Short answer: Gotu kola oil is a light plant oil from centella (Centella asiatica), the herb behind every "cica" product. On the face, it helps dry, sensitive or stressed-looking skin feel calmer and softer and supports its natural elasticity. Ours is cold pressed from gotu kola seeds with nothing added, so it is a carrier oil you can use neat, not an essential oil. Press two or three drops onto clean, slightly damp skin, morning or night, after a patch test.
Key takeaways
- Gotu kola is centella, also known as mandukaparni in classical texts and thankuni in Bengal. "Cica" is the same plant.
- A cold-pressed gotu kola oil is a carrier oil. It goes on neat in small amounts. An essential oil is a different, concentrated thing that always needs diluting.
- On the face it soothes and softens. It will not remove scars, acne or pigmentation, and it is no replacement for sunscreen.
- Two or three drops on damp skin are enough. More oil does not mean more benefit.
- Patch test first, and see a dermatologist for skin that is broken, weeping or reacting badly.
What is gotu kola oil?
Gotu kola oil is an oil made from Centella asiatica, a small creeping herb with round leaves that grows in damp ground across India. You may know it as mandukaparni, the name used in classical Indian texts, or as thankuni, which is what many Bengali kitchens call it. In some regions it is also called brahmi, a name shared with a different herb (Bacopa), so check the botanical name when you shop.
Across the world the same plant is sold as "cica". Centella's natural compounds, such as asiaticoside and madecassoside, are the reason it became a modern soothing staple.
Our Gotu Kola Oil has one ingredient: gotu kola seed oil, cold pressed from a single origin. Nothing is added to bulk it out: no mineral oil, no silicones, no PEGs and no fragrance.
Is gotu kola oil an essential oil?
No, not the kind we make. A cold-pressed gotu kola oil is a fixed oil, also called a carrier oil: it is pressed, feels oily, does not evaporate and can go on skin as it is. An essential oil is steam distilled from a plant, smells strong, evaporates quickly and has to be diluted in a carrier oil before it touches skin.
When people search for "gotu kola essential oil", they usually want an oil for the face that carries the plant's soothing reputation. That is a carrier oil or an infused oil. Here is how the three types compare:
| Type of oil | How it is made | How you use it |
|---|---|---|
| Cold-pressed oil (ours) | Pressed from the seeds without heat or solvents | Neat, two or three drops on the face, or mixed into your moisturiser |
| Infused oil | Dried leaves steeped in a base oil such as sesame or coconut, which carries some of the herb into it | Neat, as the base oil allows. Check what the base oil is if your skin is oily or sensitive. |
| Essential oil | Steam distilled into a concentrated, strong-smelling oil | Never neat on the face. Only a drop or two diluted in a carrier oil, after a patch test. |
If a bottle says only "gotu kola oil", read the ingredient list. A single line such as "gotu kola seed oil" tells you exactly what you have. A list that starts with another oil means the gotu kola is a smaller part of the blend.
Gotu Kola Oil
30 ml · ₹445
We cold press it from gotu kola seeds of a single origin and bottle it with nothing else. It is light, slips easily over damp skin and sinks in without leaving a shine.
Why it suits you: If your skin feels dry, sensitive or stressed and reacts to long ingredient lists, this is one oil and nothing more. It is free from mineral oil, silicones, PEGs and synthetic fragrance.
How it fits your routine: Two or three drops pressed onto clean, slightly damp skin, morning or night. You can also mix them into your moisturiser.
Not for you if you want a cream-like texture or fragrance, or your skin is broken or inflamed. Then ask your dermatologist first.
What are the benefits of gotu kola oil for skin?
Gotu kola oil is mainly a comforting oil: it helps dry, sensitive or stressed-looking skin feel calmer, softer and more supple. Here is what you can expect, and what you should not:
- Soothes dry, tight skin. A few drops on damp skin soften it and help hold moisture in, which matters in winter and in air-conditioned rooms.
- Comforts sensitive skin. Because ours is a single ingredient, there is less in the bottle for reactive skin to object to.
- Supports skin's natural elasticity. Skin that is well moisturised looks plumper and feels more supple. This is a gradual, cosmetic change.
What it cannot do: it will not remove acne scars, stretch marks or dark spots, it will not stop breakouts, and it does not protect from the sun. If you are dealing with active acne, a rash, or skin that is broken or weeping, see a dermatologist rather than adding a new oil.
How to use gotu kola oil on your face
- Patch test. Put one drop on your inner arm and wait 24 hours.
- Cleanse with a gentle face wash and leave your skin slightly damp. Pat with a towel, do not rub it dry.
- Warm two or three drops between your fingertips.
- Press, then massage gently. Press the oil onto your cheeks, forehead and chin, then smooth it in with light upward strokes until absorbed. Keep it away from your eyes.
- Follow with a moisturiser if your skin is very dry, or mix the drops into your moisturiser for one step.
- In the day, finish with sunscreen.
Can I use gotu kola oil on my face every day?
Yes. Two or three drops once or twice a day is fine for most skin after a patch test. If your skin feels greasy, use fewer drops or only at night.
Is gotu kola oil good for oily or acne-prone skin?
It can be, in small amounts. Ours is a light oil that absorbs without leaving a shine, and oily skin often feels more balanced when it is not stripped and then left bare. Start with one or two drops at night on damp skin, watch how your skin responds over two weeks, and stop if you notice new bumps. We explain this in more detail in is face oil good for oily skin.
Gotu kola oil or a cica cream: which is better?
Neither is better. They do different jobs. An oil softens and seals in the water already on your skin, while a cream adds water as well as oil. If your skin feels tight and flushes easily, a few drops of gotu kola oil mixed into a calming moisturiser gives you both in one step.
Face Moisturizer
50 gm · ₹600
We built this cream for skin that flushes easily. Chamomile leads, with pumpkin seed oil, shea and batana butter, on a base of rhododendron flower water and aloe vera juice.
Why it suits you: If your skin stings after cleansing or turns red in the sun, this gives it a light layer of moisture without dimethicone, mineral oil, PEGs or synthetic fragrance.
How it fits your routine: Morning and night on clean, slightly damp skin. Mix two or three drops of gotu kola oil into a pea-sized amount when your skin feels extra dry.
Not for you if you want a very light gel for humid weather, or you are sensitive to turmeric, which is part of the infused sesame oil and the essential oil in this cream.
Is gotu kola oil good for fine lines and ageing skin?
It can help skin look smoother because well-moisturised skin shows fine lines less, but it will not reverse ageing. If early lines, slackness or dryness that returns by morning are your main concern, a blend with gotu kola and other light oils may suit you better than the single oil.
Age Gracefully Face Oil
30 ml · ₹600
Our night blend of grapeseed, watermelon seed, almond and jojoba oils with gotu kola oil, plus frankincense, patchouli and lavender essential oils.
Why it suits you: If you are noticing the first faint lines around the eyes and mouth, or early slackness, this puts gotu kola oil together with light, quick-absorbing oils in one bottle.
How it fits your routine: Warm three or four drops between your palms at night and press them onto clean skin with gentle upward strokes. Use it instead of plain gotu kola oil on those nights, not on top of it.
Not for you if you are allergic to nuts (it contains almond oil), you want a fragrance-free oil, or you are pregnant and avoiding essential oils. Then the single-ingredient Gotu Kola Oil is the simpler choice.
A simple gotu kola routine
Add only the steps you need. Each button adds one item to your bag.
Morning, after cleansing
Face Moisturizer · 50 gm · ₹600
A pea-sized amount on damp skin, then sunscreen
Night, on slightly damp skin
Gotu Kola Oil · 30 ml · ₹445
Two or three drops, pressed in and gently massaged
Night, if early lines are your concern
Age Gracefully Face Oil · 30 ml · ₹600
Three or four drops instead of the plain oil, a few nights a week
Honest note: you do not need all of these. Most people do well with one oil and one moisturiser, and many with just two drops of gotu kola oil at night.
What mistakes should I avoid?
- Using an essential oil neat on your face because it says "gotu kola" on the label.
- Using too much. Two or three drops cover the whole face, and more just sits on the surface.
- Applying oil to bone-dry skin. Damp skin spreads it further and helps hold moisture in.
- Expecting it to remove scars, acne or dark spots. It softens and comforts. It does not change skin overnight.
- Skipping sunscreen in the day. No oil replaces it.
Safety and patch test
Frequently asked questions
What is gotu kola called in Hindi?
The classical name is mandukaparni, and in Bengali it is thankuni. In some regions it is also called brahmi, which is a different herb, so check for "Centella asiatica" on the label.
Is gotu kola oil the same as cica?
Cica is the popular name for centella, the same plant. Our oil is the seed oil of that plant, cold pressed, with nothing added.
Can I apply gotu kola oil directly on my face?
Yes, a cold-pressed gotu kola oil like ours can be used neat. An essential oil cannot, and must always be diluted.
Gotu kola oil raat ko lagana better hai ya din mein?
Both work. Night is easiest because the oil can sit undisturbed. In the day, use two drops under your sunscreen or mixed into your moisturiser.
Does gotu kola oil help with acne scars?
It can help skin feel softer and more comfortable, but it does not remove scars. For deep or raised scars, a dermatologist can tell you what will work.
In short: gotu kola oil is a light, cold-pressed carrier oil from centella that helps dry and sensitive skin feel calm and soft; use two or three drops on damp skin, and patch test first.
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