A novel herbal facewash formulation based on green tea and tea tree oil: Formulation and performance evaluation

Abstract

Herbal cosmetics have gained significant attention due to their safety, biocompatibility, and therapeutic efficacy in skincare applications. The present study aimed to develop and optimize a novel herbal facewash formulation incorporating Camellia sinensis (green tea) extract and Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil for effective cleansing and skin protection. Green tea leaves were subjected to Soxhlet extraction using methanol, while tea tree oil was obtained by hydrodistillation. The extracts were characterized through pharmacognostic evaluation, physicochemical analysis, phytochemical screening, FT-IR, and GC-MS studies. A carbopol-based gel facewash was formulated and optimized using a Box-Behnken Design to study the effect of green tea extract, tea tree oil, and carbopol concentration on viscosity and drug content. The optimized formulation exhibited ideal physicochemical properties, including suitable viscosity (5242 cps), satisfactory drug content (78.2%), good spreadability, stable foaming ability, acceptable extrudability, and skin-friendly pH (6.3). GC-MS analysis confirmed the presence of bioactive compounds such as catechins, caffeine, and terpinen-4-ol, contributing to antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The study concludes that the developed herbal facewash is stable, effective, and suitable for topical cosmetic application, offering a promising natural alternative for routine facial cleansing and skincare.