	1.31–1.31%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 3, line 88 (Ret. Time 48.064, gamma-Muurolene 1.31%)
Germacrene B	1.2%	1.2–1.2%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 3, line 118 (Ret. Time 53.124, Germacrene B 1.2%)
Bicyclogermacrene	1.05%	1.05–1.05%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 3, line 100 (Ret. Time 49.344, Bicyclogermacrene 1.05%)
beta-Elemene	1.04%	1.04–1.04%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 2, line 53 (Ret. Time 42.670, beta-Elemene 1.04%)
beta-Selinene	0.68%	0.68–0.68%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 3, line 103 (Ret. Time 48.935, beta-Selinene 0.68%)
alpha-Cadinol	0.57%	0.57–0.57%	sesquiterpene alcohol	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 4, line 155 (Ret. Time 58.676, alpha-Cadinol 0.57%)
gamma-Cadinene	0.51%	0.51–0.51%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 3, line 112 (Ret. Time 50.398, gamma-Cadinene 0.51%)
alpha-Cubebene	0.48%	0.48–0.48%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 2, line 41 (Ret. Time 39.892, alpha-Cubebene 0.48%)
alpha-Muurolene	0.45%	0.45–0.45%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 3, line 99 (Ret. Time 49.517, alpha-Muurolene 0.45%)
beta-Cubebene	0.31%	0.31–0.31%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 2, line 52 (Ret. Time 42.568, beta-Cubebene 0.31%)
delta-Cadinol	0.39%	0.39–0.39%	sesquiterpene alcohol	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 4, line 152 (Ret. Time 58.184, delta-Cadinol 0.39%)
epi-alpha-Cadinol	0.36%	0.36–0.36%	sesquiterpene alcohol	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 4, line 151 (Ret. Time 58.032, epi-alpha-Cadinol 0.36%)
trans-alpha-Bisabolene	0.36%	0.36–0.36%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 4, line 128 (Ret. Time 52.038, trans-alpha-Bisabolene 0.36%)
Aromadendrene	0.09%	0.09–0.09%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 2, line 66 (Ret. Time 45.783, Aromadendrene 0.09%)
Cyperene	0.21%	0.21–0.21%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 2, line 44 (Ret. Time 43.552, Cyperene 0.21%)
Caryophyllene oxide	0.2%	0.2–0.2%	oxygenated sesquiterpene	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 4, line 137 (Ret. Time 54.481, Caryophyllene oxide 0.2%)
Viridiflorol	0.08%	0.08–0.08%	sesquiterpene alcohol	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 4, line 140 (Ret. Time 55.205, Viridiflorol 0.08%)
Guaiol	0.03%	0.03–0.03%	sesquiterpene alcohol	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 4, line 141 (Ret. Time 55.340, Guaiol 0.03%)
tau-Cadinol	0.15%	0.15–0.15%	sesquiterpene alcohol	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 4, line 149 (Ret. Time 57.926, tau-Cadinol 0.15%)
cis-alpha-Bergamotene	0.08%	0.08–0.08%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 2, line 34 (Ret. Time 44.253, cis-alpha-Bergamotene 0.08%)
cis-alpha-Bisabolene	0.18%	0.18–0.18%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 3, line 101 (Ret. Time 49.640, cis-alpha-Bisabolene 0.18%)
Eugenol	0.02%	0.02–0.02%	phenylpropanoid phenol	View source GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538 page 1, line 9 (Ret. Time 40.101, Eugenol 0.02%; flagged IFRA)

Profile source: GC/MS Report: Copaiba Balsam EO Lot 13538; IFRA 51st Amendment Listing - Copaiba Balsam Essential Oil · https://shayandcompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Copaiba-Balsam-Essential-Oil-GCMS-Shay-and-Company-Lot13538.pdf ; https://shayandcompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Copaiba-Balsam-Essential-Oil-51st-IFRA-Shay-and-Company.pdf

A TRADITION OF BOTANICAL CURIOSITY

Traditional & reported uses

These uses reflect the profile's reported traditions and literature. They are not established treatment recommendations.

traditionally used in South American folk practice for soothing skin and topical comfort
used in aromatherapy for a soft, woody-balsamic, calming background note
reported to support easing of occasional tension when blended in massage oils
used in perfumery as a subtle fixative with a mild, peppery-woody facet
traditionally associated with grounding, comforting massage blend folklore

Explore related intentionsRelaxation & Calming ↗Stress Relief ↗

For aromatherapy and wellness use only — not medical advice. Effect statements are traditional/reported associations, not treatment claims. The Synergy Rating scores blend craft, harmony and safety, not medical efficacy. Read the safety framework.

What we're still learning · 3 data gaps

Good decisions start with knowing what is — and isn't — in the evidence.

The public IFRA listing provides category-specific limits but not a dedicated aromatherapy leave-on dermal monograph, so max_dermal_pct here uses the published category 5A body-lotion maximum for the referenced material.
Odor intensity 35 is an archive normalization from vendor odor language ('soft, sweet, and woody with balsamic undertones') rather than a published 0-100 measurement.
No public source reviewed in this pass published direct volatility-rate or tenacity-hour values for copaiba balsam essential oil.