AD Info | These products were kindly sent to me for review by SKIN1004. This post is sponsored but all opinions remain my own.
SKIN1004 reached out to ask if I’d be interested in trying and sharing my thoughts on their Madagascar Centella line. I’m a massive fan of Centella Asiatica so the idea of a whole skincare range dedicated to this wonder ingredient sounded like an absolute dream.
I’ve seen lots of skincare enthusiasts gush over the Centella ampoule on Instagram, so I was particularly excited to try this product out … and to see how it worked in conjunction with the rest of the line.
If you’re interested in hearing my thoughts on this line and for a full Skin1004 centella ampoule review, keep reading!
Who is SKIN1004?
Launched in 2012, SKIN1004 is a Korean skincare brand that uses the power of clean, natural ingredients to help users ‘discover their best skin’.
They have six collections which each target different skin types and concerns:
- Centella - For normal to dry skin.
- Hyalu-Cica - For inflamed, irritated skin.
- Tone Brightening - For dull, tired skin with pigmentation.
- Poremizing - For skin with enlarged pores and excess sebum.
- Tea-Trica - For oily, acne-prone skin.
- Probio-Cica - For sensitive skin in need of moisture.
These collections may suit different skin types but they do all have one thing in common: the star ingredient of each is Centella Asiatica.
What is Centella Asiatica? And what does it do for your skin?
Centella Asiatica, or cica for short, is a herb that belongs to the parsley family. To answer your first question, yes, it is edible! But it also has a ton of topical skin-saving benefits, which is why it has become so popular in the beauty community.
If you’re into Korean skincare you’ve probably come across this ingredient A LOT. Centella is well known for its antioxidant properties, as well as its ability to hydrate and nourish the skin.
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil
Would you believe that this was the first cleansing oil I ever tried? I’m normally a cleansing balm type of person but I think this oil might have won me over. It removes makeup really well (even stubborn waterproof mascara!) and doesn’t require too much rubbing at the skin to get the job done.
The scent is really light and slightly floral - probably due to the inclusion of bergamot, rose and geranium oil. Some may find these essential oils irritating, but I actually find that this product is really gentle, so it doesn’t dry my skin out or leave it feeling sensitive. If you’re someone who likes their oil-based cleanser to be lightweight, pleasant smelling and easy to wash off, definitely give this one a go!
The only downside for me, as someone who’s used to using cleansing balms, is that it can be quite messy. So, make sure you clean up the bottle a bit before you put it away.
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule Foam
The consistency of this cleanser really surprised me! I’d expected it to be super foamy straight out of the tube, but it actually has a clay mask-type texture. Adding water is what makes this cleanser foam up, so you only need a pea-sized amount to begin with.
The instructions say to work the product together on wet palms. However, I found I needed a splash more water to get the cleanser to reach that perfect foamy consistency.
Once I applied it to my skin, I could instantly tell this was a winner. With the right cleanser-water balance this is really creamy and rubs into the skin really easily.
This isn’t necessarily an extremely hydrating cleanser, but it does soothe the skin. I’d say it’s ideal for oily or acne-prone skin types that want to thoroughly wash the skin without stripping it of its natural oils.
A little goes a long way with this foam cleanser so I can see the tube lasting me A LONG time!
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Toning Toner
I’ve been searching for the perfect calming, hydrating toner for the longest time - I’m trying to give my skin a break from AHAs and BHAs because it has developed a tendency to get irritated when I use them. For sensitive skin types, polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) are the next best thing.
This SKIN1004 toner contains Gluconolactone which is a naturally occurring PHA that’s derived from gluconic acid. This is what gently sloughs off dead skin cells and leaves your skin looking brighter.
Honestly, this product has become an integral part of my everyday routine. It gives my skin a really gorgeous dewiness and takes the redness out of blemishes too. I normally don’t notice such big changes in my skin from toners alone, but this one has made all the difference. I highly recommend it!
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule
When I checked the ingredients list for this ampoule, I was shocked to find it contained only one thing: Centella Asiatica extract.
Cica alone contains a bunch of natural components that are beneficial to the skin (madecassoside, amino acids, Asiaticoside, etc.), so a product dedicated entirely to this superstar ingredient actually makes a lot of sense!
The ampoule is more watery than I expected - it’s only slightly thicker than the toner. But it’s super soothing and hydrating nonetheless. I find that it sinks into the skin pretty quickly, and leaves my skin feeling/looking glowy and fresh.
What’s also great about this ampoule is that it’s light enough for daytime wear, while being equally nourishing enough for overnight use. This is perfect for people who don’t like to switch up their products too much.
Because of its hydrating properties, I feel this would work particularly well on dry, irritated skin types - though I can see those with oiler skin benefitting from it too. My dry-combination skin is loving it at the moment, and I can’t wait to see what the results are after a prolonged period of use!
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Quick Calming Pad
If you like sheet masks but find that they never fit your face, these calming pads are the solution. The pads are pre-soaked in toner so you literally just need to pluck one out of the tub, stick it on any dry/irritated areas you have and let the goodness sink in.
These are a super quick and effective way of delivering a burst of moisture to your skin. You only need to leave them on your face for three to five minutes and they really help soothe any irritation.
Each tub comes with 70 pads, so this is sure to last you a while. And it feels much less wasteful than chucking away a plastic sachet like you do with every sheet mask application. Love, love, love this alternative!
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Cream
This cream might have one of the lightest, silkiest consistencies of any moisturiser I’ve tried. The lotion-like texture is surprisingly hydrating and, despite the shea butter content, this doesn’t feel overly sticky once it’s rubbed into the skin.
The scent is refreshing and the cream has an instant cooling effect when it comes into contact with the face. I can see this being my go-to daily moisturiser in the summer.
For the colder months, when my skin is drier, I’d probably opt for something slightly richer. The Centella cream is lovely and gentle, but my winter skin needs a bit more moisture.
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Soothing Cream
Like the Centella cream, this product is extremely calming when applied to the skin. It has a brown gel-type consistency that sinks right in, leaving your face feeling nourished and hydrated. Plus, the three inter-skin lipid components, paired with the Centella asiatica extract, help to strengthen the skin barrier and reduce irritation.
For extra dry skin, SKIN1004 recommends using the Centella Soothing Cream and Centella Cream together - and I absolutely love this combination. It feels like you’re locking in as much moisture as possible, but that your skin can still breathe (despite the layering). Both creams are pretty light by themselves, but together they offer the perfect amount of hydration for my combination-dry skin.
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Air-Fit Suncream Plus SPF50+ PA++++
I’m very picky with my sunscreens … and even more so with physical ones, so I was really intrigued to see how this one would get on with my skin. This is a super lightweight broad spectrum sun cream that includes titanium dioxide and zinc oxide as its main UV blockers.
As is to be expected with mineral sunscreens, this does have a slight white cast (which is compounded somewhat by the addition of Centella). However, with makeup over the top, I don’t find the white cast to be too much of an issue. In fact, it’s the beige tint of the Centella that gives the sun cream its redness-reducing properties - cica is the key ingredient in most colour-correcting creams!
Overall, I really like this formula. It’s non-irritating, sufficiently mattifying and at the same time really moisturising. I notice that my makeup sits really well over the top of this, and I don’t experience any pilling whatsoever. If you’re more into chemical sunscreens, check out my review of the SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum - it’s worth a read!
Where can you buy the SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella line?
You can order these products directly from the SKIN1004 website. Or you can also buy SKIN1004 from retailers like Stylevana, YesStyle or Jolse.
Have you tried anything from the SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella line? If not, which of these products would you like to try?