Learn About the Soothing Properties of Cica Cream for Sensitive Skin
If you have sensitive skin, using a Cica cream can be an effective way to gently moisturise and comfort skin while helping to strengthen the skin barrier function.
The word 'cica' is believed to have originated from the Latin word 'cicatrix' which means scar. These moisturisers often contain Centella Asiatica and have historically been used to soothe and strengthen the skin’s protective barrier.
Cica creams originated in Europe and have recently gained a cult following in South Korean skincare. While Cica creams are growing in popularity, Kiehl’s has used Centella Asiatica since the mid-2000s – when we first launched Dermatologist Solutions™. Our experience with this as a skincare ingredient inspired our own Cica cream, carefully formulated to help soothe feelings of discomfort while helping to strengthen, reinforce and protect a compromised skin barrier.
What are the Benefits of Using a Cica Cream for Sensitive Skin?
Often characterised by dryness and feelings of discomfort, sensitive skin may not always show visible signs of sensitivity but may still have limited tolerance to certain everyday products. Sensitive skin types often have a compromised skin barrier which can lead to dryness and susceptibility to external conditions like the sun, cold temperatures, and pollution. Using a Cica cream can help to leave skin feeling comforted while also helping to reinforce and strengthen skin's barrier.
What is Centella Asiatica?
Centella Asiatica is a perennial plant commonly found in tropical and subtropical areas in Asia and Southern Africa. Centella Asiatica flourishes in swampy and shady areas and cannot be cultivated so it is always harvested in the wild. In China, it is also known as gotu kola and is called one of the "miracle elixirs of life." Centella Asiatica is known to have skincare properties – legend even has it that tigers in Asia have been seen rubbing their wounds in this herb earning it the name of "tiger herb" or "tiger grass."
Kiehl’s Centella Sensitive Cica Cream
Drawing from our experience with Centella Asiatica, our Cica cream is formulated with Madecassoside, one of the main potent components derived from Centella Asiatica, along with D-Panthenol. Richly moisturising, our formula provides up to 48-hour hydration and feels instantly soothing and nourishing on skin. Our Cica cream helps strengthen the skin barrier function. With a rich texture, our non-comedogenic Cica cream absorbs easily into skin without excess rubbing. Free of fragrances and alcohol, our gentle barrier cream is also suitable for the eye area.
What Makes Kiehl’s Cica Cream Unique?
Inspired by the traditional uses of Cica creams, our chemists drew from our expertise in sensitive skin and designed a formula that helps soothe and care for skin while also helping to strengthen and fortify skin’s barrier.
Hypoallergenic
Our Cica cream is expertly formulated to be hypoallergenic, meaning it is unlikely to cause skin sensitivity. While it is impossible to guarantee that a formula will never cause sensitivity, we carefully selected ingredients and designed a stringent testing protocol to confirm that our Cica cream is efficacious, yet gentle. We tested our formula around the world on over 300 people with 100% self-reported sensitive skin.
Clinically Tested
Clinically tested to strengthen and protect skin’s barrier function, our Cica cream is clinically demonstrated to help repair the moisture barrier of sensitive skin.
Key Ingredients
With our experience with Centella Asiatica in other skincare formulas, we infused our Cica cream with Madecassoside, a component of Centella Asiatica, along with D-Panthenol.
Madecassoside
One of the most potent components of the Centella Asiatica plant, Madecassoside, is extracted, isolated, and purified to form a concentrated extract. To produce Madecassoside, four times the amount of Centella Asiatica leaves are required as is needed to produce Centella Asiatica Extract. Our formula, containing Madecassoside, helps improve skin’s texture while helping soothe and relieve discomfort.
D-Panthenol
We also infuse our Cica Cream with D-Panthenol, also known as Vitamin B3. Our formula, created with D-panthenol, it helps reinforce the skin barrier and is also known to help dry skin increase its water-holding capacity.
Pair Cica Cream with a Cleanser for Sensitive Skin
As part of your skincare routine for sensitive skin, start with our mildest facial cleanser. Centella Sensitive Facial Cleanser gently cleanses away dirt, oil and impurities from skin’s surface while helping to soothe and strengthen skin’s barrier function. Formulated with Centella Asiatica, this non-comedogenic cleanser leaves skin feeling clean, supple, and soothed with all-day hydration. Free of fragrances and alcohol, this non-stripping cleanser has also been tested under dermatologist control on a 100% self-reported sensitive skin panel and is suitable for the eye area.
