Essential oils have been part of human life since the beginning of civilisations due to their numerous benefits and their therapeutic powers, extensively demonstrated over time.

Each civilisation and culture were nourished by the knowledge and experience of the previous ones, discovering and embracing the different advantages and properties of each of these essential oils.

The use of essential oils for healing purposes dates back to ancient Egypt, where they were considered “plants of life”.

Not only were they used in the medical field but also in cosmetics, perfumery and for the performance of different rituals. The antiseptic properties of some of these essential oils were also considered beneficial in the mummification and embalming processes.

The Arab civilisation, traditionally very passionate about perfumery, used to macerate these plants for the creation of new fragrances to perfume their bodies and fumigate their houses. Gradually, its use extended to the treatment of skin problems such as irritations, stings and scars.

The Chinese population incorporated essential oils of aromatic plants especially in the domain of human health, with preventive and curative purposes.

The Greeks also included aromatic plants in their daily routine for the promotion of their health and beauty. In addition, they made great advances regarding their medicinal and beneficial properties. The insatiable desire to find the “Elixir of the Eternal Youth” turned essential oils into the ideal ingredients for its elaboration.

The Arab civilisation specialised in improving the process of obtaining essential oils, incorporating the well-known “serpentine”, a spiral-shaped condenser tube that allows quick cooling during the process.

In the twentieth century, the French researcher Gattefossé suffered an accident in the laboratory he worked at. He suffered major burns throughout his body, and he was able to heal thanks to pure Lavender essential oil. Due to this fact and his research on the multiple benefits of essential oils for human health, Gattefossé is considered the “father of modern aromatherapy”.

Nowadays and thanks to its different properties and benefits, essential oils are widely used in different industries such as:

• Ingredients for flavour and fragrances creations
• Ingredients for cosmetic formulation and personal care products
• Development of nutraceutical and phytotherapeutic supplements and pharmaceutical products
• Solutions for animal care, such as feed, health and welfare
• Farming sector

According to the application that the essential oil is destined for, these can be grouped according to their main characteristics, properties and benefits.

Being aware of the organoleptic traits of each essential oil is of high interest for the creation of fragrances and flavours. Therefore, essential oils can be classified into the next different olfactive families:

On the other hand, in the fields of cosmetics and personal care, nutraceutical supplements, pharmaceutical products and solutions for animal feed and health, it is worth mentioning that apart from the quality aroma or fragrance in each essential oil, their properties are also of very high interest.

These properties may help in the formulation and stability of the final product for its health-promoting activities.

Moreover, Bordas develops and manufactures solutions that include essential oils and other components as natural extracts that are classified according to their functions:

Essential oils are aromatic volatile liquids. These can be extracted from different parts of the plant or tree, such as flowers, leaves, branches, fruits, seeds, bark and roots.

The quantity and composition of the essential oil obtained heavily depends on two main factors: the quality of the part of the plant where the oil is produced (maturity, variety, plant environment such as climatic conditions and soil type, etc.) and the extraction method.

Bordas, as an expert in ingredients and raw materials, performs different extraction methods such as steam distillation, cold-press, hydrodistillation and solvent extraction. This expertise and know-how allow us to offer a wide range of essential oils and natural extracts such as gums, oleoresins, concrete, resinoids and absolutes.

Most essential oils are obtained by steam distillation. However, the citrus family such as the essential oil of orange, lemon, tangerine, grapefruit and bergamot are extracted by performing the mechanical cold-press process, after having exhaustively selected the best pieces of fruits.

The Spanish Mediterranean weather is characterised by dry and hot summers and humid and rainy winters with mild temperatures. This climate is the most favourable one for citrus trees cultivation. Thanks to these advantageous climatic conditions, the compositions of the essential and absolute oils are of extraordinary quality.

In addition, Bordas ensures the highest quality and purity of the other essential oils we formulate with. This is possible due to the strong and long-term relationships we´ve developed with producers from all over the world based on trust and mutual support.

These relationships, strengthened throughout the almost one hundred years of our company’s history, guarantee that the fundamental values that define us are fulfilled throughout the entire supply chain, from the cultivation process to distribution.

As a sign of respect to nature and our constant commitment to our society and the continuity and growth of the industry, we preserve and assure a sustainable and ethical development in each region where we operate.

In terms of quality, all raw materials that we work with are analysed by internal controls before its final validation and approval.

In the case of essential oils, the most common controls carried out by our laboratories of Quality and Analytical Research and Instrumentation Department are the validation of the organoleptic properties of each product, the physical-chemical parameters and chromatography tests to confirm their purity

Our vast experience and continuous update on new research and innovations in raw materials, marketing and regulatory affairs as well as our powerful worldwide export capacity, make us the most suitable partners throughout the world.

Bordas has many certificates that guarantee the quality of our products and processes carried out in our facilities.

Moreover, we are very active members in different associations and entities associated with the different sectors in which we operate.

All of this, together with the various research projects we develop in our R+D+i department and/or together with other research centres and universities express our commitment to the progress in different industries and allow us to always keep up-to-date with the innovations, needs and problems that our sector and our customers face.

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