TECA 95 Centella Asiatica Triterpenes

What TECA 95 is

TECA stands for titrated extract of Centella asiatica. It is a purified powder that concentrates the three triterpenes formulators look for in cica products: asiaticoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid. A crude centella extract carries these compounds in a large amount of plant matter, sugars and pigments. TECA strips most of that away, so a fraction of a percent gives a defined, repeatable dose of the active triterpenes. That is why it has become a staple in Korean cica creams, leave-on cosmetic use balms and soothing serums.

It belongs with the purified plant actives in our cosmetic actives section. If you already use madecassoside, think of TECA as the broader triterpene complex, while madecassoside is a single isolated glycoside. Our centella asiatica oil extract is a different tool again, an oil-soluble extract for balms and the oil phase.

Composition and label INCI

The label INCI is Centella Asiatica Extract. The material is a mixture, so the CAS numbers given are those of its main components: 16830-15-2 for asiaticoside, 18449-41-7 for madecassic acid and 464-92-6 for asiatic acid. The powder is white to light yellow and fine.

What it is used for

Centella triterpenes are used in skin care for their role in barrier care and firmness. Supplier literature connects them with support for collagen in the skin, a smoother look to stretch marks, a calmer look to blemish-prone skin and fuller-looking hair in scalp products. Keep claims on finished labels cosmetic, such as soothing, smoothing and strengthening the look of the skin.

How to use it

TECA 95 does not dissolve in water on its own, so pre-dissolve it before adding it to the batch. It dissolves readily in alcohol. In glycols it needs heat: warm the glycol to as much as 80 °C and use roughly 1 part powder to 15 parts glycol. Add the clear solution to the water phase or at cool-down. The material is not particularly heat sensitive, but avoid highly acidic or alkaline systems. A finished pH of 4.0 to 6.5 works well.

Practical tips

Weigh small amounts on a 0.01 g scale, because the use rate is low and the powder is light. Prepare the glycol premix in a separate beaker and let it cool slightly before you combine phases. In clear gels, check the batch after 24 hours; if a haze appears, raise the glycol share slightly.

Bench example: cica leave-on cosmetic use cream

This 100 g bench batch shows one way to use the material. For the premix, heat 4 g propanediol to 70 °C and stir in 0.25 g TECA 95 until clear. For phase A, weigh 70.25 g distilled water, 3 g glycerin and 0.3 g xanthan gum. For phase B, weigh 12 g caprylic/capric triglyceride, 4 g cetearyl olivate and sorbitan olivate and 2 g cetyl alcohol. Heat both phases to 75 °C, combine and homogenize. Below 40 °C, add the TECA premix, 2 g panthenol, 1 g broad-spectrum preservative used at its supplier rate and 1.2 g squalane. Adjust to pH 5.0 to 5.5.

Where it fits in a product line

TECA 95 is the efficient choice when a cica claim needs a real triterpene dose rather than a trace of crude extract. It fits leave-on cosmetic use creams, cooling gels, spot serums for blemish-prone skin, body creams for areas prone to the look of stretch marks and leave-on scalp tonics.

Storage

Keep the powder in a tightly closed container in a cool, dry place away from light. Close the pack quickly after each use to keep moisture out. For cosmetic formulation use only.