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If you read the front of enough Korean skincare, you will notice the same word again and again: cica. It appears on ampoules, creams, masks, pads and cleansers, usually next to a small green leaf.
Cica is short for centella asiatica, a plant that Korean brands use heavily. This guide explains what the word means, the other names for it on a label, and how to choose between the many cica products on the shelf.
What Cica Means
Cica is the Korean beauty shorthand for centella asiatica. You will also see it called gotu kola or tiger grass. Brands use the extract, and sometimes isolated compounds from the plant, in products meant for skin that looks stressed or sensitive.
It is associated with a soothing, calming feel in skincare. It is an ingredient, not a treatment, and it will not replace medical care for any skin condition.
Names to Look for on a Label
The same ingredient appears under several names. Checking for them helps you compare products fairly.
- Centella asiatica extract: the plant extract itself
- Madecassoside and asiaticoside: compounds from the plant, often written as "madeca" on the front
- Cica: the marketing word, which does not tell you how much is in the bottle
That last point matters. A product with "cica" in the name can have a lot of centella or a little. The ingredient list is where you find out.
The NIDA Centella Hydrating Serum. Source: Daebak. Shop it here.
Cica in Every Step
Because the ingredient is so common, you can find it in almost every part of a routine.
Cleanser. A centella foam such as the NIDA Centella Deep Pore Cleansing Foam keeps the ingredient in a step that is rinsed off.
Ampoule or serum. This is where cica is most concentrated in many routines. See the Urang Cica Soothing Ampoule.
Cream or balm. A rich last step. The celimax The Real Cica Soothing Cream and the innisfree Bija Cica Balm EX are examples.
Mask or pad. A weekly or occasional step. We cover pads in our toner pad guide.
The Urang Cica Soothing Ampoule. Source: Daebak. Shop it here.
Cica With Something Extra
Many newer products pair cica with a second active. The pairing changes what the product is for, and how careful you need to be.
- Cica and retinol. The innisfree Retinol Cica Repair Ampoule combines the two. Retinol can irritate, so start slowly.
- Cica and BHA. The celimax JI WOO GAE Cica BHA Blemish Toner Pad pairs cica with an exfoliating acid.
- Madeca and azelaic acid. The Dr. Ceuracle Azelaic 10 & Madeca Ampoule is a stronger formula. Patch test it.
As a rule, a cica-only product is a gentler place to begin than a cica-plus-active product.
The innisfree Retinol Cica Repair Ampoule. Source: Daebak. Shop it here.
Cica Masks
Sheet and gel masks are a common way to use the ingredient. Two we carry are the innisfree Madecassoside Active Mask and the celimax JI WOO GAE Cica 2-Step Gel Mask. Follow the time on the pack, and do not leave a sheet mask on until it dries.
Where to Start
- NIDA Centella Deep Pore Cleansing Foam: an easy first cica step
- NIDA Centella Hydrating Serum: a centella serum, 50 ml
- Urang Cica Soothing Ampoule: a cica ampoule
- celimax The Real Cica Soothing Cream: a cica cream for the last step
- innisfree Bija Cica Balm EX: a balm in a 40 ml tube
- innisfree Madecassoside Active Mask: a pack of five masks
- celimax JI WOO GAE Cica 2-Step Gel Mask: a pack of four
- innisfree Retinol Cica Repair Pad: cica and retinol in a pad, 60 pads
The celimax The Real Cica Soothing Cream. Source: Daebak. Shop it here.
How Koreans Use It
Cica products are common in routines when someone wants to simplify. The usual idea is to strip the routine back to a gentle cleanser, one cica product, a moisturizer and sunscreen, and to add things back one at a time. Our routine guide explains that approach.
Whatever you choose, patch test a new product on a small area first, and ask a dermatologist if you have a skin condition.
Want a Mix
Not sure where to begin? The Daebak K-Beauty Box is a hand-picked selection of Korean skincare.
The Daebak K-Beauty Box. Source: Daebak. Shop the box.
Written in Seoul, where a green leaf on the label means somebody is trying to calm something down.
