Cica: Madagascar’s magical skincare ingredient.
Korean skincare has rose in popularity throughout the west, and with it has come the pressure of perfect 10-step skincare routines and flawless glass skin. As someone who has an interest in Korean culture, their skincare definitely piqued my interest. Unfortunately, though, my skin is sensitive — leaving me with very little choice of products to use in my skincare routine that won’t irritate it.
Not too long ago, I was gifted a product from SKIN1004’s Madagascar Centella line, which features the ingredient ‘Cica’, or ‘Centella Asiatica’, sourced by SKIN1004 directly from Madagascar. It is harvested using Good Agricultural and Collect Practices reducing the risk of microbial contamination, which can greatly reduce the quality of a product.
Historically, Cica has been used in traditional Korean medicinal practices (‘hanbang’) and is
known for its ability to reduce inflammation, and calm and soothe sensitive and easily
irritable skin.
The SKIN1004 products sounded perfect for my skin type, so I tried a few – including their Light Cleansing Oil and Ampoule. This was my first time trying a cleansing oil and I was blown away by how it removed my makeup with ease, leaving my skin feeling far cleaner than it would have if I’d have used micellar water or a regular cleanser. Despite being an oil-based product, it didn’t leave my skin feeling greasy at all, and the inclusion of Cica in the ingredients left my skin feeling soothed.
Prior to buying the Ampoule, I had rarely used serums in my skincare routine — I just hadn’t found anything that suited me. What drew me to this product the most was the fact it had only one ingredient (no seriously!) — Centella Asiatica — leaving very little room for irritation, which normally happens when I use products with multiple ingredients. I absolutely love how this product left my skin feeling nourished and hydrated – and I also noticed how much my skin glowed after applying the ampoule, making it the perfect base for a dewy makeup look.
Both of these products are now staples in my regular skincare routine and make me feel, as
a sensitive skin sufferer, much more included in the Korean skincare trend. My only wish is
that I’d have found these products sooner.
You can buy SKIN1004 products here.
Edited by Tia Xiourouppas