The Best Cica Creams

It’s true that a new trending ingredient or “must-have” product seemingly pops up every day. But one of those buzzy ingredients, centella asiatica, has actually been used for thousands of years in countries like India and China to help with wound healing and treating certain skin conditions. Also known as gotu kola, tiger grass, or cica for short, the plant is rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that make it especially great for dry, sensitive, and eczema-prone skin types. The best cica creams contain centella asiatica and/or one of its compounds (more on that ahead), and luckily, there are tons of great options under $25 to choose from.

Additionally, because they’re often geared towards those with skin sensitivities, cica creams will frequently be made without synthetic fragrances. On the list ahead, you’ll also find a few options that are free from essential oils, which can be used to naturally fragrance a product, but can also be a trigger for those with particularly sensitive skin. Even if you don’t consider your skin to be sensitive, cica creams are a great option for dry skin or for applying on nights when you’re using a retinoid because they are so gentle and nourishing. Many cica creams are even a great option for acne-prone skin as they can counteract the drying effects of ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, while cica’s calming properties can help minimize redness from current and past breakouts.

One More Thing To Note

Though cica creams are most commonly formulated by Korean skin care brands, you’ll also notice many French brands with cica balms or creams. Now, here’s where things get tricky. Cicatrisation is a French term for healing and doesn’t necessarily mean the product is formulated with centella asiatica. All of the products on the list ahead include some form of centella asiatica, but when shopping online or in-store, you’ll want to scan the ingredients list to confirm it includes centella asiatica extract or one of its other soothing compounds (madecassoside, madecassic acid, asiaticoside, or asiatic acid).

Shop The Best Cica Creams

In a hurry? Here are the best cica creams:

1. Best Multi-Purpose Cica Cream: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5
2. Best Cica Cream For Oily & Acne-Prone Skin: Mediheal Tea Tree Biome Blemish Cica Cream
3. Best Cica Cream With Ceramides: COSRX Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream
4. Best Cica Cream With Ceramides Under $20: PURITO Centella Green Level Recovery Cream
5. Best Cica Gel Cream: MIZON Cica Aloe 96% Soothing Gel Cream
6. Best Cica Body Cream: Boscia Cica Soothing Universal Cream

1. Writer’s Pick: Best Multi-Purpose Cica Cream

I can’t say enough good things about La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5, which has become the most essential part of my evening skin care routine. I first saw dermatologist Dr. Shereene Idriss raving about this cream on Instagram, and decided to give it a try about a year ago when I was experiencing breakouts and contact dermatitis from the constant mask wearing. Not only did this cream calm the redness and irritation I was experiencing, but it also seems to have helped minimize the frequency and severity of my breakouts in the long run. Originally developed to soothe irritation from diaper rash, the fragrance-free and noncomedogenic cream contains anti-inflammatory ingredients like zinc gluconate and madecassoside, the latter of which is a component of centella asiatica. Nourishing ingredients like shea butter, glycerin, and panthenol make this a serious moisturizer that can stand up to the winter months, but because it isn’t the least bit greasy, you can use it in the warmer months, too.

Cica Ingredient: Madecassoside Other Beneficial Ingredients: Glycerin, Shea Butter, Panthenol, Zinc Gluconate, Vitamin E, La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water Fragrance-Free: Yes Size: 1.35 oz.

Relevant Review: “This is the only cream that my face can tolerate, especially during rosacea flare ups. My skin is super sensitive and all of my prescription creams irritate my skin more. Super gentle unscented formula that instantly soothes itchiness and irritation. Tones down redness. It is also good for dermatitis, eczema and diaper rash.”

2. Best Cica Cream For Oily & Acne-Prone Skin

Yes, cica in general is great for acne-prone skin, but Mediheal’s Tea Tree Biome Blemish Cica Cream takes things a step further with the addition of tea tree. The essential oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that can potentially help treat acne, and it’s even thought to help decrease oil production. Formulated with 50% tea tree leaf water and 25% centella asiatica extract, the green-tinted cream also includes moisturizing and antioxidant-rich ingredients like hyaluronic acid, green tea leaf extract, and avocado fruit extract.

Cica Ingredients: Centella Asiatica Extract, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid Other Beneficial Ingredients: Tea Tree Leaf Water, Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Vitamin E, Avocado Fruit Extract Fragrance-Free: Yes Size: 3.3 oz.

Relevant Review: “Drastically reduces breakouts, very moisturizing. I like that it’s unscented as well. Good for both daytime or nighttime.”

3. Best Cica Cream With Ceramides

COSRX might be best known for its snail mucin products, but the K-beauty brand’s Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream has its own dedicated following on Reddit and Amazon. In here, centella asiatica leaf water (and several of centella asiatica’s compounds) provide soothing and moisturizing benefits, but the cream also includes ceramide NP. Not only do ceramides boost your skin’s hydration levels, but they’re also great for sensitive skin types because they help to strengthen the skin barrier to protect against moisture loss and environmental irritants. While this is made without synthetic fragrance, it’s important to note that it does contain limonene and bergamot fruit oil, which can be potential irritants for those with extremely sensitive skin.

Cica Ingredients: Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid Other Beneficial Ingredients: Glycerin, Sunflower Seed Oil, Ceramide, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Fragrance-Free: Yes Size: 2.8 oz.

Relevant Review: “I use this as my night cream. It goes on after the tretinoin and does a great job of soothing the skin as well as deep moisturizing. But it’s not heavy. It works during the winter months when my skin can get pretty dry and flaky. I do not like scented skincare products, but I love this cream’s light lemony one.”

4. Best Cica Cream With Ceramides Under $20

For a slightly less expensive cica cream that includes the benefits of ceramides, there’s this PURITO Centella Green Level Recovery Cream. The rich cream contains multiple moisturizing ingredients like squalane, shea butter, and hyaluronic acid, as well as multi-tasking niacinamide, which helps with everything from protecting the skin barrier to fading unwanted hyperpigmentation. Similar to COSRX, PURITO’s cica cream is free from synthetic fragrances, but it does contain naturally occurring fragrance compounds and essential oils like limonene, linalool, bergamot oil, and lavender oil, which can be potential irritants.

Cica Ingredients: Centella Asiatica Extract, Asiaticoside, Asiatica Acid, Madecassic Acid Other Beneficial Ingredients: Glycerin, Squalane, Niacinamide, Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Mushroom Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide Fragrance-Free: Yes Size: 1.7 oz.

Relevant Review: “This was my first time using a centella cream, but it won’t be the last! Incredibly soothing, speeds up healing, and reduces redness. When it’s extra hot outside, I like to put it in the refrigerator for a cooling effect. I will definitely repurchase — I just wish this came in a bigger container.”

5. Best Cica Gel Cream

If you’ve ever reached for a cooling aloe gel to calm irritation after shaving or spending the day out in the sun, consider MIZON’s Cica Aloe 96% Soothing Gel Cream. The lightweight gel mainly contains aloe leaf extract, but it also uses centella asiatica extract to provide relief from minor burns, irritations, insect bites, dryness, and itching. The oil-free formula naturally has a cooling effect when applied, but to really soothe and refresh your skin, try popping the container into the fridge for 10 minutes before you put it on.

Cica Ingredient: Centella Asiatica Extract Other Beneficial Ingredients: Glycerin, Aloe Leaf Extract, Hyaluronic Acid Fragrance-Free: Yes Size: 10.6 oz.

Relevant Review: “Love this stuff for any skin issues that you want a more gentle solution. It is amazing on burns (especially on wind burn) and is so soothing. It goes on almost cold to provide instant relief, and you can feel the effects for a long time. Very gentle for even the worst burns.”

6. Best Cica Body Cream

Technically, you could use any of the face creams on this list on your body, too. But excluding the Mizon gel, they all come in a smaller size that would require you to use half of the bottle to do so. Boscia’s Cica Soothing Universal Cream comes in a slightly larger tube that was designed to be used on your face and body. While centella asiatica extract helps to calm irritated skin, the cream also includes soothing bisabolol and ginger root extract, as well as a probiotic and ceramides to maintain a healthy skin barrier. You can apply this lightweight cream on its own, or layer it over the brand’s Peptide Youth-Restore Firming Body Serum for even more hydration.

Cica Ingredient: Centella Asiatica Extract Other Beneficial Ingredients: Glycerin, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Panthenol, Bisabolol, Jojoba Seed Extract, Ceramide, Ginger Root Extract, Probiotic Fragrance-Free: Yes Size: 3.4 oz.

Relevant Review: “This is a must for dry sensitive skin. Very lightweight and hydrating without leaving my skin feeling greasy like some moisturizers do. My new go to!”

7. You May Also Like: This Cica CC Cream

This isn’t a cica cream in the traditional sense, but if you’re looking to add some soothing benefits to your makeup routine Erborian’s CC Crème will be your new go-to. Designed to color correct and blur imperfections, the cream comes in three different tints that use encapsulated pigments to adjust to your skin tone. The results will give you light coverage with a soft glow — plus, additional sun protection thanks to SPF 25.

Shades: 3 Cica Ingredient: Centella Asiatica Extract Other Beneficial Ingredients: SPF 25, Glycerin, Honey Extract, Vitamin E Fragrance-Free: No Size: 1.5 oz.

Relevant Review: “Basically, this does exactly what I need it to do- it has SPF25, it evens out my complexion, keeps it moisturized, and looks completely natural. It also [has] ingredients that benefit the health of the skin, like Centella Asiatica, honey, and vitamin E, so that's a plus too[...] This is a product I use pretty much every day and I've already re-purchased it twice, and I'm not searching for anything else. Love it.”