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Quick verdict
Centella asiatica extract is a mixture with no standard behind it, which is why cica products vary so wildly. Madecassoside is one purified compound from that plant and the one with the most soothing research behind it. TECA is a titrated extract standardised to a set ratio of actives. If you want a cica product that does something, look for the second or third word on the list rather than the first on the box.
We have said before that cica is an unregulated marketing term and that the amount in a product varies enormously. That is true and it leaves an obvious question unanswered: how do you find one that actually contains something?
The answer is on the ingredient list, and it comes down to which of four words appears there.
Centella asiatica extract is a mixture
The plant contains several active compounds — madecassoside, asiaticoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid among them. An ingredient listed simply as “Centella Asiatica Extract” is a mixture of whatever the extraction process pulled out.
That composition varies by growing conditions, extraction method and supplier. Two products can list the identical ingredient and contain meaningfully different things.
This is why cica products are so inconsistent, and why our advice has been to judge by position on the list rather than by the word on the front.
Madecassoside is one compound
It is a single purified triterpenoid isolated from that mixture, and it is the one with the most research behind it for soothing and supporting skin repair.
When a brand lists it separately, that means something. They did not simply buy a generic extract — they paid for a refined ingredient with a known identity. It is a purchasing decision you can see on the label.
It is also, practically, the version to look for if the reason you want cica is redness and irritation rather than general marketing appeal.
TECA is the standardised version
TECA stands for Titrated Extract of Centella Asiatica. “Titrated” is the important word: it means the extract has been purified and standardised to a defined ratio of the active compounds rather than left as whatever came out of the plant.
That solves the consistency problem directly. A TECA-based product should contain the same balance of actives batch after batch, which a generic extract cannot promise.
This is the specification that separates dermatological centella products from the rest of the shelf, and it is why the pharmaceutical-adjacent Korean brands lean on it.
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What this means when you are shopping
Four words, in ascending order of how much they tell you:
- “Cica” — on the front of the box. Tells you nothing. Not an ingredient.
- “Centella Asiatica Extract” — a real ingredient of unknown composition. Check its position on the list.
- “Madecassoside” — a named compound. The brand chose a refined ingredient.
- “TECA” or “Titrated Extract” — standardised. The most consistent of the four.
None of this makes a generic extract useless. It makes it unpredictable, which is a different and more annoying problem — you cannot tell whether a product underperformed or whether you got a weak batch.
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Formats and the frequency trap
Centella turns up in pads, creams, ampoules and masks, and the format changes how much attention the frequency needs.
Pads are the one to watch. A soothing pad is a leave-on layer and is generally fine daily — but plenty of Korean pads combine centella with exfoliating acids, and those are a treatment rather than a daily step. Read the actives before assuming a cica pad is gentle.
Creams are the straightforward format. Nothing to overdo, and the centella sits in something that also seals.
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Who should look for this
Reactive skin that flushes easily. This is where the soothing evidence is strongest, and where the refined versions are worth the difference.
Anyone recovering from actives. A retinoid adjustment period or an over-exfoliation episode is the textbook use.
People who have tried cica and found it did nothing. There is a reasonable chance you bought a token amount of generic extract. Check the list before concluding the ingredient does not work for you.
Who can ignore it
Calm skin. Soothing ingredients work on irritation. With none present there is little to observe.
Anyone treating acne, marks or texture. Centella in any form is not a treatment for those. It makes irritated skin comfortable while something else does the work.
Damaged barriers. Comfort is not repair — that needs ceramides and lipids.
FAQ
Is madecassoside better than centella extract?
More predictable rather than automatically better. You know exactly what you are getting, which a generic extract cannot tell you.
What does TECA stand for?
Titrated Extract of Centella Asiatica — an extract standardised to a defined ratio of active compounds rather than left variable.
Do I need a high percentage?
Percentages are rarely published and there is no standard for what is being measured. Position on the ingredient list is the more reliable signal, and a named refined compound beats a high-sounding number attached to a generic extract.
Can I use cica products every day?
The ingredient itself, yes. Check the rest of the formula — pads in particular often include acids, which changes the answer entirely.
The bottom line
Madecassoside and TECA are the words that carry information. “Cica” is the word that sells the product, and it appears on things containing almost nothing.
Turn the box over. If centella appears only as a generic extract low on the list, you are buying the story. If a refined compound is named, somebody made a decision you can verify.