BUTTER-C
Signature ingredients
Caffeine eye cream OEM/ODM manufacturing
Caffeine Eye Cream · Signature Ingredients · OEM/ODM
Caffeine is the familiar methylxanthine in a cup of coffee or tea; in cosmetics it is a white crystalline powder that may be synthetic or extracted from plants. It is a small, fairly water-loving molecule that passes through the skin quickly — so much so that caffeine is a classic “model” compound in skin-penetration research. On the market, caffeine eye creams are usually presented as helping the eye area look refreshed. Looking back at the sources, the evidence specific to the eye area is a single small trial: an eye pad containing 3% caffeine with 1% vitamin K in an emu oil base, 11 women, single-blind, one eye compared with a water-only pad for 4 weeks; the authors reported shallower wrinkles and reduced dark circles on the product side, and the abstract gives no figures. That is a result for the whole pad, and vitamin K1 (phytonadione) is now on the ASEAN Annex II list of prohibited substances. So the caffeine eye cream Butter-C develops tells the ingredient story honestly and focuses on what the factory can control: dissolving caffeine without letting it recrystallize in the cold, a light fragrance-free base, and eye irritation and eye-area tolerance testing on the finished product. Claims stop at moisturizing the skin around the eyes, helping the eye area look fresher and “helps reduce the appearance of dark circles (when measured on the finished product)”. Caffeine is not in Butter-C's standing raw-material list, so it is sourced per order. Butter-C offers turnkey OEM/ODM manufacturing, from formula development and testing to a labeled finished product and its notification dossier.
Formula base
Caffeine dissolved in the water phase and a light eye-cream base
Caffeine is water-soluble but has a fairly low solubility limit — the four points below are settled before formulation begins.
What caffeine is
INCI Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine), CAS 58-08-2; formula C8H10N4O2, molecular weight 194.19 g/mol; XLogP about −0.1 (PubChem), i.e. slightly water-leaning, so it goes into the water phase. Caffeine is practically neutral across the cosmetic pH range (pKa about 14; cation 0.7 — PubChem), so pH is chosen for eye comfort, not for the caffeine.
Sourced per order, not to be confused with other methylxanthines
Caffeine is not in Butter-C's standing raw-material list: sourced per order, with a certificate of analysis (COA) stating identity and purity for each lot. Theophylline (Ref A1137) and aminophylline (Ref A1136) are different methylxanthines listed in ASEAN Annex II (prohibited) — the CIR (USA) safety conclusion for theophylline does not apply in ASEAN.
Solubilizers and co-solvents
Caffeine solubility is increased by alkali benzoates, citrates and salicylates (Merck Index, via PubChem). Sodium benzoate is also an Annex VI preservative, so its level must stay within that annex's limit. Glycerin and Propanediol in the water phase help dissolution based on formulation experience — whether they prevent crystallization is confirmed by cold testing on the actual formula.
Light, fragrance-free eye-cream base
A thin oil-in-water emulsion with Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride and Cetearyl Olivate, or a Hydroxyethylcellulose gel; Glycerin, Panthenol and Sodium Hyaluronate as humectants; no fragrance, no essential oils, pH set close to neutral as on the general eye cream page. The humectant group is the main basis for the moisturizing claim.
Key technical points
Solubility, concentration, skin penetration and the eye area
A solubility limit of about 2%
Per PubChem, caffeine dissolves at about 21.6 mg/mL of water at 25 °C (about 2.16%); 1 g dissolves in 46 mL of water at room temperature but needs only 5.5 mL of water at 80 °C (Merck Index). Caffeine is therefore dissolved in the hot water phase; at 2–3% the solution is close to saturation at room temperature and recrystallizes easily in the cold, and from 3% upward heating or a solubilizer is needed. Crystals feel gritty on the thin skin around the eyes and leave less dissolved caffeine than the label states.
Concentration: set by solubility, not by market figures
The review by Herman and Herman (2013) notes that topical caffeine products on the market usually contain about 3%; the eye pad in the study used 3%, and the eye creams in the in vitro penetration test used 2%. There is no established level specific to eye creams. The CIR Expert Panel (Cherian et al., 2024) concluded that caffeine is safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration described. Butter-C sets the level through solubility, cold and tolerance testing — the specific level is formulation experience and must be tested on the finished product.
Penetration enhancers: in vitro data and eye-area limits
Reyes et al. (2023) formulated four oil-in-water eye creams with 2% caffeine, stable for 6 months at 25 °C; measured on a synthetic membrane in Franz diffusion cells, the version with 2.5% dimethyl isosorbide plus 2.5% ethoxydiglycol gave the highest caffeine permeation, higher than three commercial products. This is an in vitro measurement, not efficacy on skin. In ASEAN, ethoxydiglycol is in Annex III Ref 312 with the condition “Not to be used in eye products and oral products” — Butter-C does not use it in eye creams. Dimethyl isosorbide is not named in the ASEAN annexes; it is considered only when the PIF contains a safety assessment for the eye area.
Safety, eye irritation testing and ASEAN status
Caffeine (CAS 58-08-2) is not named in Annexes II, III or VI (June 2026 version). In humans, topically applied caffeine reaches the blood at nanograms per milliliter (highest 11.75 ng/mL after 1 hour — Otberg et al., 2008); with a body cream containing 3.5% caffeine plus xanthenes (15 people), the usual side effects were mild itching and transient flushing (Byun et al., 2015). Pregnancy and breastfeeding: no specific data for topical use. For a product used close to the eyes, an eye irritation test (alternative method) and an eye-area tolerance test on the finished product are conditions for signing off the formula.
Three formulation directions
Three eye-area products with caffeine
Cooling caffeine eye gel
A high-water gel base (Hydroxyethylcellulose) with Caffeine below its room-temperature solubility limit, Glycerin and Panthenol; oil-free, quick-absorbing, suits metal applicator tips. Crystals are easy to see in a clear gel — cold testing is mandatory before the level is fixed.
Moisturizing caffeine eye gel-cream
A thin oil-in-water emulsion with 2% Caffeine — the level of the eye creams in the in vitro penetration study — plus Squalane, Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate. For moderately dry skin around the eyes; the cream must stay where it is applied and not migrate into the eyes as skin warms up.
Caffeine – peptide eye gel-cream
Adds Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5 as on the peptide eye cream page; a pairing Butter-C often suggests for the eye area, each ingredient with its own level of evidence and no combined promise. The peptide usually comes as a solution — its accompanying preservative counts toward the formula total.
How this differs from other eye cream pages
The general eye cream page chooses actives by the cause of dark circles and combines several groups. The horse chestnut, hesperidin methyl chalcone and peptide eye cream pages center on a plant extract, a flavonoid derivative and a peptide. This page is for a small-molecule active with low solubility: crystallization, penetration enhancers that are permitted for the eye area, and the gap between the “caffeine wakes up your eyes” story and the published data. The caffeine scalp serum is a different product, using caffeine for the scalp.
Parameters we monitor
What our R&D team measures on every sample
Below are the parameters Butter-C monitors during formula development and scale-up. Specific limits are agreed with you on the approved sample and then written into the product's in-house specification.
- Incoming raw-material documents
- INCI Caffeine, CAS 58-08-2, purity and identity per the supplier's COA for each lot.
- Sensory, color & odor
- Color, odor, uniformity and clarity (gel version) at each stability time point against the reference sample.
- Crystallization at low temperature
- Samples stored at 4 °C and through freeze–thaw cycling; checked for crystals in the bulk and at the tube tip, and for a gritty feel on application.
- Caffeine content
- HPLC assay at the start and after stability testing; mandatory when the label states a caffeine percentage.
- pH
- Measured at 25 °C; set close to neutral following eye-product principles; pH drift monitored.
- Viscosity & emulsion stability
- Rotational viscometer, checked at skin temperature to assess migration; centrifugation, storage at 40 °C.
- Eye irritation test
- Alternative method on the final finished product, at a testing facility; mandatory for this product line.
- Eye-area tolerance and efficacy assessment
- Tested on volunteers using the finished product itself; to state “eye area looks fresher” or the dark-circle claim, measure within the same study (color measurement of the under-eye area, standardized photographs).
- Microbiology & preservative challenge
- Tested at a GLP / ISO 17025-accredited laboratory; preservative efficacy (challenge) test per ISO 11930 on the final formula.
- Packaging compatibility
- Filled into the exact tube and applicator to be used; seal integrity, squeeze force, residual product and crystals at the tube opening checked.
Claims
Claims matched to the evidence for caffeine
The human evidence for the eye area is one small trial (Ahmadraji and Shatalebi, 2015): a nonwoven pad coated with an emulsion of 3% caffeine and 1% vitamin K in an emu oil base, 11 healthy women, single-blind; the product pad was placed under the right eye and a water-only pad under the left, assessed visually and with a skin-measurement device after 4 weeks. The abstract reports shallower wrinkles and reduced dark circles on the product side in all participants, without figures. The result belongs to the whole pad — the control was water rather than a base without caffeine, so caffeine's share cannot be separated; the abstract does not state the form of vitamin K, and vitamin K1 (phytonadione) is in ASEAN Annex II (Ref 1371), so this formula cannot be reproduced in ASEAN. The mechanisms often quoted (increased microcirculation, antioxidant activity) come from a review, not from eye-area trials. Butter-C does not rely on these data for claims — every efficacy statement is measured on the finished product itself. Annex 03-MP of Circular 06/2011/TT-BYT lists “reducing/controlling swelling and edema” and “preventing, reducing or reversing physiological changes and degeneration due to aging” among functions not accepted for skin-care products.
Moisturizes the skin around the eyes (to be tested on the finished product)
Basis: the formula's humectants and an assessment on volunteers using the finished product itself. Instead of: eliminates eye bags, reduces swelling, reduces edema, “constricts blood vessels”, “drainage”.
Helps the eye area look fresher (to be tested on the finished product)
An appearance claim, measured on the finished product. Instead of: “wakes up your eyes like a cup of coffee”, ends tired eyes, reduces wrinkles, rejuvenates the eye area.
Helps reduce the appearance of dark circles (when measured on the finished product)
Stated only when a study on volunteers using the finished product itself measures a change in under-eye color; the vitamin K pad result is not borrowed. Dark circles caused by pigment or by the structure of the eye socket need a different approach. Instead of: erases dark circles, removes dark circles, gets rid of dark circles at the root.
Contains caffeine (Caffeine), with a percentage
A percentage is stated only when it matches the HPLC assay. Instead of: “caffeine burns fat around the eyes”, “instant deep penetration”, comparisons with injections or surgery.
Directions for use
Take a small amount and dab gently around the orbital bone morning and evening, keeping the product out of the eyes; if it gets into the eyes, rinse immediately with clean water. Do not apply to scratched skin. Use sunscreen during the day. Instead of: can be used on the eyelids, right up to the lash line, on damaged skin.
Label cautions
Test first on a small area; stop if redness or itching occurs and see a dermatologist if allergy is suspected. Eye bags that appear suddenly or come with swelling elsewhere are a reason to see a doctor. Pregnancy and breastfeeding: insufficient data, ask a doctor. Keep out of reach of children. Instead of: non-irritating, safe during pregnancy, gentle for every skin type.
Manufacturing specifications
Current capabilities
- Texture
- Clear eye gel, light emulsion gel-cream or a softer eye cream for dry skin.
- Pack format
- Nozzle tube, metal-tip tube, small pump bottle. Volume agreed when packaging is selected.
- Minimum order quantity
- Agreed per order — depends on the formula direction, pack format and raw-material lot.
- Testing
- Tested at a GLP / ISO 17025-accredited laboratory, with a certificate of analysis delivered with each batch; caffeine assay, eye irritation and eye-area tolerance testing as planned.
- Dossier
- Product Information File (PIF) and cosmetic product notification dossier prepared by Butter-C, with the caffeine COA, cold-test results and the eye irritation test report.
- Packaging
- Label design, printing and packing run in parallel with formula development; the label carries directions to keep the product out of the eyes.
Suggested product concept
Fragrance-free moisturizing caffeine eye gel-cream
One product direction to help you picture the result — not a ready-made product for sale. The actual formula is built around your brand's positioning and price range.
Caffeine as the named ingredient
About 2%, dissolved in the hot water phase, fixed after crystallization testing at 4 °C and freeze–thaw cycling; sourced per order with a COA for each lot.
Humectants and a light base
Glycerin, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate; a small amount of Squalane; no fragrance, no essential oils, no ethoxydiglycol.
Testing before sign-off
Eye irritation test on the finished product, eye-area tolerance test, ISO 11930 preservative challenge, stability study with caffeine assay.
15 ml metal-tip tube
Label with full INCI, directions to avoid the eyes and to patch-test first; claims stop at “moisturizes the skin around the eyes, helps the eye area look fresher” after testing on the finished product.
Customization options
What you can specify
The same product type can serve very different customers. Tell us your requirements in the areas below and our pharmacists will build the matching formula.
Texture
Cooling eye gel, light gel-cream or a softer cream for dry skin.
Caffeine level
Below the solubility limit for the clear gel; higher levels need heating, a solubilizer and longer cold testing — tell us early if you want a percentage on the label.
Co-actives
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5 for the caffeine – peptide version; each ingredient has its own data and concentration, and claims are measured on the finished product.
Applicator
Nozzle, cool metal tip or ceramic tip.
Efficacy assessment
Besides the mandatory eye irritation and eye-area tolerance tests, skin moisture measurement, under-eye color measurement (needed for the dark-circle claim) or assessment on contact-lens wearers can be added — tell us early so we can plan.
Ingredient direction
Fragrance-free, alcohol-free, paraben-free — please tell us at the start so we can choose suitable raw materials.
Further reading
Related topics
Caffeine in cosmetics
Mechanisms, evidence for the eye area, body and scalp; solubility, safety and regulation (in Vietnamese).
Dark circles and puffy eyes
Pigment, vascular and structural causes and what cosmetics can help with (in Vietnamese).
Eye cream OEM/ODM
A different approach: actives chosen by cause, several groups combined.
Peptide eye cream OEM/ODM
A peptide often paired with caffeine in eye gels; same signature-ingredient line.
Hesperidin methyl chalcone eye cream OEM/ODM
An eye cream named for a flavonoid derivative in the same line.
Caffeine scalp serum OEM/ODM
Caffeine in a scalp product: follicular penetration, crystallization testing.
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 →
Get started
Tell us about the product you plan to launch
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