10+ Olive Young Recommended Cica Skincare for a Soothing Summer

Centella Asiatica (cica), also known as Tiger Grass and Gotu Kola, is a herb that grows in tropical regions and the star ingredient in Korean skincare in recent years. From sheet masks to face serums, cica skincare of all types have filled the shelves of Korea-based drugstores both offline and online. There are even entire skincare brands that specialise in cica formulas, speaking volumes about the plant's skin-pampering power.

Despite its surge in popularity, the use of Centella Asiatica is not a recent breakthrough in skincare; but the vigorous development of the medical aesthetics market and the increased awareness to care for sensitive skin has once again put Centella Asiatica in the spotlight, thanks to its remarkable repairing, anti-inflammatory and soothing effects. The plant is now globally known and enjoyed as a relieving remedy for sensitive skin and calming component in the hot summer season.

Centella Asiatica: Skincare Benefits

Rich in minerals and nutrients such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin B, here are some of the wonderful effects cica has on your skin:

1. Soothing Sensitivity and Redness
Centella Asiatica naturally soothes and is effective in relieving redness, a symptom sensitive skin is often prone to.

2. Repairing the Skin Barrier
Centella Asiatica helps to speed up repair and recovery of the damaged skin barrier and rapidly restores skin health, perfect for skin compromised by external irritation or aesthetics treatments.

3. Promoting Collagen Production
Centella Asiatica stimulates your skin's production of collagen, an important ingredient in maintaining skin elasticity, helping to leave skin firmer and bouncier.

4. Gentle in Nature, for All Skin Types
Whether it's dry skin, oily skin, or weakened post-aesthetics skin, anyone can use cica products at ease knowing its mild nature nourishes with no irritation.

Centella Asiatica exerts a variety of benefits on different skin types:

Dry Skin: Deeply moisturises, soothes dryness-induced itching and strengthens the moisture barrier.
Oily Skin: Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and improves water-oil balance.
Sensitive or Fragile Post-Aesthetics Skin: Repairs damaged barriers, calms skin quickly and reduces irritation.

Centella Asiatica Face Serum Pick

Centella Asiatica Face Serum Pick｜PURITO Wonder Releaf Centella Serum Unscented

This unscented cica serum is imbued with cica ingredients extracted at low temperatures to preserve as much active ingredients as possible. Working in tandem with nano-ized cica derivatives and TECA (Titrated Extract of Centella Asiatica, enriched with 4 types of Centella actives), it instantly soothes, reduces redness and enhances the skin's resistance to external stimuli.

Centella Asiatica Face Serum Pick｜Torriden Balanceful Cica Serum

This hypoallergenic, mildly acidic serum gently exfoliates and controls sebum production to improve acne problems, its potent calming capabilities the secret behind the fair, flawless complexions of Korean girls. Deploy a few drops whenever your skin isn't feeling its best to ward off redness and discomfort.

Centella Asiatica Face Serum Pick｜SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule

SKIN1004’s flagship ampoule features top-quality Centella ingredients from Madagascar and is known as a holy grail for sensitive skin. It rapidly relieves skin sensitivity and restores skin to a healthy, radiant state by strengthening its natural barrier, balancing water-oil levels and combating other skin concerns.

Centella Asiatica Face Serum Pick｜Jumiso Super Soothing Cica & Aloe Facial Serum

In addition to soothing with cica extract, this serum also fully hydrates each layer of your skin with 7 kinds of hyaluronic acids and 17 kinds of amino acids, helping to repair damaged barriers and improve tired and fragile skin.

Centella Asiatica Moisturiser Pick

Centella Asiatica Moisturiser Pick｜Dr.Althea 345 Relief Cream

Dr.Althea's 345 Relief Cream alleviates breakout aftermath and calms sensitive skin with a concoction that includes Centella Asiatica and other skin soothers like Heartleaf. Not only does it fade acne scars and blemishes, but it also strengthens your natural barrier to improve your skin's moisture retaining abilities. More moisture in your skin means higher stability and defence against external aggressors, as well as better skin health overall.

Centella Asiatica Moisturiser Pick｜Centellian24 Madeca Cream Time Reverse

Pharmaceutical-grade skin repair cream from Korea's Dongkook Pharm! Featuring a formula that utilises TECA (Titrated Extract of Centella Asiatica), the purest, most active core ingredient of Centella Asiatica, and containing up to 12 cica extracts, this cream wields cica's botanical power to soothe redness and sensitivity, fade acne scars and promote collagen production. Leaving skin firmer, youthful-looking and revitalised, it offers anti-aging, soothing, and anti-blemish benefits in one.

Centella Asiatica Toner Pad Pick

Centella Asiatica Toner Pad Pick｜Torriden Balanceful Cica Toner Pad

Different from its blue hydrating counterpart, Torriden's double-sided green toner pads are infused with Centella Asiatica, LHA and PHA to gently remove old dead skin cells and excess sebum. If you're troubled by flareups and red splotches, turn the pad over and leave it on areas of concern for rapid moisturising and soothing care.

Centella Asiatica Toner Pad Pick｜Numbuzin No.1 Centella Re-Leaf Green Toner Pad

Green cotton pads made from ground cica leaves, soaked with 89% natural plant extracts, such as Centella Asiatica, heartleaf extract, liquorice root, etc. Deeply moisturises and soothes to calm sensitivity, redness and other skin discomfort.

Centella Asiatica Toner Pad Pick｜SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Quick Calming Pad

Each piece of SKIN1004's Centella cotton pad is soaked with 10 EWG Green Grade soothing ingredients. The triple-layered embossed design holds more essence than your average toner pad, providing optimum comfort and calming effects for your skin in just 3 to 5 minutes.

Centella Asiatica Toner Pad Pick｜celimax Jiwoogae Cica BHA Blemish Toner Pad

A toner pad for sensitive acne-prone skin enriched with a patented concoction of 7 botanicals to effectively cleanse skin waste and residual impurities, prevent clogged pores from worsening skin problems, and tighten pores. Skin irritation test completed so that sensitive skin types can use it with confidence.

Centella Asiatica Sheet Mask Pick

Centella Asiatica Sheet Mask Pick｜Torriden Balanceful Cica Mask

Featuring the patented ingredient "5D Cica Complex", this Torriden sheet mask effectively soothes and strengthens unstable and fragile skin and reduces sensitivity and redness. The weakly acidic formula and vegan mask sheet material minimises irritation. Coupled with a light, refreshing texture, this mask is a godsend for sensitive and acne-prone skin.

Centella Asiatica Sheet Mask Pick｜VT Cica Collagen Mask

An everyday mask from VT Cosmetics that soothes and moisturises with Centella Asiatica and triple hyaluronic acid, cica being pretty much the face of this Korean skincare brand. Low molecular collagen and soy placenta extract are also infused for a brightening and firming effect.

Centella Asiatica Sheet Mask Pick｜Abib Gummy Sheet Mask - Madecassoside Sticker

Each sheet of the Abib madecassoside gummy sheet mask is enhanced with a whole bottle of serum's worth of essence, while the unique gummy-like texture hugs the curves of your face comfortably. It hydrates and calms your skin, soothing in as little as 10 minutes thanks to cica ingredients.

Centella Asiatica Sheet Mask Pick｜Beauty of Joseon Centella Asiatica Calming Mask

Rich in cica and hyaluronic acid, this mask holds intensive moisturising abilities and calms sensitivity, redness and other signs of instability, restoring health and nourishment to compromised skin.

Centella Asiatica Facial Cleanser Pick

Centella Asiatica Sunscreen Pick

Centella Asiatica Sunscreen Pick｜Torriden Balanceful Tone Up Sun Cream

Equipped with SPF50+ and PA++++ high sun protection, the Balanceful tone up sunscreen comes in a light soft consistency and a refreshing green tint that naturally corrects redness and evens out your skin tone to prime and prepare for makeup.

Centella Asiatica Sunscreen Pick｜PURITO Wonder Releaf Centella Daily Sun Lotion

Formulated with Korean cica ingredients, this weightless, gentle sunscreen doesn't only block UV but also shields against urban pollutants and protects skin from external irritation and barrier damage, with bonus anti-aging effects thanks to Brown Algae extract.

Centella Asiatica Sunscreen Pick｜SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum

A hydrating chemical sunscreen serum for sensitive skin with a light, creamy texture that imparts a dewy yet non-greasy glow. Formulated with 7 plant seed extracts rich in antioxidants and minerals, this sun serum is sun protection, moisturising and anti-aging benefits in one tube.