Is Borage natural or synthetic?

A fantasy or concept note, not a single material.

Borage

AccordGREENS, HERBS & FOUGERESgreen · floral · fresh

TopPyramid

2/5Strength

—Tenacity

1Origins

Specimen

Borago officinalis

Fantasy/Concept

Definition

Cool, green, distinctly cucumber. Borage smells exactly like its taste — fresh sliced cucumber with a metallic-mineral edge and a faint herb-garden background.

GREEN HERBAL FRESH CUCUMBER

STARFLOWER BORAGE HERB

Type: Ingredient
Olfactive family: Green
Subfamily: Herbal aromatics
Cluster: Green-herbal notes
Source: leaves and flowering tops
Chemical class: Reconstructed accord (synthetic)

Instruments

Pyramid

TTop

HHeart

BBase

2/5Strength

Low

odour strength

Tenacity on blotter

Low

Producing countries

Mediterranean

Scent

Pure cucumber-green, crisp and cool. A metallic-mineral edge distinguishes it from simple cucumber water — there is something harder, more angular underneath the vegetal freshness. Faintly herbal in the background, but the cucumber dominates completely.

In PREMIEREPEAU

DISCOVERY SET7 × 2 ml →EXTRAIT DE PARFUMThe seven extraits →

The Full Story

Borage (Borago officinalis) is an annual herb native to the Mediterranean, known for its vivid blue star-shaped flowers and its pronounced cucumber flavor and scent. The fresh leaves and flowers, when crushed, release a crisp, green, unmistakably cucumber-like aroma.

The volatile chemistry is relatively simple: cucumber aldehyde (2,6-nonadienal) dominates, accompanied by green-leaf alcohols (cis-3-hexenol) and traces of fatty aldehydes. There is a faint metallic-mineral quality, like a copper coin held in a wet hand.

Borage is not a major perfumery material. No widely traded essential oil exists specifically for fragrance use (borage seed oil is important in cosmetics for its gamma-linolenic acid content, but it is nearly odorless). The scent contribution is conceptual — a way to introduce cucumber-green freshness with an herbal context.

The plant self-seeds aggressively in gardens and is one of the best bee-attracting plants in the herb garden. The flowers are edible and frequently used as garnish — frozen in ice cubes, floated in gin and tonic, or candied.

—

Related: Alpha Pinene · Angelica · Angelica Root · Angelica Root Oil · Artemisia · Barrenwort · Beachheather · Behini Tree

Did You Know?

Borage was the 'herb of courage' in medieval England — soldiers drank borage-infused wine before battle. The Latin name may derive from corago (cor, heart + ago, I bring), meaning 'I bring heart.' Modern research shows borage contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are mildly hepatotoxic with chronic consumption.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method

No standard perfumery extraction. Borage seed oil (cold-pressed) is used in cosmetics but is nearly odorless. The aromatic note is a synthetic or concept reconstruction using cucumber aldehyde (2,6-nonadienal).

Formula: Complex mixture — chief constituent: gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) C₁₈H₃₀O₂
CAS: 225234-12-8
Botanical: Borago officinalis
Appearance: dark green clear liquid
Odour strength: Low
Lasting power: Low
Synonyms: STARFLOWER BORAGE HERB

IFRA status

See note

Not subject to an IFRA Standard (51st Amendment)

Physical properties

Specific gravity: 0.92000 to 0.94000 @ 25.00 °C.

In Perfumery

Concept note providing cucumber-green freshness with herbal context. No widely traded essential oil for perfumery use. The scent is reconstructed using cucumber aldehyde and green-leaf accords. Useful in garden, herbal, and fresh-green compositions. Provides a cooler, more mineral alternative to generic green notes.

Role in the formula

01modifier

02blender

03freshness

Available as

essential oil expressed oil