BUTTER-C
Face care
Anti-aging serum OEM/ODM manufacturing
Anti-Aging Serum · OEM/ODM
An anti-aging serum is a concentrated dose of actives in a light base, designed to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and help skin look firmer and more even-toned. The difficulty is not choosing which active to use, but keeping that active intact until the last day of shelf life: retinoids, vitamin C and peptides are all sensitive to light, oxygen or pH, and each needs different conditions. Butter-C offers full-service manufacturing, from formula development to labeled finished product with its notification dossier.
Formula base
Four active groups — choose the lead group first, the base and packaging follow
A serum usually has one lead active group and one or two supporting groups. The lead group determines pH, texture and packaging type, so it needs to be decided first.
Peptides
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1. Gentle, suited to sensitive skin, stable at pH 5–7; less stable in acidic conditions and costly as raw materials.
Retinoids and alternatives
Retinol, Retinal, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate; Bakuchiol for a plant-based direction. Sensitive to light and oxygen, used within regulatory limits, and requiring a gradual introduction for users.
Antioxidants
Ascorbic Acid and its derivatives (Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ethyl Ascorbic Acid), Tocopherol, Ferulic Acid, Niacinamide, Resveratrol. Support a more even skin tone; pure Ascorbic Acid requires a very low pH.
Hydration and surface plumping
Multi-molecular-weight hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Panthenol, Ceramides, Squalane. Give an instant plump, dewy feel and help skin tolerate stronger actives.
Key technical points
Keeping actives intact through the end of shelf life
Anti-aging serums tend to fail the same way: discoloration and a drop in active content after a few months. The four areas below are decided together, not separately.
Stability to light and oxygen
Retinoids and vitamin C are protected with antioxidants and chelating agents, filled under low-oxygen conditions and packed in airtight packaging. The content remaining after accelerated aging is the yardstick, not the content at compounding.
pH and compatibility
Retinol is stable around pH 5.5–6.5; pure Ascorbic Acid needs below 3.5; peptides prefer 5–7. That is why these three groups rarely share a bottle — they are usually split into day and night products.
Active delivery system
Encapsulating actives in liposomes or microcapsules makes them more stable and reduces stinging on application — the same Nanotech Liposome platform Butter-C is deploying.
Texture and tolerance
Water serum, gel-serum, light emulsion or an oil-based serum for retinoids. Soothing agents (Panthenol, Allantoin, Bisabolol) and humectants are built in from the start so sensitive skin can still use the product.
Three formulation directions
One goal, three different experiences
Hydrating peptide serum
Peptides with Hyaluronate and Panthenol, near-skin pH, for morning and evening use. The gentlest direction, well suited as the entry product of an anti-aging line.
Night retinoid serum
Retinol or a derivative at the regulated level, in an emulsion or oil base, with instructions to increase frequency gradually and use sunscreen during the day.
Day vitamin C serum
Ascorbic Acid or a more stable derivative, combined with Tocopherol and Ferulic Acid. A direction for dull skin; requires light-tight, airtight packaging.
Packaging is planned with the formula
Dark or frosted glass bottles, droppers or airless pumps. The more sensitive the active, the more an airless pump is needed — choose the packaging before finalizing the formula.
Parameters we monitor
What our R&D lab measures on every sample
These are the parameters Butter-C monitors while developing the formula and scaling it 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
- Color, odor, clarity. Color drift is tracked over time — an early sign of oxidation.
- pH
- Measured directly at 25°C; pH drift is tracked across stability checkpoints.
- Viscosity
- Measured with a rotational viscometer, with spindle and speed recorded. Linked to the choice of dropper or pump.
- Active content
- Retinol, vitamin C and Niacinamide are quantified by HPLC for every batch.
- Content remaining after aging
- Actives are re-quantified at accelerated aging checkpoints — the basis for setting shelf life.
- Stability
- Accelerated aging at 40°C, freeze–thaw cycling and light exposure; color change, separation and precipitation are monitored.
- Packaging compatibility
- Stored in contact with the actual bottle, dropper, gaskets or pump to be used; air-tightness and light penetration are checked.
- Microbiology & preservative efficacy
- Tested at a GLP / ISO 17025-accredited laboratory; preservative efficacy (challenge) test per ISO 11930.
- Irritation assessment
- Skin testing and stinging assessment on volunteers before the formula is finalized.
Claims
Writing claims within the cosmetic scope
Anti-aging serums are the category whose dossiers are most often rejected, because claims tend to go beyond the cosmetic scope. Butter-C reviews the wording on the label and marketing materials as soon as the notification dossier is prepared; below are commonly used phrasings.
Reduces the appearance of wrinkles
Instead of: erases wrinkles, wrinkle-free, rejuvenates skin.
Helps skin look firmer and smoother
Instead of: lifts facial muscles, tightens skin, injection-like results.
Helps improve the elasticity of the skin surface
Instead of: stimulates collagen production, regenerates cells.
Helps skin look more even-toned and radiant
Instead of: treats melasma, removes dark marks, permanent whitening.
Ingredient names and descriptions
Correct INCI names. No names or wording that suggest substances regulated as drugs.
Efficacy figures
Stated only when backed by test results on the product itself; no comparative or superlative claims against other products.
Manufacturing specifications
Current capabilities
- Textures
- Water serum, gel-serum, light emulsion or oil-based serum; clear or with a tint from the actives.
- Formats
- Glass bottles with a dropper, or airless pump bottles. Volume is agreed when choosing packaging.
- Minimum order quantity
- Agreed per order — depends on the formula direction and chosen format.
- Testing
- Performed at a GLP / ISO 17025-accredited laboratory, including active content assays; a certificate of analysis is delivered with each batch.
- Documentation
- The Product Information File (PIF) and the notification dossier are prepared by Butter-C, including mandatory label warnings.
- Packaging
- Label design, printing and packing run in parallel with formula development.
Reference product
Anti-Aging Serum
A Butter-C product currently in production, shown here to give you a concrete formula direction. Your brand is free to take a different direction — this is simply a starting point for discussion.
Panthenol
Moisturizes and soothes, helping skin tolerate daily serum use.
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Forms a water-holding film on the surface for a plump, dewy feel right after application.
Peptide Complex
The lead active of the gentle direction; formula pH is kept close to the skin's physiological pH.
Format
Frosted glass bottle with a dropper — limits light exposure and signals the product's tier.
Customization options
What you can specify
The same product type can serve very different customer groups depending on the brand. Tell us your requirements in the areas below and our team of pharmacists will develop a matching formula.
Lead active group
Peptides, retinoids, vitamin C or a combination — this determines pH, packaging and label warnings.
Time of use
Day serum, night serum or both; directly tied to the active group.
Texture
Water-thin, lightly thickened, emulsion or oil-based.
Soothing and hydrating group
Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Ceramides; safety-assessed before being added.
Fragrance and color
Fragranced or fragrance-free; the actives' natural color or adjusted to match the label.
Ingredient direction
Vegan, fragrance-free, alcohol-free, silicone-free — please tell us at the outset so suitable raw materials can be selected.
Further reading
Related topics
Early anti-aging care: signs to watch and care strategies
What causes skin aging and care strategies by age group (in Vietnamese).
Bakuchiol in cosmetics: benefits, levels and comparison with retinol
A plant-based active often chosen in place of retinol (in Vietnamese).
How actives feel on the skin
Why the same active can give different experiences (in Vietnamese).
Cosmetic labeling rules
Mandatory label content and common mistakes (in Vietnamese).
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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