Centella asiatica (Cica)

centella asiatica · cica · madecassoside · asiaticoside · gotu kola

A botanical ('cica') used to calm, soothe and support the skin barrier.

TypeCosmetic (topical)

The grade answers: What does the human evidence support for: Soothing & barrier support?

Grade

Limited

The grade rates evidence quality — it is not advice to take or buy.

Class: Skincare / topical
Primary use: Soothing & barrier support
Evidence strength: low
Last reviewed: 2026-07-01

Bottom line

A popular soothing botanical with real active compounds and some supporting studies for comfort and barrier recovery — but the cosmetic evidence is modest and formulation-dependent. Calming, not transformative.

What the evidence says

Centella asiatica and its isolated actives (madecassoside, asiaticoside) have a body of research — much of it in wound-healing and preclinical contexts — behind the 'cica' soothing trend, plus smaller cosmetic studies suggesting improved comfort, hydration and barrier recovery in sensitised or dry skin. We describe cosmetic soothing and comfort, not treatment of any skin condition; results depend on the specific extract and the whole formula, and independent cosmetic trials are limited. Grade C: a plausible, well-tolerated calming ingredient with a modest cosmetic evidence base.

Key studies

[1]
Centella asiatica actives and skin · review
Antioxidant/soothing and barrier-support signals.
Open on PubMed ↗
[2]
Centella in cosmetic / sensitive-skin use · review
Comfort and hydration in small studies.
Open on PubMed ↗
[3]
Triterpenoids and barrier repair (review) · review
Mechanistic background, largely preclinical.
Open on PubMed ↗

See all studies on PubMed ↗

Mechanism

Its triterpenoid actives are associated with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and with supporting collagen and barrier-repair processes, mostly shown in laboratory and wound-healing models.

Safety

Generally well tolerated and widely used in products aimed at sensitive and reactive skin; allergic reactions are uncommon but possible with botanicals.

Dosage context

Products use varying extracts and standardisations of the active triterpenes, so 'centella' on a label can mean very different things; the specific standardised actives matter more than the plant name.

Examples of application

Used in 'cica' soothing creams and serums for comfort.
Layered to calm temporarily sensitised or dry skin.
Judged on the standardised actives, not the buzzword.

From the field

Cica is a genuinely soothing botanical that the trend has inflated into a cure-all. We grade it C: nice for comfort and calming, judged on the standardised actives, not the buzzword.

Related molecules

Panthenol (provitamin B5)C CeramidesB NiacinamideB

How we assign grades → Method