Ingredient glossary
Asiaticoside
On your shelf ✓What Asiaticoside does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Asiaticoside · Also: Madecassol, Centelase
In short: Asiaticoside delivers repair and antioxidant, suits sensitive skin best, and the evidence behind it is limited. One thing to know: clear it with your doctor if pregnant.
- What it does
- Repair, antioxidant
- Best for
- Sensitive skin
- Watch out
- Clear it with your doctor if pregnant
- Evidence
- Limited
The molecule
The Glow take
The first thing I would drop if skin turns reactive.
Your skin gains nothing from Asiaticoside beyond the scent, and fragrance is one of the most common triggers for irritation. If your skin is calm, it is usually fine.
— Maya
What it does
- repair
- antioxidant
- soothing
limited evidenceDirect evidence for isolated asiaticoside is preclinical and thin. A rat excision wound study of 0.2% topical asiaticoside raised endogenous antioxidants at day seven, with no significant difference remaining by day fourteen, and it cites earlier work for the collagen attribution rather than measuring it. The second source is a review of Centella asiatica and its metabolite asiatic acid that does not discuss asiaticoside.
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
- sensitive
- compromised barrier
- photoaged
- mature
Approach with care
- pregnancy
- Clogs poresLow
- Irritation riskLow
How it fits each skin type
- DryNeutral
- CombinationNeutral
- OilyNeutral
- SensitiveSuits
Often chosen for compromised barrier, photoaged, mature. Take extra care if any of these apply to you: pregnancy.
Where it fits in your routine
Plays well with
- panthenol
- ceramides
- beta glucan
- antioxidants
Asiaticoside, answered
Is Asiaticoside safe during pregnancy?
Clear it with your doctor first. Asiaticoside is flagged as use-with-caution during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so check with your doctor or midwife before adding it.
Who should avoid Asiaticoside?
Approach Asiaticoside with care if any of these apply to you: pregnancy.
What concentration of Asiaticoside actually works?
Its concentration is rarely printed on the label, so use the ingredient list as your clue: near the top third it is likely doing real work, near the bottom it is more of a sprinkle.
During pregnancy
Treat Asiaticoside as a maybe rather than a yes for now. It is flagged as one to use with caution while pregnant or breastfeeding, so it is worth clearing before you carry on.
When in doubt, check with your doctor or midwife. They outrank any website, including this one.When it is worth booking →
Can you mix Asiaticoside with
This, for every label you own
One ingredient is easy. A full label is where it gets confusing. The Ingredient Decoder reads any product and tells you the honest truth, ingredient by ingredient.
Sources & how we reviewed this
- PMID 10189951abstract only, the full text is paywalled
- PMID 36837896abstract only, the full text is paywalled