BUTTER-C
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Beta-glucan essence OEM/ODM manufacturing
Beta-Glucan Essence · OEM/ODM
Beta-glucan is often marketed as "more hydrating than hyaluronic acid", but it is not a single molecule. It is a whole family of polysaccharides, chains of glucose joined by β-linkages, found in the cell walls of yeast, mushrooms and other fungi, some bacteria, algae and cereals such as oat. Glucan from baker's yeast has to be converted into carboxymethyl glucan (CM-glucan) before it dissolves in water for topical use; a beta-glucan-rich polysaccharide from reishi mushroom dissolves well in water; pleuran is the beta-glucan of the oyster mushroom. Activity depends on source and structure, so data for one type do not automatically apply to another. Studies on the Dectin-1 receptor in skin cells and in mice are mechanistic data; a trial of a pleuran cream in people with atopic dermatitis is a medical setting. The Butter-C beta-glucan essence is therefore positioned at the right level: it moisturizes and soothes a dry, tight feel, with claims tested on the finished product. Beta-glucan is not currently stocked at the plant, so it is sourced per order, with a COA stating the source, form and INCI name. Butter-C offers turnkey OEM/ODM manufacturing, from formula development and testing to labeled finished goods and the notification dossier.
Formula base
Moisturizing water base, beta-glucan from one defined source
A beta-glucan essence is a lightly viscous, oil-free liquid. Beta-glucan is the named ingredient, supported by the humectants of the base; a polysaccharide-rich water base supports microbial growth, so the preservative system must be confirmed by a challenge test.
Beta-glucan: choose one source
Yeast (water-soluble CM-glucan form), oat, or mushroom (oyster mushroom pleuran, reishi polysaccharide). The INCI name follows the supplier's COA and technical data; the chitin-glucan copolymer is a different raw material and is not called beta-glucan.
Humectants
Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Betaine. The beta-glucan article on our site suggests pairing it with humectants for a hydrating serum, and with panthenol for a sensitive-skin line.
Viscosity framework
Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, or Carbomer neutralized with Sodium Hydroxide; the viscosity contributed by the beta-glucan itself varies by type, so it is finalized on the full formula.
Preservation and stability
Phenoxyethanol up to 1% (ASEAN Annex VI, Ref 29) with Ethylhexylglycerin; Disodium EDTA. An ISO 11930 challenge test is mandatory.
Key technical points
Four points specific to an essence named after beta-glucan
The hydrating serum base is covered on the general page; the four items below center on the beta-glucan raw material itself.
The source decides the data
Yeast CM-glucan: placebo-controlled studies in healthy volunteers, where pretreatment helped skin withstand damage from a detergent challenge or UVA and increased the stratum corneum renewal rate (Zulli et al., 1998; authors from the company developing the ingredient, sample size not stated in the abstract). Oat beta-glucan: data in mice (Jing et al., 2024). Reishi polysaccharide: the abstract states no design, sample size or concentration (Huang et al., 2026). Chitin-glucan has two small randomized trials (13 and 20 people; first author from the supplying company) but is a different raw material (Gautier et al., 2008). The product page and label state only what belongs to the chosen source.
Dectin-1 is a mechanism, not a benefit
In human keratinocytes, the beta-glucan curdlan promoted proliferation, migration and scratch closure in a Dectin-1-dependent way, in vitro and ex vivo, in a study of wound re-epithelialization (van den Berg et al., 2014). CM-glucan in cells and 3D reconstructed skin reduced inflammatory mediators (Pichon et al., 2026; authors from a cosmetics group, who note that clinical studies are needed). In people with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis, an open split-body study of 105 people (80 completed) found lower itch and severity scores on the side where a pleuran cream was applied (Jesenak et al., 2016), a supportive cream in a medical setting. None of these data become claims for the essence.
Solubility and how it goes in
Beta-glucan is a hydrophilic polymer added to the water phase. Native yeast glucan does not dissolve and must be used as the carboxymethyl form (Zulli et al., 1998); reishi polysaccharide dissolves well. Temperature, pH and dissolving method follow each raw material's technical data, since the sources we checked give no general figures; viscosity and clarity are checked lot by lot.
Concentration and safety
Most studies do not state the concentration in the abstract, so the level follows the supplier's technical data. A 2016 CIR report concluded that 34 microbial polysaccharide gums are safe in present practices of use and concentration, but the abstract does not list individual names, so it is not confirmed that the chosen beta-glucan is covered by the report; for every source (yeast, oat, mushroom) we ask the supplier for a safety dossier. Beta-glucan is not listed in ASEAN Annexes II, III or VI (June 2026 release).
Three formulation directions
Three types of beta-glucan essence
Watery beta-glucan essence
Beta-glucan, glycerin, panthenol; lightly viscous, absorbs quickly, used after toner, morning and evening.
Beta-glucan – HA essence
Adds Sodium Hyaluronate and Betaine for a layered hydrating feel; beta-glucan stays the named ingredient, unlike the hyaluronic acid serum, where HA is named.
Light gel for oily skin
Thickened with Hydroxyethylcellulose or Xanthan Gum, oil-free; dries quickly, suited to hot, humid climates.
Packaging is designed with the formula
Pump or airless bottles limit contamination in use; dropper bottles expose the product to fingers and air more, so they need a stricter challenge test.
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.
- Appearance & clarity
- Color, odor, clarity; watch for haze or precipitation over time.
- pH
- Measured at 25°C; kept within the stable range of the beta-glucan raw material (per technical data) and the preservative system.
- Viscosity
- Rotational viscometer at 25°C; viscosity varies with the type and lot of beta-glucan.
- Incoming beta-glucan
- COA checked for every lot: source (yeast, oat or mushroom), form (native or carboxymethyl), INCI name, molecular weight where the supplier provides it, microbiology.
- Stability
- Accelerated aging at 40°C, freeze–thaw cycling, light exposure; watch viscosity, clarity, pH.
- Microbiology & preservative challenge
- Tested at a GLP / ISO 17025-accredited laboratory; preservative efficacy (challenge) test per ISO 11930.
- Irritation & sensitization
- Volunteer testing before the formula is finalized; required if the label says "suitable for sensitive skin".
- Skin hydration
- Instrument measurement on volunteers against the plain base, when you want a moisturizing figure.
Claims
Claims at the right level, for the right source
The Dectin-1, wound and atopic dermatitis data on beta-glucan are mechanistic or come from a medical setting. Butter-C reviews the wording on the label and marketing materials as soon as the notification dossier is prepared.
Moisturizes and helps hold moisture in the skin
Figures are stated only after measurement on the finished product. Instead of: "more hydrating than hyaluronic acid".
Soothes a dry, tight feel
Requires testing on the finished product. Instead of: reducing redness and inflammation; drug-like claims about atopic dermatitis, eczema.
Contains beta-glucan from yeast (or oat, mushroom)
State the source as declared by the supplier. Instead of: borrowing data from another glucan type; "activates skin immunity".
Helps skin feel soft, smooth and moisturized
Instead of: anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, firming; firmness and wrinkle data belong to chitin-glucan and reishi glucan and are not transferred to other types.
For daily use, morning and evening
As part of a daily skincare routine; after an aesthetic procedure, follow the instructions of the practitioner. Instead of: wound closure, post-procedure restoration, skin regeneration.
Label reminders
Test on a small area of skin before use; stop if redness or burning occurs; pregnant women should ask a doctor (no specific recommendation exists). Do not state "non-irritating".
Manufacturing specifications
Our capabilities
- Texture
- Lightly viscous liquid or light gel; clear to slightly hazy depending on the beta-glucan type.
- Pack formats
- Pump bottle, airless pump or dropper bottle. Volume agreed when selecting packaging.
- Beta-glucan sourcing
- Not stocked at the plant; sourced per order, with the type chosen from technical data and product positioning.
- Minimum order quantity
- Agreed per order, depending on the beta-glucan type, formula direction and pack format.
- Testing
- Performed at a GLP / ISO 17025-accredited laboratory; certificate of analysis delivered with every lot.
- Documentation
- Product Information File (PIF) and cosmetic product notification dossier prepared by Butter-C, with a beta-glucan COA stating source, form and INCI name.
- Packaging
- Label design, printing and packing run in parallel with formula development.
Suggested product concept
Fragrance-free beta-glucan essence for dry, tight-feeling skin
A product direction to help you picture the concept, not a ready-made product for sale. The actual formula is developed to fit your brand's positioning and price range.
Beta-glucan from one source
The named ingredient; source and INCI name per the COA, claims based on data for that source.
Glycerin, Panthenol
Hold moisture in the stratum corneum, the main basis for a moisturizing claim.
Sodium Hyaluronate
Additional humectant at a low level so the essence is not sticky.
30 ml pump bottle, fragrance-free
Limits contamination in use; label states the beta-glucan source and a reminder to test on a small area of skin.
Customization options
What you can specify
The same product type can be aimed at very different customers. Tell us your requirements in the areas below and our pharmacists will develop a matching formula.
Beta-glucan source
Yeast, oat or mushroom, which decides the label story, viscosity, clarity and cost.
Texture
Lightly viscous liquid or light gel.
Supporting ingredients
Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Betaine; choose a few, not many.
Fragrance and color
We recommend fragrance-free and color-free; the product color is the natural color of the raw materials.
Ingredient positioning
Alcohol-free, fragrance-free, vegan; a vegan claim is assessed on the whole formula. Please state this at the outset.
Packaging
Pump, airless or dropper, which sets how strict the challenge test must be.
Further reading
Related knowledge
Beta-glucan in cosmetics
Oat, yeast and mushroom sources; the Dectin-1 mechanism, human evidence and appropriate claims (in Vietnamese).
Hyaluronic acid serum OEM/ODM manufacturing
The general page on hydrating serums, where hyaluronic acid is the named ingredient.
Soothing essence OEM/ODM manufacturing
A minimal serum for sensitive skin, with beta-glucan among its soothing ingredients.
Oat moisturizing cream OEM/ODM manufacturing
Oat kernel extract is a different INCI from oat beta-glucan, and their data are not shared.
Dry skin and dehydrated skin
Telling oil-deficient skin from water-deficient skin to choose the essence texture (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).
Head office: Huu Le village, Dai Thanh commune, Hanoi · Factory: Thanh Oai Industrial Cluster, Binh Minh commune, Hanoi, Vietnam
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