BUTTER-C
Signature ingredients
Houttuynia gel cleanser OEM/ODM manufacturing
Houttuynia Gel Cleanser · Signature Ingredients · OEM/ODM
Houttuynia (fish mint) is a familiar leafy vegetable in Vietnamese cooking; in many Asian countries the plant is both a food and a traditional medicinal herb, and it has found its way into fermented drinks, functional foods and cosmetics (Wei et al., 2024). That is a cultural story, not evidence of efficacy. Scientifically, the data on Houttuynia Cordata Extract come mostly from cultured cells; the one human trial found used a product with four extracts, so the contribution of houttuynia cannot be separated — the evidence is limited. In a gel cleanser the product stays on the skin for only a few minutes before being rinsed off: removing excess oil and dirt is the job of the surfactant system, while houttuynia is a skin-conditioning ingredient and the identity of the line. A houttuynia gel cleanser is therefore aimed at oily, blemish-prone skin with a gentle cleansing base and claims kept at the cosmetic level. Butter-C offers full-service OEM/ODM manufacturing, from formula development and testing to labeled finished product with its notification dossier.
Formula base
Houttuynia in a gentle cleansing base
Houttuynia extract is only a small part of the formula; cleansing, clarity and after-wash feel are decided by the surfactant and thickener systems. The four groups below are the directions Butter-C works with.
Houttuynia extract (Houttuynia Cordata Extract)
The raw material on file at Butter-C is a blend declared as “Water (and) Butylene Glycol (and) Houttuynia Cordata Extract”: the percentage in the formula is the percentage of the blend, not of dry extract, and the label must list all three INCI names. No use concentration has been established (no CIR or SCCS report): it is used according to the supplier's technical data sheet (TDS) and confirmed by stability and tolerance testing.
Gentle cleansing system
Amino acid surfactants (Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate) or glucosides (Coco-Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside), paired with Cocamidopropyl Betaine. “Sulfate-free” only describes the ingredients; mildness is a property of the whole formula and must be tested on the finished product. Alkyl glucosides are recognized contact allergens.
Supporting ingredients for oily skin
Niacinamide, Zinc PCA (cautiously grouped with water-soluble zinc salts, max 1% calculated as zinc — ASEAN Annex III, Ref 24), Salicylic Acid at max 2.0% (Annex III, Ref 98). Niacinamide's shine-reduction data come from a 2% leave-on cream (Draelos et al., 2006); in a rinse-off gel, any perceived effect must be tested on the finished product.
Humectants and comfort
Glycerin, Panthenol, Allantoin, centella asiatica extract — help reduce the tight, dry feel after washing; the effect is assessed by sensory testing on the finished product.
Key technical points
Four points specific to putting houttuynia into a gel cleanser
This is where this page differs from the general gel cleanser page: issues that come from the houttuynia raw material itself and from the product being rinsed off.
Short contact time
A gel cleanser stays on the skin only while it is massaged in, then it is rinsed away. The houttuynia data — less oxidative stress in UVB-irradiated keratinocytes (Charachit et al., 2022), higher filaggrin gene expression in cultured keratinocytes (Doi et al., 2014) — are in vitro, at concentrations that cannot be converted to a product level. The formula therefore does not rely on houttuynia for performance; any effect on skin is measured on the finished product.
Adding up blend components
Butylene glycol carried in by the houttuynia blend is added to the formula's total glycol — it affects viscosity, clarity and the preservative system. Being water-based, the blend is checked for microbes lot by lot and added in the cool-down phase, as with plant extracts in general (practice).
Color, odor and clarity
There is no independent source on the color and light stability of houttuynia extract in solution; the supplier recommends protection from light. For a clear gel, Butter-C runs stability testing with light exposure before choosing a clear or opaque bottle.
Raw material documentation
A certificate of analysis (COA) for each lot stating the full INCI, the plant part (Houttuynia Cordata Extract is a whole-herb extract; Leaf Extract is a different INCI), microbiology and heavy metals. ASEAN Annex II bans aristolochic acid (Ref 365); houttuynia is not in the genus Aristolochia, and analysis of 20 plant samples detected no aristolochic acid I or II (Chan et al., 2021) — supplier confirmation is still advisable.
Three formulation directions
Three houttuynia gels for three customer groups
Clear amino acid gel
Sulfate-free, clear gel, light creamy lather. Glycinate systems are pH-sensitive (lowering pH can cause haze, precipitation or thickening), so pH is set from the formula's own pH–clarity–viscosity curve. For oily and combination skin.
Houttuynia gel with Salicylic Acid
Adds Salicylic Acid at max 2.0% (Annex III, Ref 98); the lower pH calls for acid-tolerant thickeners (Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum); the label states “Not to be used for children under three years of age”. For oily skin with easily clogged pores; requires stricter mildness testing.
Gentle houttuynia–centella gel
Glucoside–betaine system, rich in humectants, fragrance-free. For blemish-prone skin that is also sensitive; tolerance testing before the formula is finalized.
Packaging designed alongside the formula
A pump bottle needs a viscosity low enough for easy pumping. A clear bottle shows off the gel but also any color change of the extract — choose it after the light-exposure results.
Parameters we monitor
What our R&D lab measures on every sample
Below are the parameters Butter-C monitors during formula development and scale-up to production. Specific limits are agreed with you on the approved sample and then written into the product's in-house specification.
- Sensory profile, color & clarity
- Compared against a reference standard; monitoring darkening of the extract across stability time points, including light-exposed samples.
- pH
- Measured directly at 25°C; monitoring pH drift. In glycinate systems, pH is directly linked to clarity and viscosity.
- Viscosity
- Rotational viscometer, with spindle and speed recorded; tied to the pump type.
- Foam height & stability
- Ross–Miles method in standard hard water; initial height and height after 5 minutes.
- Active content
- Salicylic Acid (if used) assayed by HPLC on every batch because of its 2.0% limit; Niacinamide assayed as the formula requires.
- Stability
- Accelerated aging at 40°C, freeze–thaw cycling, centrifugation and light exposure; monitoring color, odor, clarity after cold storage and pH drift.
- Microbiology & preservative challenge
- Incoming houttuynia blend checked for microbes; finished product tested at a GLP / ISO 17025-accredited laboratory, preservative efficacy (challenge) test according to ISO 11930.
- Tolerance & after-wash feel
- Tolerance testing on volunteers and assessment of tightness after washing — the basis for any claim about how skin feels.
- Packaging compatibility
- Filled into the actual bottle and pump to be used; checking pump jamming, deformation, light transmission and material odor.
Claims
Writing claims within the cosmetic scope
Annex 03-MP of Circular 06/2011/TT-BYT does not accept acne statements that imply a medical intervention for skin care products. The results of the 60-person, 8-week trial (Yang et al., 2021) belong to a four-extract product and cannot be used as claims for a houttuynia gel cleanser. Below are the phrasings Butter-C suggests.
Cleanses away excess oil and dirt
Instead of: statements about acting on acne or on bacteria on the skin.
For oily, blemish-prone skin
Describes the skin type. Instead of: prevents breakouts, clears acne, reduces acne within a number of days.
With houttuynia extract
An ingredient and story statement. Instead of: “houttuynia cleanses skin”, “houttuynia controls oil” — cleansing comes from the surfactant system.
Does not leave skin feeling tight after washing
Only when supported by sensory testing on the finished product. Instead of: non-irritating, gentle for every skin.
Helps skin look less shiny
Requires testing on the finished product (surface oil measurement or sensory evaluation). Instead of: lasting reduction of sebum production, tightens pores.
Directions and warnings
Wet the face, lather, massage gently and rinse well; avoid the eye area. The Salicylic Acid version states “Not to be used for children under three years of age” (Annex III, Ref 98). People with sensitive skin should first try it on a small area.
Manufacturing specifications
Current capabilities
- Texture
- Clear gel or gel with a light natural tint from the extract; viscosity adjusted for pump or tube.
- Packaging format
- Pump bottle, tube or flip-cap bottle. Volume agreed when selecting packaging.
- Minimum order quantity
- Agreed per order — depending on the formula direction and the chosen packaging format.
- Testing
- Performed at a GLP / ISO 17025-accredited laboratory, with a certificate of analysis delivered with each batch.
- Documentation
- Product Information File (PIF) and cosmetic product notification dossier prepared by Butter-C, including an INCI list with every component of the houttuynia blend.
- Packaging
- Label design, printing and packing run in parallel with formula development.
Suggested product concept
Sulfate-free houttuynia–niacinamide gel cleanser for oily skin
A product concept to help you picture the possibilities — not a ready-made product for sale. The actual formula is developed to match your brand positioning and price range.
Houttuynia extract
A water–butylene glycol blend at the TDS level; a “Vietnamese houttuynia” identity on the label.
Amino acid–betaine system
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate paired with Cocamidopropyl Betaine: clear gel, light creamy lather, can be labeled “sulfate-free”.
Niacinamide and Zinc PCA
Two ingredients familiar to oily-skin customers; “helps skin look less shiny” is used only once the finished product has been tested.
150 ml pump bottle, fragrance-free
For morning and evening use; opaque or clear bottle depending on the light-exposure results.
Customization options
What you can specify
The same product type can serve very different customers depending on the brand. Tell us your requirements in the areas below, and our team of pharmacists will develop a matching formula.
The houttuynia story on the label
Name, houttuynia leaf artwork, origin story — clearly presented as tradition; the INCI follows the COA (whole-herb or leaf extract).
Surfactant system
Amino acid, glucoside or sulfate — determines clarity, thickening, the ingredient list and cost.
Supporting ingredients
Niacinamide, Zinc PCA, Salicylic Acid within Annex III limits, centella asiatica, panthenol.
Color and clarity
Fully clear, the natural tint of the extract, or a color matched to your brand identity.
Scent
Fragrance-free is recommended for easily irritated skin; if a scent is needed, a fragrance-free version is developed in parallel.
Ingredient direction
Vegan, sulfate-free, paraben-free — please specify these from the start so suitable raw materials can be selected.
Further reading
Related topics
Houttuynia (Houttuynia cordata) in cosmetics
Composition, in vitro data, the human trial and reading the INCI by plant part (in Vietnamese).
Gel cleanser manufacturing
Surfactant systems, thickeners and pH range of gel cleansers in general.
Caring for blemish-prone skin
Where cosmetics fit in blemish care, and gentle, just-enough cleansing (in Vietnamese).
Oily skin and pores
Why harsh cleansing does not reduce oiliness (in Vietnamese).
Serum manufacturing for blemish-prone skin
A leave-on product in the same routine for oily skin.
How we work
From idea to finished batch
Eight steps and three milestones signed off by both sides: approved sample, notification number, finished batch. Step-by-step details (in Vietnamese) →
Get started
Tell us about the product you plan to launch
Send us your product direction and expected volume. Our team will get back to you during business hours (Vietnam time, GMT+7).
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