Best Centella Products: 5 Cica Serums, Creams and Toners Compared

The best centella product for most people is SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule, a seven-ingredient serum with centella extract high on the list for $15.99. La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5 is the best cica cream for dry, irritated patches, Purito Wonder Releaf Centella Serum Unscented is the best pick for sensitive skin because it states how much centella it contains, and SKIN1004 Centella Toning Toner is the best toner. All four are fragrance-free or unscented and sold at Target.

Before you buy, you can scan a product's barcode or photograph its label with the ingredient scanner in Pori to check it against your skin type and see whether centella is near the top of the list or near the end. Pori reads labels; it does not diagnose skin conditions.

Quick picks

• Best overall: SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule ($15.99 for 55 ml, Target): water, glycerin, butylene glycol and centella extract, then only three more ingredients.
• Best cica cream: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5 ($18.99 for 1.35 oz, Target): a fragrance-free skin protectant with panthenol, centella leaf extract and madecassoside.
• Best for sensitive skin: Purito Wonder Releaf Centella Serum Unscented ($20 for 2.02 fl oz, Target): it lists centella extract at 34,860 ppm plus four purified centella compounds.
• Best toner: SKIN1004 Centella Toning Toner ($12.89 for 210 ml, Target): centella third on the list, with niacinamide and a gentle PHA.
• Best "cica" cream without centella: Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream ($25.99 for 1.3 fl oz, Target): a barrier cream sold under the cica name that contains no centella at all.

We compared published ingredient lists, brand claims and listed prices; we did not test these products on skin. Prices are US list prices as of November 2026, with the retailer named, and they change often. For what the research shows, read our guide to centella asiatica and cica benefits.

How do the best centella products compare?

What does centella actually do for skin?

Centella asiatica, sold as "cica," is a soothing plant extract, and its main compounds, madecassoside and asiaticoside, are linked to calmer inflammation and wound healing. A review of centella in cosmetology notes that these compounds make up 1% to 8% of the plant, depending on where it grew, which is one reason two extracts can behave very differently.

The human studies are small but encouraging:

• Hydration and barrier. In a study of creams with 2.5% and 5% centella extract, both raised skin hydration and reduced water loss.
• Redness after procedures. A split-face trial after fractional laser treatment found that a gel with a 0.05% standardized centella extract reduced redness on the treated side.

That makes centella a sensible choice for irritated, over-treated or windburned skin. It will not clear acne or rosacea on its own. And the word "cica" on a jar tells you nothing about how much centella is inside, or whether there is any, as the Avène pick shows.

Which centella products are best?

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule: best overall

This is about as simple as a centella serum gets. Target's listing shows seven ingredients: water, glycerin, butylene glycol, centella asiatica extract, 1,2-hexanediol, cellulose gum and ethylhexylglycerin. It lists no artificial fragrance, is recommended for sensitive, normal and acne-prone skin, and costs $15.99 for 55 ml.

Who it suits: anyone who wants to try centella with as few other variables as possible, and reactive skin that does better with short lists. Who should skip it: dry skin that needs more than a watery layer; follow it with a moisturizer. The catch: the label info on Target calls it 100% centella extract, yet the ingredient list puts centella fourth, after water. The brand does not publish a percentage, and its claim that Madagascar centella has seven times more soothing actives is unverified.

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5: best cica cream

This is a barrier balm first and a centella product second. The US version is an over-the-counter skin protectant with dimethicone 1% as the active ingredient, backed by panthenol, shea butter, glycerin, centella leaf extract and madecassoside, one of centella's main compounds. Target's listing calls it fragrance-free and lists the 1.35 oz tube at $18.99, on sale for $13.69 when we checked.

Who it suits: chapped, cracked or chafed patches, skin that stings after too many actives, and dry skin at night. Who should skip it: oily or acne-prone skin looking for an all-over daytime moisturizer. The catch: it is thick and can feel heavy, and centella sits low on the list. Our Cicaplast Balm B5 review goes ingredient by ingredient.

Purito Wonder Releaf Centella Serum Unscented: best for sensitive skin

Purito does something rare: it states amounts. Target's listing shows centella asiatica extract at 34,860 ppm, about 3.5%, plus asiaticoside, madecassoside, madecassic acid and asiatic acid in parts per million. The base adds niacinamide, sodium hyaluronate, panthenol, allantoin, four peptides and ceramide NP, with no fragrance added. It costs $20 for 2.02 fl oz.

Who it suits: very sensitive, redness-prone or over-exfoliated skin, and people who like to know what they are getting. Who should skip it: anyone who reacts to niacinamide, which some sensitive skin does. The catch: the extract percentage lands in the range used in the hydration study, but extracts are not standardized the same way, so the numbers do not transfer directly. Make sure the box says Unscented.

SKIN1004 Centella Toning Toner: best toner

Target's listing puts centella extract third, after water and dipropylene glycol, followed by niacinamide, gluconolactone, adenosine, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, betaine and hyaluronic acid. It is unscented and costs $12.89 for 210 ml, which makes it the cheapest per milliliter here.

Who it suits: normal and acne-prone skin that wants a calming toner with light exfoliation. Who should skip it: skin that is actively irritated right now, or anyone already using a strong acid. The catch: gluconolactone is a polyhydroxy acid, a mild exfoliant, so this is not a pure soothing step. PHAs are gentler than glycolic acid; our guide to PHAs for sensitive skin explains why. For more choices, see our best toner roundup.

Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream: the "cica" cream with no centella

We include this one to make a point. Cicalfate+ is widely shelved with cica creams, yet Target's ingredient list shows no centella, madecassoside or asiaticoside. Its actives are copper sulfate, zinc sulfate, zinc oxide and a postbiotic ferment in a base of thermal water, caprylic/capric triglyceride, mineral oil and beeswax. It is fragrance-free and costs $25.99 for 1.3 fl oz.

Who it suits: dry or irritated patches that need a protective cream. Who should skip it: anyone shopping specifically for centella. The catch: zinc oxide is listed, but the product is not a sunscreen and has no SPF.

Which centella product should you choose?

• Irritated, over-treated skin: Purito serum under Cicaplast Balm B5 at night. Our damaged skin barrier guide explains how to strip your routine back.
• Oily or acne-prone skin: the SKIN1004 ampoule, or the toner if you want light exfoliation, under a light moisturizer.
• Redness-prone skin: the Purito serum, after a patch test. Our best moisturizer for rosacea roundup covers the next step.
• Dry, chapped patches: Cicaplast Balm B5 or Cicalfate+, used as a spot treatment.

You can browse more options in our serums for sensitive skin and toners catalogues.

How do you use centella products?

Use the thinnest product first: toner after cleansing, then a centella serum, then moisturizer or balm, and sunscreen in the morning. Centella is gentle enough for twice-daily use. If your skin is reacting to something, pause exfoliants and retinoids for a week or two and let a centella serum and a plain moisturizer carry the routine.

Plant extracts can still cause allergies. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests testing a new product on a small area for several days before using it on your face, and our patch test guide walks through it. If redness, bumps or burning do not settle, see a dermatologist rather than adding more products.

How we chose

We looked for centella products sold at full size by a major US retailer, with published ingredient lists. We gave extra credit when centella sits high on the list or the brand states an amount, when madecassoside or asiaticoside appear, when fragrance is left out, and for a fair price per milliliter. We checked every listing and price on Target in November 2026. We did not wear-test any product. Our evidence summary draws on the cosmetology review, the hydration study and the post-laser trial. If your skin stays red, itchy or sore, a board-certified dermatologist can check for eczema, rosacea or contact allergy.