It seems like everyday a new skincare ingredient is trending & now Cica or Centella asiatica, a main ingredient of cica cream has stole the limelight. While, it has been around for a while, it isn’t until lately that market has shifted its focus on to this superior anti-inflammatory ingredient. Keep reading to know all about cica, its benefits, how to add this to your skin care routine & absolutely everything.
Let’s Start With The History of Cica
Ofcourse, Cica is not just discovered, it’s been widely used in ayurvedic medicine for centuries. But, some recent studies threw some light on it’s amazing cosmetic benefits. In the past year, this hero ingredient appeared in most of the korean skincare routine. Aestheticians say, higher levels of pollution can make skin more sensitive & as cica is rich in skin-sensitive ingredients, it’s a go-to ingredient to calm the redness & irritated skin. So, What exactly is cica? Let’s see.
What is Cica?
Centella Asiatica, nicknamed as cica, is a plant or a shrub, on which tigers roll on to heal their battle wounds! This justifies the reference of cica as tiger grass. Dermatologists explain that cica has skin regeneration properties and this is how the plant is capable of healing wounds & has been used in medicine across India & other asian countries for centuries.
A study in 2012 found that cica extracts promotes wound healing in incision and burn wound models. However, the benefits of Cica or Centella asiatica are not limited to curing wounds or healing stomach aches. Read further to know the benefits of cica or cica cream when as a cosmetic ingredient.
Cica & Skincare: Is It Worth The Hype?
Cica is believed to improve skin hydration, control moisture loss (a big win for people with dry & flaky skin). This is just a fraction of how cica benefits your skin. Based on its chemical formulation, Cica is rich in amino acids, beta-carotene, fatty acids, and phytochemicals, including vitamins C, A, B1, and B2. So, What do they do? Well, with all the antioxidant properties, together they all support in boosting collagen production, which improves skin firmness & elasticity. These antioxidant properties can also help calm inflammation caused due to wounds, acne and eczema.
Some dermatologists claim that cica can diminish age spots, wrinkles & fine lines. If dullness is your main qualm, cica may help in brightening your tone, may also aid in moisturization, boosts blood circulation, aids in cellular repair, thus promoting bright & more hydrated skin. When topically applied, cica cream can protect top layers of skin from pollution & other environmental toxins.
So, what does all this jargon mean? It means that your skin gets really really better. With cica in your routine, your skin doesn’t feel dry, it’s recovered from acne & the irritation followed, looks brighter & better. Not just as a cosmetic ingredient, but when consumed as a medicine, cica has the ability to heal wounds. Ofcourse, there might be tons of other compounds which are equally effective, but this single ingredient is capable of many benefits, that too without causing any irritation.
We did our research, asked experts about this hero ingredient and here are our top picks of cica cream, available in the market. (Oh, Just to let you know, these are not sponsored!)