Centella Asiatica in Skincare: Extract and OEM Guide

Centella Asiatica is the plant extract behind cica skincare. This guide covers what the active does, the key compounds madecassoside and asiaticoside, the concentration that fits your claim, formulation stability, halal and BPOM status for Indonesia, DEVA's formats and MOQ, and the sample-to-bulk timeline. Use it to brief your R&D team or to compare suppliers before you order. The payoff is a calm-skin claim that buyers trust and regulators accept.

What is Centella Asiatica and what does it do in skincare?

Centella Asiatica grows as a small wetland plant, also called gotu kola or cica, used in Asian traditional medicine for centuries. In skincare the leaf extract delivers four triterpene compounds: madecassoside, asiaticoside, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid. Formulators call the group centelloids.

The extract soothes redness and supports the skin barrier. Madecassoside and asiaticoside calm inflammatory signals, which is why cica creams suit sensitive and post-procedure skin. Buyers add centella to lower the irritation of stronger actives like retinol or acids.

Centella also drives collagen. Asiaticoside lifts type I and type III collagen in lab and clinical work, which firms skin and helps scars and stretch marks. This is the claim most cica body and face products lean on.

For daily care, centella hydrates and strengthens the barrier without a heavy feel. It suits all skin types and pairs with most routines. Brands use it in serum, cream, toner, and mask formats.

The plant is the source, not the finished active. Your team should check the marker levels (madecassoside, asiaticoside) on the supplier spec, because raw leaf powder and a titrated extract are not the same material.

Note: these are general mechanisms and published ranges, not a DEVA formula. Confirm the exact active stack with DEVA R&D before you write claims.

Buyers ask for cica because the name reads gentle and the data backs a calm-skin story. A centella page that also shows the marker level and the factory proof wins the procurement call.

Which Centella compounds matter most: madecassoside or asiaticoside?

Madecassoside and asiaticoside are the two markers buyers track. Both are triterpene glycosides, but they do different jobs in the formula.

Madecassoside leads on soothing. It cuts redness and supports a calm barrier, which makes it the pick for sensitive-skin and post-treatment lines. Asiaticoside leads on structure: it supports collagen and helps firmness and scar repair.

Good extracts standardize both. A titrated Centella extract lists madecassoside and asiaticoside as a percentage of the material, so your claim maps to a number.

Asiatic acid and madecassic acid are the aglycones. They add antioxidant and repair support but sit at lower levels than the glycosides. Most specs report them as a total triterpene figure.

When you brief a cica serum, name the marker you want, not just 'centella extract'. A 0.1% madecassoside claim reads differently from a 1% titrated extract claim, and retailers ask for the number.

Pick the marker by the claim. A calming serum leans on madecassoside. A firming or scar product leans on asiaticoside. A balanced cica product carries both at a stated level.

Keep the proof with the claim. A serum that states '0.5% madecassoside' and shows a COA builds more trust than a vague 'centella extract' line. Retailers and buyers read the number first.

Cica is a safe bet for most brands. The name reads gentle, the data backs it, and the rules accept it. That is why so many new serums and creams use it.

Compound	Main role	What to track
Madecassoside	soothing, anti-redness, barrier	standardize 0.1-1% of extract
Asiaticoside	collagen, firmness, scar support	standardize 0.1-1% of extract
Asiatic acid	antioxidant, repair	lower level, total triterpenes
Madecassic acid	barrier, repair	lower level, total triterpenes

What Centella Asiatica concentration works for private label products?

Centella shows up as a whole-leaf powder, a water extract, or a titrated extract. The level you use depends on the form and the claim.

A centella leaf extract at 1-5% is the common range for serum and cream. A titrated extract standardized to madecassoside often runs at 0.1-1% of the finished product, because the marker is concentrated. Toners use 0.5-2%.

DEVA supplies centella across the standard cosmetic range. The confirm on the spec sheet when you brief the formula. Add the extract at the cooling phase to protect heat-sensitive co-actives.

Concentration drives cost and claim. A 1% extract supports a gentle daily claim. A 5% extract or a high-madecassoside titrate supports a stronger soothing or firming claim, but costs more per unit and needs proof.

Regulators treat centella as a well-known cosmetic plant, not a drug. You can state 'soothes redness' or 'supports the barrier' at standard levels without a drug claim, within cosmetic wording.

Brief DEVA with three numbers: target extract level, target marker (madecassoside or asiaticoside), and target claim. With those we return a formula sheet, a cost range, and a sample plan in one packet.

Start low and raise the level only if the claim needs it. A 1% extract already soothes daily users. A higher titrate suits a treatment line. This step keeps cost down and irritation risk low for first buyers.

Product	Centella form	Typical level
Serum	leaf extract	1-5%
Cream	titrated extract	2-5%
Toner	water extract	0.5-2%

Is Centella Asiatica stable in formulation and during manufacturing?

Yes. Centella extract is stable across the pH and heat used in normal private label production. It tolerates pH 5.0-7.0 and survives standard heating and cooling steps.

Unlike vitamin C, centella does not oxidize in light. You can fill it in a clear bottle, though amber or opaque still protects any fragile co-active. The main watch item is strong oxidizers, which you keep in a separate phase.

DEVA runs accelerated and freeze-thaw checks on every centella batch. The exact test cycle (weeks at 45°C, freeze-thaw count) is 5; ask our lab for the protocol sheet before you lock claims.

Order of addition matters. Dissolve the extract in the water phase first, then add it after the oil phase cools below 45°C. This keeps heat-sensitive partners like peptides and vitamin C derivatives intact.

Preservation stays normal. Centella does not feed microbes, but the water phase still needs a standard preservative system. DEVA validates the preservative challenge test on the full formula, not the active alone.

A cold-process formula is possible, because the extract dissolves without heat. Cold process saves energy and protects partners, but needs clean water and tight mixing. DEVA runs cold process for brands that ask for it.

Most private label lines run centella without special care. The extract fits a standard cream or serum base, which keeps your formula cost steady. Only the oxidizer rule needs a note on the batch sheet.

Factor	Centella behavior	Formulator action
pH 5-7	stable	hold the band
Heat to 80°C	stable	add at cooling phase
Light / oxygen	stable, no oxidation	standard bottle
Strong oxidizers	avoid	separate phase

Is Centella Asiatica halal-certified and BPOM-compliant for Indonesia?

Centella is a plant, so it is inherently halal-friendly. The halal question sits with the excipients and the production line, not the extract itself.

Indonesia makes halal certification mandatory for all cosmetics from 17 October 2026 (Government Regulation No. 42 of 2024; Law No. 33 of 2014; BPJPH as authority). The rule covers raw materials, so the certificate must cover the full formula, not just the extract. DEVA's Indonesia factory holds halal certification and can issue certificates covering the complete centella product.

BPOM registration is separate. A centella serum sold in Indonesia needs a BPOM notification with the full ingredient list, safety data, and a local responsible person. DEVA supports BPOM filing through its Indonesia site.

For brands entering Southeast Asia, lead with the halal plus BPOM pair. Few competitors show both on one ingredient page, and the 2026 deadline makes it a live buying trigger.

A halal certificate from DEVA covers the finished formula: extract, base, preservative, and fragrance. It does not cover a third-party raw material unless that supplier also holds halal status. Ask for the full chain if your buyer audits the certificate.

BPOM filing follows a set path: submit the notification, list every ingredient with INCI names, attach the safety dossier, and name a local responsible person. DEVA supplies the Indonesia site as that party for qualifying brands.

Southeast Asia is a growth market for cica brands. Indonesia leads the region, and the halal rule makes the certificate a hard gate at import. Brands that clear halal and BPOM early ship without a pause when demand spikes.

Requirement	Status for centella	DEVA support
Halal (plant-derived)	halal-friendly	Indonesia factory halal cert covers full formula
BPOM notification	required to sell	filing supported via Indonesia site
Deadline 17 Oct 2026	mandatory	plan cert before export

What formats and MOQ does DEVA offer for Centella Asiatica?

DEVA makes centella in the formats private label brands buy most: serum, emulsion, toner, and cream. Each format maps to a standard MOQ.

The 5,000-unit MOQ fits a first cica serum launch. Aluminum tubes and masks carry higher minimums because of filling setup. All lines run under the same halal-certified, BPOM-ready system.

DEVA runs twin factories in China and Indonesia, with 20+ years in OEM/ODM and 70+ patents. For a centella line, the Indonesia plant gives you the halal certificate and BPOM proximity in one build.

Beyond the standard five, DEVA builds custom formats on request: a centella toner pad, a mist, or a post-procedure cream with a higher madecassoside load. These shift the MOQ and the filling line, so confirm the format before we quote.

Lead time scales with format. A 5,000-unit serum runs in the shortest slot. A 50,000-unit mask needs more line days and more raw material lead. Tell us your launch date and we size the plan backward from it.

Format	DEVA MOQ (units)	Notes
Serum / dropper	5,000	standard private label MOQ
Cream / jar	5,000	standard
Aluminum tube	10,000	tube line MOQ
Sheet mask	50,000	mask line MOQ
Ampoule	200,000	ampoule line MOQ

How long does a Centella Asiatica formula take from sample to bulk?

A centella project moves through five steps: brief, sample, test, confirm, bulk. Timelines shift with the claim and the proof you request.

Step 1, brief and quote: 3-5 working days after you send target level, format, and claim. Step 2, first sample: about 2-3 weeks for a standard serum.Step 3, confirmation and packaging art: 1-2 weeks. Step 4, bulk production: 4-6 weeks after sign-off, with the 5,000-unit MOQ as the floor.

Plan 8-12 weeks from first call to finished goods for a standard centella serum. Add time if you need BPOM notification before export. DEVA coordinates the Indonesia regulatory path so production and filing run in parallel.

Each step has a clear output. The sample comes with a formula sheet and a rough cost. The stability step returns a report you can show a retailer or buyer. Confirmation locks the art and claim; bulk cannot start until you sign off.

If you already hold a BPOM notification from a prior product, reuse the responsible-person record to cut time. DEVA keeps the regulatory file so your second centella SKU moves faster than the first.

Before kickoff, prepare your brand assets: logo, target retail market, and any claim you must support with data. Brands that bring a clear claim and market get a sample faster, because our R&D sizes the formula to the proof you already have.

Keep your launch date firm and share it early. DEVA builds the plan backward from that date, so each step lands in time. A moving date is the main cause of a missed shelf window.

Ready to launch a centella cica serum? DEVA builds halal-certified, BPOM-ready centella serums at a 5,000-unit MOQ from our Indonesia factory. Send your target extract level and claim, and our R&D returns a sample in about 2-3 weeks.

FAQ

What is Centella Asiatica used for in skincare?

Centella Asiatica, also called cica or gotu kola, soothes redness, supports the skin barrier, and helps collagen. Its key compounds madecassoside and asiaticoside make it a calm-and-repair active used in serums, creams, and masks.

What is the difference between madecassoside and asiaticoside?

Madecassoside leads on soothing and barrier calm; asiaticoside leads on collagen, firmness, and scar support. Good titrated extracts standardize both, so your claim maps to a stated marker level.

What percentage of Centella Asiatica should a serum contain?

A centella leaf extract at 1-5% suits most serums, while a titrated extract standardized to madecassoside often runs 0.1-1% of the product. Toners use 0.5-2%. Match the level to the claim and the proof you can show.

Is Centella Asiatica stable in hot manufacturing?

Yes. Centella extract tolerates pH 5-7 and heating to 80°C without breaking down, and it does not oxidize in light. Keep strong oxidizers in a separate phase. Add the extract at the cooling phase to protect co-actives.

Is Centella Asiatica halal and BPOM-compliant?

Centella is plant-derived and halal-friendly. Indonesia requires halal certification for all cosmetics from 17 October 2026, covering raw materials. DEVA's Indonesia factory holds halal certification and supports BPOM notification for centella products.

What is DEVA's MOQ for a centella serum?

DEVA's standard private label MOQ is 5,000 units for serum and cream. Aluminum tubes start at 10,000 units, sheet masks at 50,000, and ampoules at 200,000. The Indonesia plant supplies halal-certified and BPOM-ready batches.

How long does a centella product take to produce?

From brief to bulk, plan 8-12 weeks for a standard serum. Sampling takes about 2-3 weeks,and bulk production 4-6 weeks after sign-off. BPOM filing runs in parallel if you export to Indonesia.