Why doesn't the label say "cica"? How to read Korean skincare ingredient lists in the US

Published Oct 23, 2026 · Gatgooun

Written with AI assistance and reviewed by the Gatgooun editor.

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Korean skincare often names a product after the ingredient everyone is talking about: cica, heartleaf, snail mucin, hyaluronic acid. Then you turn the box over and the English ingredient list says Centella Asiatica Extract or Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, sometimes a few lines down. That isn't a trick. It's how US labeling rules work.

Below is what those rules say, how the popular Korean names show up on a US label, and three products on Amazon US that make good practice. We checked every listing and brand page on October 22, 2026. We describe labels, not results.

What the US rules ask for

In the US, cosmetic labels follow FDA regulations. The rule at 21 CFR 701.3 says the label must name each ingredient in descending order of predominance, so the ingredient there is the most of comes first. Fragrance and flavor may simply be listed as fragrance or flavor.

One exception explains a lot: ingredients at 1 percent or less, other than color additives, may follow the larger ones in any order. So once you're past a certain point on the list, position no longer tells you much about amounts, and the label doesn't mark where that point is.

The rule also sets which names to use: the name the FDA has set, or failing that, the name in the references the rule lists, starting with the CTFA Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary. The FDA's labeling guide adds that required label statements must be in English. That's why a jar made in Korea and sold in the US carries the same long botanical names you'd see on any American product.

Popular Korean names, as they appear on the label

Cica is centella. On SKIN1004's Madagascar Centella Quick Calming Pad, the full ingredient list reads water, 1,2-hexanediol and butylene glycol, then Centella Asiatica Extract in fourth place, followed by panthenol.

Heartleaf is Houttuynia cordata. Anua's page for its Heartleaf 77 Soothing Toner describes 77% heartleaf, and the list starts with Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, ahead of plain water.

Snail mucin is Snail Secretion Filtrate. It is the first ingredient of COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence, which COSRX says contains 96% snail mucin.

Hyaluronic acid usually shows up as sodium hyaluronate or another related form. COSRX's Hyaluronic Acid Intensive Cream starts with Hippophae Rhamnoides Water, which is sea buckthorn water and which COSRX puts at 57.8%. Sodium hyaluronate comes thirteenth; COSRX gives it as 3,000 ppm, which works out to 0.3 percent.

Dokdo is a place name, not an ingredient. Round Lab names its Dokdo line after the Korean islets in the East Sea and highlights deep sea water as the line's ingredient. On the 1025 Dokdo Cleanser, that ingredient appears on the label as Sea Water, nineteenth, after the cleansing agents.

Three products to practice on

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Quick Calming Pad is a jar of 70 pads, sold by SKIN1004 NA. The full list is short, ten ingredients, which makes it an easy first read. SKIN1004 suggests resting pads on your cheeks, forehead or other areas for 3 to 5 minutes, then patting in what's left.

COSRX Hyaluronic Acid Intensive Cream is the 100 g jar, sold by COSRX. It's a good example of a front label and an ingredient list telling different parts of the story. COSRX says to apply it after its hyaluronic acid essence and tap it in gently.

Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Cleanser is the 150 ml tube, sold by ROUNDLAB OFFICIAL. Round Lab's directions: work up a creamy foam with water, massage it over your face, then rinse with lukewarm water.

Quick answers

Does first place mean most? Above 1 percent, yes; that's the descending-order rule. Below 1 percent, ingredients can come in any order.

Why does a list say Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, then Water? They are listed as two separate ingredients: one made from the heartleaf plant, and plain water.

What if a listing has no ingredient list? Look for the brand's English-language product page. If you still can't find one, that's a reason to wait. We leave out details we can't check.

Sources

• Cornell LII: 21 CFR 701.3, Designation of ingredients
• FDA: Cosmetics Labeling Guide
• SKIN1004: Madagascar Centella Quick Calming Pad
• Anua: Heartleaf 77 Soothing Toner
• COSRX: Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
• COSRX: Hyaluronic Acid Intensive Cream
• Round Lab: 1025 Dokdo Cleanser