Centella Asiatica (Cica) in K-Beauty

Centella asiatica, popularly called cica, is a traditional Asian herb that became one of the most famous calming ingredients in modern K-beauty.

Cultural origin

Centella asiatica is a plant used in traditional medicine across parts of Asia, including South and Southeast Asia and East Asia. The nickname 'cica' (from centella) became a global K-beauty buzzword. While the plant's traditional use is broadly Asian rather than uniquely Korean, Korean brands were central to popularizing cica-based soothing skincare worldwide.

Traditional use

Centella asiatica has a long documented history in traditional Asian herbal medicine, where it was used in various preparations. Its actives include compounds known as madecassoside and asiaticoside, often grouped as centella's key constituents. This traditional pedigree as a skin-soothing herb underpins its modern reputation as a calming, barrier-supporting ingredient.

Modern skincare use

In modern K-beauty, centella extract and its purified actives (sometimes labeled centella asiatica extract or madecassoside) anchor a large category of soothing 'cica' products for sensitive, irritated, or compromised skin. These appear in creams, balms, essences, and masks marketed for calming and barrier support. Centella is among the best-known and most-studied soothing botanicals in contemporary skincare.

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Sources

• Centella asiatica (Wikipedia) ↗

✍️ Written & reviewed by the KoreaPlus Editorial team — dermatologist-informed, cosmetic-science researched & source-cited. Last reviewed 2026-06-21.

General educational information using cosmetic structure-function wording — not medical advice. Always patch-test new actives. © KoreaPlus.