Copaiba Oil Brazil
Copaiba essential oil has a strong dry woody character of cedar, a freshness at the top, followed by resinous facets of pine with medicinal undertones and rounded off by spicy notes of pepper.
Copaiba is most commonly used to impart an extremely long-lasting woody-balsamic note, similar to labdanum, with a spicy undertone, and is an excellent natural fixative.
Copaiba balsam comes from a wild tree, Copaifera officinalis. This tree, which can adapt to both dry and flooded areas, can grow to a height of 25 to 40 metres and live to be 400 years old.
Copaiba balsam is harvested throughout the year, depending mainly on the accessibility of the sites and the flooding regime of the Amazon basin.
Copaiba balsam is harvested using a traditional process similar to that used to collect maple syrup. A hole is drilled into the wood until it reaches the main resin vein in the centre of the trunk. A special type of pipe is installed in the hole to allow the liquid resin to flow. Initially the resin is clear, thin and colourless. On contact with air, it thickens and darkens to a balsamic texture. After harvesting, the hole is first sealed with clay or wood to prevent fungal or termite attack on the trees. The resin, filtered to remove impurities, is then distilled into essential oil.
Copaiba balsam has a very long history of medicinal use. It was widely used by indigenous peoples for its ability to combat mucus in the chest. The wood is also used locally for turnery, carriages, furniture and shipbuilding.
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