What does Centella Asiatica do?#
A calming serum with Centella Asiatica (CICA) that helps calm visible redness and helps the skin look healthier and feel comfortable.
Benefits
- Helps reduce the appearance of redness and irritation
- Helps calm the look of redness for a comfortable, even-looking complexion
- Boosts hydration and helps skin hold onto moisture
How it works
Centella Asiatica, also known as CICA or tiger grass, is a botanical extract. It helps skin look calmer and more comfortable, contributing to a smoother, more hydrated appearance.
How to use Centella Asiatica#
Before you start
Skip it if you are allergic to plants in the carrot family — celery, carrot, parsley, fennel, dill or coriander.
Best time
Either time suits it, or both.
How often
Gentle enough for daily use from the start.
Where it goes
A toner goes on straight after cleansing, a serum after that, a cream last.
How much
A little goes a long way — one to two pumps is typically enough.
Alongside others
It layers under or over most other things without needing an evening of its own.
If it doesn't suit
A brief tingle as it goes on settles quickly. Itching or a rash that appears a day or two later is different — stop using it if that happens.
Discontinue use if unexpected discomfort occurs.
Forms you will see it in
Cica toner
- Where it goes
- After cleansing, morning or evening
- How often
- Daily
- Strength
- Gentle
- Sun sensitivity
- None
Cica calming serum
- Where it goes
- Before moisturizer, morning or evening
- How often
- Daily
- Strength
- Gentle
- Sun sensitivity
- None
Cica calming cream
- Where it goes
- As your moisturizer, morning or evening
- How often
- Daily
- Strength
- Gentle
- Sun sensitivity
- None
Using Centella Asiatica with other ingredients
Pairs well with Centella Asiatica
Niacinamide
Works well togetherComplementary calming benefits for visibly soothed, more resilient-looking skin.
Hyaluronic Acid
Works well togetherCica helps skin look calm and comfortable while hyaluronic acid adds a hydrated, plumped-looking feel.
Panthenol (B5)
Works well togetherBoth support skin comfort for a healthier-looking complexion.
Azelaic acid
Works well togetherCICA for comfort, azelaic acid for the look of tone and redness.
What not to use with Centella Asiatica
Nothing flagged. None of the ingredients this wiki covers needs to be kept apart from Centella Asiatica — check the label of anything not covered here.
Who should avoid Centella Asiatica?#
Six situations change whether Centella Asiatica suits your skin right now. Each one is either a reason to skip it, a reason to go slowly, or nothing to watch for.
- Maternity & Nursing
- Go slowly
- Dry or Itchy Patches
- Go slowly
- Fragile or Sensitive
- No caution
- Recent Facial or Laser
- No caution
- Prone to Redness
- No caution
- Recent Shave or Wax
- No caution
Maternity & Nursing — If you are pregnant or nursing, you may prefer to check with your healthcare provider before use.
Dry or Itchy Patches — Keep the rest of your routine well moisturized, and use it less often — or stop — if you notice tightness or itching.
Cosmetic strength limits for Centella Asiatica where you live#
| Region | Most a cosmetic may contain | |
|---|---|---|
| No explicit cap | ||
The FDA restricts a short list of ingredients and sets no general strength ceiling on the rest. A figure marked "guidance, not law" is the Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel's recommendation. 21 CFR part 700, subpart B — Requirements for Specific Cosmetic Products (FDA) | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
One list does the work — Health Canada's Hotlist of prohibited and restricted cosmetic ingredients. | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
The Cosmetics Regulation's annexes, consolidated to 1 May 2026. A figure marked "guidance, not law" comes from the EU's cosmetic safety committee rather than from the annexes. | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
Great Britain kept the annexes as its own law and updates them only when it chooses; Northern Ireland follows the live EU Regulation, which is why some rows read differently for each. Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as it applies in Great Britain · Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annexes II–VI | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
India writes its own standard, aligned to the European rules as they stood in 2012. Mandatory since 9 February 2026. IS 4707 (Part 2):2025 — restricted and prohibited cosmetic ingredients · IS 4707 (Part 3):2025 — preservatives · Cosmetics Rules, 2020, Ninth Schedule | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
ANVISA rewrote its restricted list in June 2026, and a companion act amended the prohibited list at the same time. RDC 1.029/2026 — restricted ingredients · RDC 529/2021 — prohibited ingredients, as amended by RDC 1.030/2026 · RDC 528/2021 — preservatives | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
Japan's cosmetics standard keeps drug ingredients out of cosmetics, so most of its figures sit in the ministry's list of the ones a cosmetic may still contain. Cosmetics Standards (化粧品基準), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare · Cosmetics Standards — the ministry's own English translation · Drug ingredients permitted in cosmetics — 2007 notification | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
One MFDS regulation carries both the prohibited list and the restricted list, in force 18 March 2026. Sunscreens and a few other categories are cleared product by product instead. Regulation on Safety Standards for Cosmetics (MFDS Notification 2026-19) · Regulation on the Review of Functional Cosmetics (MFDS Notification 2025-88) | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
Kenya's standard applies the EU annexes as they stand rather than copying them, so its ingredient limits are the EU's — including the 2024 additions. A figure marked "guidance, not law" sits outside the annexes and does not carry over. KS EAS 377-1, -2 and -3:2022 — cosmetics safety requirements, published by KEBS · Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annexes II–VI | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
Namibia sets no ingredient limits at all. Its cosmetic rule is a single line requiring a product to be free of any harmful ingredient. Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Ordinance 18 of 1979, and the regulations under it | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
Ukraine's own transposition of the EU annexes, as they stood before the 2024 additions, fully in force since 3 August 2026. A further revision is due on 1 February 2027. Technical Regulation on cosmetic products — Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 20 January 2021 | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
Georgia has no cosmetics rulebook — its register of technical regulations carries no cosmetics entry — so only the general product-safety duty applies. | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
Australia writes no cosmetic ingredient list. A figure here is the point at which a substance becomes a medicine or a scheduled substance carrying Caution labeling, so its numbers sit well above other markets'. Poisons Standard — June 2026 · Therapeutic Goods (Excluded Goods) Determination 2018 | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
The Gulf standard points at the EU annexes as amended, so its ingredient limits are the EU's. A figure marked "guidance, not law" sits outside the annexes and does not carry over. GSO 1943:2024 — Cosmetic products: safety requirements (Gulf technical regulation) · Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annexes II–VI | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
The Gulf standard points at the EU annexes as amended, so its ingredient limits are the EU's. A figure marked "guidance, not law" sits outside the annexes and does not carry over. GSO 1943:2024 — Cosmetic products: safety requirements (Gulf technical regulation) · Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annexes II–VI | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
Hong Kong writes no cosmetics rulebook. Its Poisons List (Cap. 138A, Schedule 10) decides which substances may be sold only as medicines, and general safety is judged case by case against whichever overseas standard the enforcer considers reasonable. Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations (Cap. 138A), Schedule 10 — the poisons list · Pharmacy and Poisons Board — Guidance Notes on classifying pharmaceutical products, April 2026 | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
Singapore writes the ASEAN annexes into its own schedule, and its regulator tells companies to check the current ASEAN release as well — which is why a figure here can read "guidance, not law". Health Products (Cosmetic Products — ASEAN Cosmetic Directive) Regulations 2007, Third Schedule · ASEAN Cosmetic Directive annexes — release 2026-1, 22 June 2026 | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
Brunei carries the 2007 ASEAN annexes in its own schedule and has not updated them since, so it reads differently from Singapore on several ingredients. Medicines (Cosmetic Products) Regulations (Cap. 285 Rg 1), Schedule 1 — revised edition 2024 | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
Jordan's cosmetic rules defer to "the approved references" and name none of them, so there is no Jordanian figure to read. The only number in the instrument governs the ingredient list on the pack. JFDA instructions on cosmetics and pharmaceutical cosmetics, 2026 | ||
| No explicit cap | ||
Trinidad and Tobago has had the power to set cosmetic standards since 1960 and has never used it. The regulations made under the Act cover food and drugs, with no cosmetics part; what binds is the Act's general rule against selling a cosmetic that may injure the user. Food and Drugs Act, Chap. 30:01 · Food and Drugs Regulations | ||
No cosmetic regulator in the 20 markets above sets a maximum strength for centella asiatica. That is the state of the rules, not a signal to use more: how much goes into a product is the formulator's decision.
Open a market to see the rulebook its figure comes from. Those notes describe each market's own rules as we read them, current to August 24, 2026; the linked documents are the authority, and nothing here is legal advice.
Sample products with Centella Asiatica#
A few well-known products, not a full list — product names are each brand's own. We don't sell them — the shop prices them in US dollars and ships from Hong Kong, so delivery and duties come on top. It may not ship everywhere.
We may earn a small commission when you buy through these links.
Toners · 19
DERMA FACTORYCica 90% Water Essence - 150ml$7.05
SKIN1004Madagascar Centella Teca Soothing Toner - 210ml$10.19Also on YesStyle
SKIN1004Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Brightening Toner - 210ml$10.65Also on Stylevana
COSRXCentella Water Alcohol-Free Toner - 150ml$13.05Also on Stylevana
AVCACICA Rebalancing Essence Facial Toner - 1L$13.17
SKIN1004Madagascar Centella Toning Toner - 210ml$13.50
SKIN1004Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Essence Toner - 210ml$13.50Also on YesStyle
BRING GREENTea Tree Cica Soothing Toner - 250ml$13.99
numbuzinNo.1 Centella Re-Leaf Green Toner Pad - 190ml/70pads$14.40Also on YesStyle
SOME BY MISnail Truecica Miracle Repair Toner - 150ml$14.63
mixsoonSoondy Centella Asiatica Essence - 100ml$16.00
mixsoonCentella Asiatica Toner - 300ml$16.25
Purito SEOULWonder Releaf Centella Toner Unscented - 200ml$16.80Also on YesStyle
COSRXPure Fit Cica Toner - 150ml$17.60Also on YesStyle
mixsoonCentella Toner Pad - 60pads$19.50Also on YesStyle
ONE THINGCica B5 Toner - 210ml$20.25
Dr.CeuracleCica Regen 92 Toner - 120ml$21.29
medicubePDRN Pink Cica Soothing Toner - 250ml$22.90Also on YesStyle
HEVEBLUESalmon Caring Centella Toner - 200ml$35.50Serums · 13
SKIN1004Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Blue Serum - 30ml$5.60Also on Stylevana
SKIN1004Madagascar Centella Ampoule - 30ml$5.76Also on Stylevana
esfolioCica Centella Calming Ampoule - 30ml$6.60
Cos De BAHACentella Serum (CH) - 30ml$8.04
Mary&MayCentella Asiatica Serum - 30ml$11.61Also on Stylevana
VEGREENFragrance-Free Cica Serum - 50ml$11.70
SKIN1004Madagascar Centella Teca Ampoule - 50ml$12.24Also on YesStyle
Purito SEOULWonder Releaf Centella Serum Unscented - 60ml$16.10Also on YesStyle
ROVECTINCica Care Clearing Ampoule - 30ml$17.73Also on Stylevana
COSRXHydrium Centella Aqua Soothing Ampoule 40ml$20.80Also on YesStyle
Papa RecipeReal Centella Cica Calming Serum - 30ml$22.00
COSRXPure Fit Cica Serum - 30ml$22.40Also on YesStyle
Round LabPine Calming Cica Ampoule - 30ml$23.40Also on YesStyleMoisturizers · 15
Cos De BAHACentella Gel Cream (CG120) - 120ml$9.50
mixsoonCica Hyal Deep Soothing Cream - 50ml$11.12Also on Stylevana
SKIN1004Madagascar Centella Soothing Cream - 75ml$11.99
SKIN1004Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Moisture Cream - 75ml$12.89Also on YesStyle
SKIN1004Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Enrich Cream - 50ml$13.20Also on YesStyle
SKIN1004Madagascar Centella Cream - 75ml$13.60Also on YesStyle
Purito SEOULWonder Releaf Centella Cream - 50ml$14.70Also on YesStyle
Purito SEOULWonder Releaf Centella Cream Unscented - 50ml$14.70Also on YesStyle
COSRXPure Fit Cica Cream - 50ml$15.68Also on Stylevana
innisfreeBija Cica Balm EX (New Version) - 40ml$16.75Also on YesStyle
CELIMAXThe Real Cica Soothing Cream - 50ml$18.00Also on YesStyle
Round LabPine Calming Cica Cream - 50ml$18.90Also on YesStyle
COSRXPure Fit Cica Cream Intense - 50ml$25.60Also on YesStyle
Round LabPine Calming Cica Cream Plus - 60ml$27.00Also on YesStyle
Dr. Jart+Cicapair Intensive Soothing Repair Gel Cream - 50ml$32.99Already have one? Check how it fits your skin with Pick.
Common questions about Centella Asiatica#
What is Centella Asiatica?
- A botanical extract — often sold as cica — that calms the look of redness and holds moisture in the skin's surface.
What else is Centella Asiatica called?
- On a label you may see Cica, Gotu kola, Tiger grass and Centella.
When should you apply Centella Asiatica?
- Morning or evening. Either time suits it, or both.
Which form of Centella Asiatica should you use?
- Cica toner — after cleansing, morning or evening, daily. Cica calming serum — before moisturizer, morning or evening, daily. Cica calming cream — as your moisturizer, morning or evening, daily.
How often can you use Centella Asiatica?
- Daily.
Where do you apply Centella Asiatica?
- All over the face. Keep it away from your eyes and lips.
Can you use Centella Asiatica around the eyes?
- Yes. Centella Asiatica goes all over the face, the skin around the eyes included — keep it out of your eyes and off your lips.
Does Centella Asiatica make skin more sensitive to the sun?
- No. Centella Asiatica is not flagged as increasing sun sensitivity.
What should you not use with Centella Asiatica?
- Nothing flagged. None of the ingredients this wiki covers needs to be kept apart from Centella Asiatica — check the label of anything not covered here.
Who should avoid Centella Asiatica?
- Go slowly with Maternity & Nursing and Dry or Itchy Patches.
Is there a cosmetic limit for Centella Asiatica?
- No. No cosmetic regulator in the United States, Canada, the European Union or Great Britain sets a maximum strength for it. That is a limit on the rules, not a signal to use more.
Related ingredients#
How we check this#
Everything on this page traces to the sources listed below — regulators' own publications and published studies. Where the evidence does not answer a question, it is left unanswered.
Our review is AI-assisted and is not a named expert's opinion. Last reviewed August 4, 2026.
Think something here is out of date or wrong? Email us at wiki@skinintelligence.ai with your reasoning and where you read it. We read what people send, and we update the page when the sources support it.
Regulators and official bodies · 11
- S1EMA/HMPC. European Union herbal monograph on Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., herba — Revision 1. EMA/HMPC/489142/2020, adopted 30 March 2022.
- S2EMA/HMPC. Assessment report on Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., herba — Revision 1. EMA/HMPC/489140/2020.
- S3AEMPS. Ficha técnica — Blastoestimulina 10 mg/g pomada (extracto de Centella asiática 1%), nº registro 86442, texto revisado octubre 2021. Newly fetched.
- S4AEMPS. Ficha técnica — Blastoestimulina 20 mg/g polvo cutáneo (extracto seco purificado de Centella asiatica (L.) Urban, herba 21,3:1, 2%; asiaticósido 7,2–8 mg/g), nº registro 35908. Newly fetched.
- S5Johnson W Jr, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD, Liebler DC, Marks JG Jr, Shank RC, Slaga TJ, Snyder PW, Gill LJ, Heldreth B. Safety Assessment of Centella asiatica-Derived Ingredients as Used in Cosmetics. Int J Toxicol 2023 Jun. PMID 36812692; doi 10.1177/10915818231158272.
- S6European Commission. CosIng entry — CENTELLA ASIATICA EXTRACT (CAS 84696-21-9, EC 283-640-5), ref 75075.
- S29Health Canada. Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist: Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients.
- S30FDA. Prohibited & Restricted Ingredients in Cosmetics.
- S31Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex II, as retained in Great Britain (legislation.gov.uk).
- S32Health Canada. Prescription Drug List.
- S34MHRA. Borderline products: how to tell if your product is a medicine.
Studies and references · 23
- S7Ratz-Łyko A, Arct J, Pytkowska K. Moisturizing and Antiinflammatory Properties of Cosmetic Formulations Containing Centella asiatica Extract. Indian J Pharm Sci 2016. PMID 27168678; PMC4852572.
- S8Anggraeni S, Umborowati MA, Damayanti D, Endaryanto A, Prakoeswa CRS. Role of Centella asiatica and ceramide in skin barrier improvement: a double blind clinical trial of Indonesian batik workers. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol 2021. PMID 34214362; doi 10.1515/jbcpp-2020-0510.
- S9Su Z, Zheng Y, Yi J, Lai W, Ye C. The Effectiveness and Safety of a Skin Care Product With Centella asiatica Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, and Panthenol in Subjects With Sensitive Skin. J Cosmet Dermatol 2025. PMID 40682399; PMC12274965; doi 10.1111/jocd.70324.
- S10Ying Y, Fang Y, Chenlan X, Lin S, Jiefang H, Yanan L, Peiwen S. Evaluating the Efficacy of Soothing Agents in Mitigating 0.1% Retinol-Induced Skin Irritation: A Patch Test. J Cosmet Dermatol 2025. PMID 41044804; PMC12494960; doi 10.1111/jocd.70488.
- S11Damkerngsuntorn W, Rerknimitr P, Panchaprateep R, Tangkijngamvong N, Kumtornrut C, Kerr SJ, Asawanonda P, Tantisira MH, Khemawoot P. The Effects of a Standardized Extract of Centella asiatica on Postlaser Resurfacing Wound Healing on the Face. J Altern Complement Med 2020. PMID 32310680; doi 10.1089/acm.2019.0325.
- S12Wang L, Zhang Y, Chen L, Yuan D, Feng X, Zheng J, Li X, Yuan C. A two-center randomized controlled trial of a repairing mask as an adjunctive treatment for mild to moderate rosacea. J Cosmet Dermatol 2024. PMID 38831627; doi 10.1111/jocd.16413.
- S13Kongkaew C, Meesomperm P, Scholfield CN, Chaiwiang N, Waranuch N. Efficacy and Safety of Centella Asiatica (L.) Urb. on Wrinkles: A Systematic Review of Published Data and Network Meta-Analysis. J Cosmet Sci 2020;71(6):439–454. PMID 33413787.
- S14Hausen BM. Centella asiatica (Indian pennywort), an effective therapeutic but a weak sensitizer. Contact Dermatitis 1993;29(4):175–9. PMID 8281778. Newly fetched.
- S15Gonzalo Garijo MA, Revenga Arranz F, Bobadilla González P. Allergic contact dermatitis due to Centella asiatica: a new case. Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) 1996;24(3):132–4. PMID 8766746.
- S16Danese P, Carnevali C, Bertazzoni MG. Allergic contact dermatitis due to Centella asiatica extract. Contact Dermatitis 1994;31(3):201. PMID 7821029.
- S17Özkaya E, Toprak İD. Allergic contact dermatitis from Centella asiatica extract and fragrance allergens: Report of two patients from Turkey. Contact Dermatitis 2024;91(1):85–87. PMID 38567908.
- S18Anwar AI, Adriani A, Rimayani S, Anwar AA, Seweng A, Munirah R, Dewi WS, Kurniadi I. The Effectiveness of Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Dexpanthenol, and Centella Asiatica Combination Serum in the Treatment of Post-Acne Hyperpigmentation in Subjects with Skin of Color. Skinmed 2021;19(2):110–115. PMID 33938432. Newly fetched.
- S19Jenwitheesuk K, Rojsanga P, Chowchuen B, Surakunprapha P. A Prospective Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Trial of the Efficacy Using Centella Cream for Scar Improvement. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2018. PMID 30310413; PMC6166374.
- S20Widgerow A, Grivet-Seyve M, Anjuwon S, Emesiani C, Meckfessel M. An Innovative Cream Improves Signs and Symptoms of Dermatoporosis in Patients Aged 65 and Over. J Drugs Dermatol 2025;24(4):352–356. PMID 40196951.
- S21Park KS. Pharmacological Effects of Centella asiatica on Skin Diseases: Evidence and Possible Mechanisms. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2021. PMID 34845411; PMC8627341.
- S22Arribas-López E, Zand N, Ojo O, Snowden MJ, Kochhar T. A Systematic Review of the Effect of Centella asiatica on Wound Healing. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022;19(6):3266. PMID 35328954; PMC8956065.
- S23Bylka W, Znajdek-Awiżeń P, Studzińska-Sroka E, Brzezińska M. Centella asiatica in cosmetology. Postepy Dermatol Alergol 2013. PMID 24278045; PMC3834700.
- S24Hashim P. The effect of Centella asiatica, vitamins, glycolic acid and their mixtures preparations in stimulating collagen and fibronectin synthesis in cultured human skin fibroblast. Pak J Pharm Sci 2014;27(2):233–7. PMID 24577907.
- S25Thoo YY, Abas F, Lai OM, Ho CW, Yin J, Hedegaard RV, Skibsted LH, Tan CP. Antioxidant synergism between ethanolic Centella asiatica extracts and α-tocopherol in model systems. Food Chem 2013;138(2–3):1215–9. PMID 23411234.
- S26Young GL, Jewell D. Creams for preventing stretch marks in pregnancy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2000. PMID 10796111.
- S27Milani M, Sparavigna A. The 24-hour skin hydration and barrier function effects of a hyaluronic 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract moisturizing fluid. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol 2017. PMID 28860834; PMC5560567.
- S28Chang T-M, Wu C-C, Huang H-C, Lu J-Y, Chuang C-H, Kao P-L, Tang W-H, Liu LT-C, Qiu W-Y, et al. A 28-Day Pilot Study of the Effects on Facial Skin Hydration, Elasticity, and Texture of a Centella asiatica Extracellular Vesicle-Based Serum. Cosmetics 2025;12(5):186.
- S33Kwon KJ, Bae S, Kim K, An IS, Ahn KJ, An S, Cha HJ. Asiaticoside, a component of Centella asiatica, inhibits melanogenesis in B16F10 mouse melanoma. Mol Med Rep 2014;10(1):503–7. PMID 24756377. scope.



