Centella Asiatica has become one of the most popular ingredients in skincare right now, especially when it comes to Korean beauty and products. In fact, there’s an entire trend going on around this special ingredient right now, called the “cica” trend (Cica is another word for Centella Asiatica). This magic botanical ingredient is found in creams, serums and not only and it has numerous benefits for all skin types – hydration, acne-fighting and anti-aging benefits being just a few of them.
If you’re a fan of natural ingredients in your skincare and want to find out everything about the science behind it and how to use Centella Asiatica for acne, read on!
- What is Centella Asiatica (Cica)?
- What is in Centella Asiatica?
- Centella Asiatica benefits for skin
- Centella Asiatica in skincare
- Centella Asiatica for anti-aging
- Centella Asiatica for stretch marks
- Centella Asiatica for acnePimple patches with Centella Asiatica
- How to recognize Centella Asiatica extract in cosmetics?
- Madecassoside – what is it?
- Centella Asiatica products
What is Centella Asiatica (Cica)?
Centella Asiatica, also known as Gotu Kola, Indian pennywort or Tiger Grass, is a plant that has been used in traditional Chinese, African and Indian Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. Centella Asiatica is native to Asia and its leaves are rich in compounds like saponins and triterpenoids, which have shown to be beneficial for the skin. Moreover, some Asian cultures have introduced the leaves of Centella Asiatica into their kitchens as well and they consume it raw in salads, smoothies or drinks.
Although Centella Asiatica extract has been used in skincare products for a long time now, it’s only in the recent years that has increased in popularity – and with good reason!
Except for being an excellent moisturizer and collagen booster, CA can also help treat various skin conditions such as psoriasis and dermatitis, for example. Centella Asiatica is also good for speedy recovery of shallow wounds and cuts, as well as light scars. In short, this unique plant offers a collagen boost that can be useful in numerous situations.
But before diving deeper into the usage and benefits subject, let’s find out what’s inside Centella Asiatica that’s so magical and useful for our skin!
What is in Centella Asiatica?
The leaves of the Centella Asiatica plant are rich in compounds like saponins and triterpenoids, which have shown to be beneficial for the skin. Lately, Centella Asiatica extract has become a popular ingredient in skincare products due to its ability to calm, soothe, and heal the skin.
Specifically talking about skincare-related ingredients, Centella Asiatica contains four main active ingredients called “terpenoids”, as follows: asiatic acid, asiaticoside, madecassic acid and madecassoside. All four of them offer lots of benefits when used on the skin.
Let’s take them one by one:
- Asiatic acid – antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, especially good for fighting acne
- Asiaticoside – wound healing properties and helps with collagen synthesis
- Madecassic acid – helps with burn healing and improves the appearance of post-op scars. Also reduces the marks caused by sun exposure
- Madecassoside – wound healing properties and helps with collagen synthesis
Except for the terpenoids, Centella is also rich in vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids and moisturizers.
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Centella Asiatica benefits for skin
When talking about the amazing Centella Asiatica benefits, we simply don’t know where to start, as there are so many advantages of including this key ingredient in your daily routine. One of the most notable benefits of Centella Asiatica for skin is its ability to speed up wound healing. This is due to the presence of compounds like saponins, which help to stimulate collagen production. Centella Asiatica leaf extract and Centella Asiatica powder (the plants’ leaves can be transformed into various shapes and forms) can also help to soothe inflammation and reduce redness.
Here are the most important Centella Asiatica skin benefits:
- Centella Asiatica is an effective remedy for small wounds, scratches and burns that speeds up the healing
- Thanks to its ability to promote collagen synthesis, Centella Asiatica products have anti-ageing benefits as well
- Reduces skin irritation, redness and itchiness
- Improves circulation
- Hydrates the skin and helps reducing water loss
- Anti-scarring properties when used on wounds
- Acne-fighting properties thanks to the madecassoside active ingredient
- Effective and gentle on sensitive skin as well
- Photoprotection
- Helps with pigment fading
Although most people know Centella Asiatica in skin care for its ability to hydrate the skin and heal wounds, there are numerous other advantages of using it, as you can see in our list above – one of the biggest ones being its anti-ageing properties!
This was just a short round-up of the numerous Centella Asiatica extract skin benefits - we’ll discuss them all in detail below.
Centella Asiatica in skincare
There are many different ways that Centella Asiatica can be used in skincare. It can be found in cleansers, toners, serums, moisturizers, and even sunscreens. The extract is also often used in acne treatments and products dedicated for sensitive skin.
There are a few ways you can use Centella Asiatica extract to benefit your skin. One way is to add a few drops of the extract to your regular moisturizer or facial oil. For example, if you have a serum, add a few drops of pure extract into the bottle – now you have a Centella Asiatica serum!
A better alternative would be to buy skincare products specifically formulated with Centella Asiatica extract. This would be the better choice because these products are carefully formulated so they boost the benefits of all the included ingredients. You can also find products that specifically target acne, like serums, spot treatments and pimple patches.
And a little note to keep in mind: when using products containing Centella Asiatica extract, be sure to follow the instructions on the packaging. For best results, use the product as directed and avoid over-exfoliating or over-cleansing your skin before application.
Now let’s dive deeper into the benefits of Centella Asiatica for various skin problems:
Centella Asiatica for anti-aging
Centella Asiatica is often used in anti-aging skincare products. The active compounds in Centella Asiatica are thought to help improve skin health by boosting collagen production.
Collagen is a protein that helps keep skin firm and elastic. As we age, our bodies produce less collagen, which can lead to wrinkles and sagging skin. Centella Asiatica is thought to help improve collagen production and to inhibit collagenase, which may help reduce the signs of aging. Thus, anti-aging skincare products containing Centella Asiatica are proven to be effective on mature skin.
Centella Asiatica for stretch marks
Stretch marks are a common problem, especially for women who are pregnant or have recently given birth – but not only. Stretch marks are literally indented streaks of skin that can occur on hips, breasts, bottom, as well as on the abdomen. These usually happen when the skin is stretched due to various reasons such as pregnancy, puberty or weight gain. Although stretch marks are not painful, they can be aesthetically unpleasing for some people.
The active compounds in Centella Asiatica are thought to help improve the appearance of stretch marks by boosting collagen production. When it comes to stretch marks, prevention is always better than cure, so Centella Asiatica can be successfully used to prevent new stretchmarks.
Centella Asiatica for acne
Acne is a common skin condition that can be difficult to treat. Acne occurs because of dead skin cells and oils are clogging the pores of your skin, thus creating blackheads. In case bacteria gets inside as well, then inflammation appears, followed by whiteheads. Acne can also be caused by hormonal change, genetics and different substances we use to clean and treat our skin.
In case you’re facing this problem, Centella Asiatica might be a solution. The active compounds in Centella Asiatica are thought to help improve the appearance of acne by reducing inflammation and boosting collagen production.
If you’re dealing with inflammatory acne, Centella Asiatica is a good choice because the asiatic acid compound has strong anti-inflammatory properties which can help combat whiteheads and pustules. Plus, all four active ingredients in CA combined will help reducing the redness of skin and all of them have antimicrobial and anti-scarring properties.
When looking for acne-fighting products containing Centella Asiatica, you’ll usually find creams, toners, ampoules, SPF creams and more – as well as pimple patches!
Pimple patches with Centella Asiatica
Both WOW Patches are infused with powerful Centella Asiatica extracts that deliver their active, zit-healing properties directly to the spot, healing the pimple faster and clearing your skin.
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Your zit-free emergency kit for reducing early-stage painful & deep pimples, 18pcs
How to recognize Centella Asiatica extract in cosmetics?
When shopping for a Centella Asiatica cream or serum, be sure to look for ones that list it as an active ingredient. Centella Asiatica is usually listed on the ingredient label of cosmetic products as “Centella Asiatica Extract” or “Gotu Kola Extract.”
Alternatively, you can also look for the individual active ingredients such as asiatic acid, asiaticoside, madecassic acid, madecassoside. Most products containing Centella Asiatica will have a mix of them in their composition.
Madecassoside – what is it?
Madecassoside (MA) is a compound naturally occurring in Centella Asiatica. It belongs to a class of compounds known as triterpenoids. Triterpenoids are known for their anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties, as well as being anti-aging agents. Plus, among its main benefits is the capacity to reduce free radicals occurring after exposure to various harmful environmental factors – such as UV, for example.
Madecassoside is thought to be one of the most active compounds in Centella Asiatica and it can be used in combination with numerous other ingredients as well, including irritating ones because it has the capability to soothe the skin.
Madecassoside has a variety of benefits for skin, including:
- Reducing inflammation
- Stimulating collagen production
- Speeding up wound healing
- Soothing acne
- Protecting skin from sun damage
- Antioxidant properties, especially when combined with Vitamin C
Centella Asiatica products
If you're looking for a skincare ingredient that can help to improve your skin's health, then Centella Asiatica extract is definitely worth considering. Centella Asiatica extract is often found in skincare products, including serums, toners, creams, gels and capsules. You can also find Centella Asiatica products that specifically target acne.
In case you want maximum benefits, applying a Centella Asiatica serum is an excellent choice because it will stay on your skin for longer, compared to, for example, a toner.
If you have sensitive skin, it's always a good idea to patch test any new product before using it. Apply a small amount of the product to an area of your skin and wait 24 hours to see if there is any reaction. If your skin looks and feels fine, then you can use the product as normal.
When using products with Centella Asiatica, start with once or twice a week and increase as needed. You can use these products in the morning or at night, depending on your preference. Be sure to follow up with a sunscreen during the day if you're using them in the morning, as this extract can make your skin more susceptible to sun damage.
If you’re pregnant or breasfeeding it is recommended to talk to your doctor before adding Centella Asiatica into your skincare routine.
Hugs!
Adrienne | Co-founder of OMMA Cosmetics
Photo sources: OMMA