What is cica?
- Cica is a shorter way of refering to Centella Asiatica. It is also known as Centella, Gotu kola, Kodavan, Indian pennywort, and Asiatic pennywort.
- Cica is a perennial herb commonly found in Asia, South Africa, the South Pacific, India, and Sri Lanka. The Cica plant has small fan-shaped green leaves with white or light purple-to-pink flowers and small oval fruits. It has no scent.
- It has been used for centuries in Asia and in Africa as a medicinal herb.
What is cica good for?
Cica is best known for its ability to heal wounds, speed up superficial scratches and burns in addition to calm eczema and psoriasis flare-ups.
Thanks to the active antioxidant compounds of madecassoside and amino acids, Centella Asiatica can help revitalise the skin’s protective barrier, plus it may mitigate some of the visible effects of sun damage.
- Improvement of small wounds
- Hypertrophic wounds as well as burns
- Psoriasis and eczema
- Scleroderma
- Soothe upset or compromised skin
- Hydrating the skin
- Revitalise skin’s protective barrier
- Mitigate sun-damaged skin
- Symptoms such as redness
Who can use Cica?
- It can be used by all ages, skin types, and is also suitable for skin prone to rosacea.
How do l use Cica cream in my skincare routine?
- Centella Asiatica can be found in cleansers, toners, serums, and creams so this ingredient can be used at any point in your skincare routine. Cica cream can be used both morning and night.
- Cica can irritate sensitive and delicate skin for some people and may result in an allergic reaction. Ensure you do a patch test to know if it’s safe to use on your skin. Start slowly using it overnight a couple of times a week and slowly build up to daily use or as needed.
- If you are using a Retinoid then use cica on top of it to prevent any aggravation
- Apply Cica cream after cleansing. It can serve as a type of thicker moisturising barrier cream.
- If you are using a Cica serum apply it after cleansing and before you apply moisturiser.
What cica ingredients should l look for?
When you purchase a skincare product that has Centella Asiatica it may not be listed in the ingredients as such because Centella Asiatica is made of four main active ingredients:
- Asiaticoside
- Asiatic Acid
- Madecassoside
- Madecassic Acid