Sending dreams into Shan Tuyet tea

Associated with centuries-old Shan Tuyet tea trees in the rocky plateau, Pham Thi Minh Hai – National Artisan and Deputy Director of Thanh Son Co.,Ltd. (Ha Giang 1 Ward), has chosen a unique way to promote the value of tea: extracting essence from Shan Tuyet tea to produce skincare cosmetics.

Originally from Hanoi and experienced in the beauty industry, she gradually developed a deep passion for Shan Tuyet tea after more than 20 years with her husband’s family, which has a long-standing tea tradition in Ha Giang. During trips to mountain peaks nearly 2,000 meters above the sea level, watching tea buds grow in the white mist inspired her with the idea of transforming tea into beauty products that not only serve as a beverage but also nourish the skin and care for the body.

Pham Thi Minh Hai hopes women in mountainous areas will have stable jobs and income from tea.

In 2015, after years of studying the characteristics of Shan Tuyet tea, she began experimenting with incorporating tea into cosmetic production. However, the journey was far from easy. According to Hai, Shan Tuyet tea has very strong properties; using too much extract can alter the colour, fragrance, and texture of a product. Improper extraction techniques may also destroy valuable micronutrients in the tea. After many trials and failures, she gradually perfected formulas that preserve the natural active compounds found in tea.

Instead of using fresh green tea leaves, the company uses tea cakes aged for at least five years. At this stage, the tea is considered to have transformed into a “herbal medicinal ingredient”, with high levels of antioxidants and beneficial compounds. The company applies a closed production process, combining freeze-drying technology and ultrasonic concentration to maximize polyphenol content before the final extraction stage.

As a result, 24 cosmetic product lines under the Maison Care brand have been developed, including facial exfoliators, toners, serums, moisturizing creams, facial mists, sunscreen, and overnight masks. These products utilize different parts of the tea plant, such as tea buds for serums and tea fruit shells for cleansing products, aiming to restore and nourish the skin from within.

Thanh Son Co., Ltd. has now mastered several advanced production technologies and has received outstanding acceptance from the Ministry of Science and Technology for projects aimed at improving tea processing and tea-based cosmetic production technologies. Maison Care products have also received positive feedback from consumers in the market.

Beyond product development, Hai is particularly concerned about creating sustainable livelihoods for people in tea-growing regions. The company currently manages around 400 hectares of Shan Tuyet ancient tea trees, which are assigned to local households for care. The company later purchases the tea leaves from farmers, provided they maintain clean cultivation practices that preserve the tea’s natural flavor.

Cosmetic products of Thanh Son Co., Ltd. are produced from ancient Shan Tuyet tea.

In addition, the company provides stable employment for 28 full-time workers and around 60 seasonal laborers, most of whom are local women. According to Hai, creating jobs for women also contributes to stabilizing families and improving living conditions in mountainous communities.

The journey of transforming Shan Tuyet tea into cosmetics not only opens new prospects for local specialty products but also helps preserve ancient tea forests while creating sustainable economic opportunities for people in highland areas.

Thu Trang