What is cica or centella in skincare?
β‘ Quick answer: Cica is short for Centella asiatica, a plant also called tiger grass and widely used in Korean skincare to soothe the look of redness and support a comfortable, resilient barrier. It's a go-to for sensitive, stressed or breakout-prone skin in calming creams and serums.
Cica is short for Centella asiatica, a plant also called tiger grass and widely used in Korean skincare to soothe the look of redness and support a comfortable, resilient barrier. It's a go-to for sensitive, stressed or breakout-prone skin in calming creams and serums.
More detail
Its most studied calming compound, madecassoside, is sometimes concentrated on its own for soothing and barrier support.
π°π· Centella, known as μμΉ΄ (cica) in Korea, anchors many popular Korean barrier-repair lines.
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Explore the full K-beauty hub ββοΈ Written & reviewed by the KoreaPlus Editorial team β dermatologist-informed, cosmetic-science researched & source-cited. Last reviewed 2026-06-21.
General educational information using cosmetic structure-function wording β not medical advice. Always patch-test new actives. Β© KoreaPlus.