Celimax
The Real Cica Niacinamide AC Calming Serum 40ml
Celimax The Real Cica Niacinamide AC Calming Serum is a 40ml serum with niacinamide third and centella asiatica extract eighth on its own ingredient list, used after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening.
No reviews yet40 ml
$106.25 per 100 ml
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- SensitiveDryNormalCombination
- Helps with
- Redness and easily reactive skinPost-exfoliation sensitivityRough, flaky or wind-chapped texture
In stock. Arrives in 3 to 7 business days
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Key benefits
- Niacinamide, third on the manufacturer list printed on this page
- Centella Asiatica Extract eighth on the same list, with madecassoside, madecassic acid, asiatic acid and asiaticoside near the end
- Allantoin, panthenol and dipotassium glycyrrhizate on the same list
- Three forms of hyaluronic acid further down the same list
- The Korean-market release of this serum, confirmed against its Korean barcode
Key actives
3Niacinamideactive
Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it is the most studied active in Korean formulation. It is used for the look of uneven tone and visible pores, and here it is third on the list, after water and dipropylene glycol.
8Centella Asiatica Extractactive
Centella Asiatica is the plant behind the whole cica category. Its extract is eighth on this serum's list, and its four triterpenes are named separately near the end.
20Allantoinactive
Allantoin is a comfrey-derived compound used to condition skin and soften the outer layer so it feels smoother. It is one of the standard additions to a formula built for easily irritated skin, and it is twentieth here.
25Panthenolactive
Panthenol is provitamin B5, a humectant used for a softer, more comfortable feel on dry or stressed skin. It is twenty-fifth on this list.
35Madecassosideactive
Madecassoside is the centella triterpene most associated with the look of redness, and the one brands lead with in cica products. It is thirty-fifth on this list, with madecassic acid, asiatic acid and asiaticoside after it.
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
- 3Niacinamide
- 8Centella Asiatica
- 20Allantoin
- 25Panthenol
- 35Madecassoside
Where each key active sits on the declared ingredient list, by entry number. Position is proportion: the further forward, the larger its share.
Where does this serum go in my routine?
After toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. Anything thinner than a serum goes on before it, and anything richer goes on after. If you are adding it to a routine you already like, give it a week on its own first, so what you see is this serum and not three changes at once.
Is this the Korean-market serum or a US version?
The Korean-market one. We match this serum to its Korean barcode before it reaches the shelf, which is the check that tells you which market release you are holding.
Does this serum contain fragrance?
No fragrance or parfum is named on the manufacturer's ingredient list printed on this page.
What else is on the list besides niacinamide?
Centella asiatica extract at eighth, then allantoin, panthenol and dipotassium glycyrrhizate, three forms of hyaluronic acid, and madecassoside, madecassic acid, asiatic acid and asiaticoside near the end.
Not on the ingredient list below: fragrance or parfum, denatured or SD alcohol, essential oils, silicones, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (39): Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Centella Asiatica Extract, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Disodium EDTA, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract, Allantoin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Trehalose, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, PVM/MA Copolymer, Beta-Glucan, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Madecassoside, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Asiaticoside
Ingredient list read from celimax.us on 2 October 2026.
38 of 39 explained
- Water solvent
- Water is the base almost every serum, toner and cream is built on. It dissolves the water-loving ingredients and sets how light the finished texture feels. On an INCI list it is usually first, which only means it is the largest single ingredient by weight.
- Dipropylene Glycol humectant
- Dipropylene Glycol is a glycol used as a solvent and a light humectant. Its main job is keeping the rest of the formula dissolved and the texture fluid rather than adding hydration of its own.
- Niacinamide active
- Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it is the most studied active in Korean formulation. It is used at roughly 2 to 5 percent for the look of uneven tone and visible pores, and it is water soluble, stable and comfortable beside almost every other active, which is why it turns up in so many lists.
- Glycerin humectant
- Glycerin is the most used humectant in skincare. It draws water into the outer layer of skin and holds it there, and it is one of the very few ingredients whose hydrating effect is settled science rather than marketing. Higher amounts feel tacky, which is why it is usually blended.
- Butylene Glycol humectant
- Butylene Glycol is a small glycol that does two jobs at once: it holds water in the top layer of skin and it dissolves plant extracts and actives that plain water cannot. It also thins a formula, which is why watery Korean essences lean on it.
- 1,2-Hexanediol humectant
- 1,2-Hexanediol is a glycol used for two reasons: it holds water like glycerin, and it makes a formula harder for microbes to live in, so less traditional preservative is needed. Korean formulas use it heavily for that second reason.
- Hydroxyethyl Urea humectant
- Hydroxyethyl Urea is a humectant that holds a lot of water for its size and stays comfortable at high levels. It is used where a formula needs to feel deeply hydrating without oil.
- Centella Asiatica Extract plant extract
- Centella Asiatica is the plant behind the whole cica category, sold as gotu kola or Madagascar centella. Its extract is the anchor of Korean formulas built for easily reddened skin, and its work is done by four triterpenes: asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid.
- Carbomer thickener
- Carbomer is a synthetic polymer that only gels once a base neutralises it, which is why arginine or tromethamine sits nearby on the list. It gives the clear, non-stringy gel texture a xanthan formula cannot reach.
- Tromethamine pH adjuster
- Tromethamine neutralises acidic thickeners such as carbomer so they gel, and holds a formula near skin-friendly pH. It is used at a fraction of a percent.
- Hydroxyacetophenone preservative booster
- Hydroxyacetophenone is an antioxidant that also strengthens a preservative system, so a formula needs less traditional preservative. Korean formulas pair it with 1,2-hexanediol constantly.
- Ethylhexylglycerin preservative booster
- Ethylhexylglycerin softens skin and boosts a preservative system, which is why it is nearly always sitting beside phenoxyethanol or 1,2-hexanediol. It also cuts down the odour bacteria produce, so it turns up in deodorising products.
26 more explained
- Caprylyl Glycol preservative booster
- Caprylyl Glycol is a glycol that conditions skin and, more importantly, strengthens a preservative system so less of the traditional preservative is needed. It appears in most modern formulas built without parabens.
- Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract plant extract
- Polygonum Cuspidatum is Japanese knotweed, the main commercial source of resveratrol. Its root extract is used as an antioxidant plant extract.
- Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract plant extract
- Scutellaria Baicalensis is Chinese skullcap. Its root extract carries baicalin, a well studied plant antioxidant, and it is used for the look of redness.
- Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract plant extract
- Melia Azadirachta is neem. Its leaf and flower extracts are long-standing Ayurvedic ingredients, and Korean formulas use them in products aimed at the look of congested, blemish-prone skin.
- Portulaca Oleracea Extract plant extract
- Portulaca Oleracea is purslane. Its extract is unusually high in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants for a plant, and Korean formulas use it for the look of reddened, reactive skin.
- Disodium EDTA chelator
- EDTA is a chelator: it locks up trace metal ions from water and packaging that would otherwise turn a formula cloudy, off-colour or rancid. It does nothing to skin and appears at a fraction of a percent.
- Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract plant extract
- Licorice Root Extract carries glabridin and liquiritin. It is one of the classic plant ingredients used for the look of uneven tone and redness, and it appears in almost every brightening formula that avoids synthetic actives.
- Allantoin active
- Allantoin is a comfrey-derived compound used to condition skin and soften the outer layer so it feels smoother. It is one of the standard additions to a formula built for easily irritated skin.
- Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract plant extract
- Camellia Sinensis is the tea plant. Green tea leaf extract carries catechins, among the most studied plant antioxidants, and is used for the look of redness and oily shine.
- Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer film former
- This is a polymer that forms a moisture-holding film on the surface, usually supplied with glycerin and propylene glycol as a hydrating complex.
- Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract plant extract
- Chamomile Flower Extract is one of the oldest ingredients in skincare, carrying bisabolol and chamazulene. It is used for the look of redness in formulas for reactive skin.
- Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract plant extract
- Rosemary Leaf Extract carries rosmarinic and carnosic acids, both effective antioxidants. It is often there to keep the oils in a formula from going rancid.
- Panthenol humectant
- Panthenol is pro-vitamin B5: skin converts it to pantothenic acid. It is a humectant that holds water and leaves skin feeling soft and less tight, and it is one of the ingredients formulators reach for when a formula also contains something harsh.
- Trehalose humectant
- Trehalose is a sugar that some desert plants use to survive drying out. In skincare it is a humectant that holds water in the outer layer and helps a formula feel comfortable rather than tight.
- PVM/MA Copolymer film former
- PVM/MA Copolymer is a film-forming polymer used to hold a formula in place and, in a mask, to give the peel-off film its strength.
- Beta-Glucan polysaccharide
- Beta-Glucan is a polysaccharide from oats or yeast. It holds a large amount of water, forms a soothing film, and is one of the ingredients formulators reach for in products aimed at reactive skin.
- Biosaccharide Gum-1 polysaccharide
- Biosaccharide Gum-1 is a fermentation-derived sugar polymer that binds to skin and holds a moisture film in place. It gives a silky, non-tacky feel.
- Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate active
- Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate is a water-soluble salt derived from licorice root. It is the licorice fraction Korean formulas use for the look of redness, and it is far more stable in water than the whole extract.
- Sodium Hyaluronate humectant
- Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt of hyaluronic acid, and it is what most products labelled hyaluronic actually contain. The salt dissolves more readily and the molecule is smaller, so it sits in the outer layer of skin rather than only on top of it.
- Tocopherol antioxidant
- Tocopherol is vitamin E. It is an oil-soluble antioxidant that protects the oils in a formula from going rancid and works on skin as an emollient, and it is regularly paired with vitamin C because each keeps the other going for longer.
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid humectant
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid cut into much shorter fragments. The smaller the fragment, the further into the outer layer it can settle, which is why serums stack several sizes together instead of using one.
- Madecassoside active
- Madecassoside is the centella triterpene most associated with the look of redness, and the one brands lead with in cica products. It is water soluble and stable, so it appears in essences as readily as in creams.
- Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate humectant
- Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid modified to be part oil-loving, so it clings to skin instead of rinsing away. Formulators call it the one that stays put.
- Madecassic Acid active
- Madecassic Acid is the fourth centella triterpene. A list that names all four is telling you the extract was standardised rather than simply pressed, which is the difference between a cica claim and a cica formula.
- Asiatic Acid active
- Asiatic Acid is the third of centella's four triterpenes and the aglycone form, meaning it has no attached sugar. It is oil soluble, so it turns up in cica creams and balms more than in watery layers.
- Asiaticoside active
- Asiaticoside is one of the four active triterpenes isolated from centella and the most studied of them. Korean formulas name it separately when they want to show which fraction of the plant they standardised.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- EAN (barcode)
- 8809743544626
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 40 ml
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule
- Actives
- Allantoin, Beta-Glucan, Centella Asiatica, Green Tea, Hyaluronic Acid, Licorice Root, Madecassoside, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trehalose, Urea
- Ships from
- California or Korea
Orders ship from California or direct from Korea with tracked delivery to your door, and both routes carry the same Korean-market release. Shipping is free on orders of $100 or more. Returns are accepted for 30 days, by mail.
We split shipments free, so one out-of-stock item never holds up the rest of your order.
Where this unit came from
- 1Seoul
Bought as Korean-market stock - 2Barcode
Listed against the Korean barcode on its box - 3California or Korea
Ships to you from either, as the same Korean-market release
We stock the version of a formula that is sold in Korea, not the release a brand prepares for another market under the same name. The barcode in the specification above is the Korean-market one and it is printed on the box you receive.
Every unit keeps its original barcode and batch code intact, so the unit in your hands can be checked against the brand’s own records.
Every order ships from California or direct from Korea, and returns run for 30 days.
Every claim on this page traces to the unit in the box, the barcode, the batch code and the price you can read for yourself.
How it works
The Real Cica Niacinamide AC Calming Serum is a 40ml serum, used after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. Niacinamide is third on its own ingredient list, after water and dipropylene glycol, and centella asiatica extract is eighth. The same list carries allantoin, panthenol and dipotassium glycyrrhizate, three forms of hyaluronic acid, and all four centella triterpenes near the end: madecassoside, madecassic acid, asiatic acid and asiaticoside.
How to use
- Smooth two to three drops over cleansed and toned skin morning and evening, patting gently until absorbed before a moisturizer.
Worth knowing
- Patch test on the inner arm before a first full-face application if skin tends to react easily.
- Store away from direct sunlight and high heat to keep the texture and scent stable over time.
- Introduce one new active at a time when adding this into an existing routine.
Complete the routine
- This itemCelimax The Real Cica Niacinamide AC Calming Serum 40ml$42.50
- Cleanse first, so the next step meets bare skincelimax Derma Nature Fresh Blackhead Jojoba Cleansing Oil 150ml$27.50
- An as-needed step, in place of the prep layercelimax JI WOO GAE Heartleaf BHA Peeling Pad 50P$22.50
Total for 3 items$92.50
Reviews
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celimax The Real Cica Niacinamide AC Calming Serum 40ml
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Celimax, Korean-market original
The Original Korean Formula serum from Celimax, 40ml formulated with niacinamide and centella asiatica, shipped from California or direct from Korea.
Verify your unit when it arrives
Verify your unit when it arrives
Korean-market stock with the original barcode and batch code intact, exactly as it left Korea.
On the unit itself
- The Korean-market barcode, unaltered from the retail package.
- The manufacturer’s batch code, exactly as the maker printed it.
정품Genuine article, Korean-market stock
What professionals say
What professionals say
What skin-care professionals say about the key actives in this formula, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.
Centella can make your skin appear more hydrated, plumper and healthier.
Samantha Stein, PA-CDermatology physician assistant, Cleveland Clinic Allantoin can tone down the dryness of the individual cells. It increases the water content of the skin, which means it helps to hydrate and moisturize.
Wilma Bergfeld, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic
1 more professional perspective
Niacinamide helps reduce the appearance of pores in a few ways. By strengthening the skin barrier and improving elasticity, pores appear less noticeable and more even.
Ashlyn YankeAesthetician, Cleveland Clinic
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