Introduction
Banila Co may be best known for its cult cleansing balm but the Korean powerhouse keeps nudging beyond the makeup remover aisle with formulas that wear a white coat of science and a pink bow of fun. Cue the Overnight Soothing Cica Sleeping Mask, a name so packed with promises it almost needs its own bedtime story. According to the brand this lightweight leave-on treatment leans on a hefty 76 percent centella asiatica leaf water plus barrier-loving panthenol to calm, hydrate and bring frazzled skin back into balance by morning. The idea is simple: swipe it on as the last step in your routine, let it absorb then sleep while it does the heavy lifting. I spent a solid two weeks putting this nightly reset button through its paces to see if it lives up to Banila Co’s soothing bedtime tale and whether it deserves a permanent spot on the nightstand or just a polite nod of recognition.
What is Overnight Soothing Cica Sleeping Mask?
At its core this product is an overnight treatment, which simply means it is designed to sit on the skin while you sleep instead of being rinsed off after a few minutes. Treatments in this category aim to make the most of the skin’s nighttime repair cycle by delivering a slow steady dose of hydration and active ingredients over several hours. You apply them as the final layer in your evening routine then wash them away in the morning.
Banila Co’s take on the concept leans heavily on centella asiatica leaf water at a claimed 76 percent concentration, paired with panthenol to reinforce the skin barrier and adenosine for a touch of smoothing care. The texture is billed as creamy yet lightweight so that it absorbs rather than forming a greasy film. The brand positions it for skin that feels tight, looks red or has been pushed too far by sun exposure or over enthusiastic exfoliation and promises calmer better hydrated skin by sunrise.
Did it work?
In the name of hard science I benched my ride-or-die overnight treatment for three whole nights before starting this test run, which in my bathroom counts as a clinical trial. Fourteen days feels long enough for a first verdict so each evening after cleansing, essence and a light serum I spread a blueberry-sized blob over face, neck and a grudging swipe across the chest. No other cream followed; I wanted the cica mask to take full credit or blame.
Night one surprised me. The texture sank in quickly and within ten minutes any tackiness was gone. My skin felt comfortably sealed but not suffocated and by morning the usual pillow lines on my cheeks were softer. The next few nights delivered similar lightweight cushioning yet the real measure for me is how my reactive cheeks handle central heating. Midweek they were still pink but less fiery, a small win.
By day seven hydration was clearly its strong suit. I could skip a morning moisturizer without feeling like parchment paper, something I rarely do. Redness reduction, though, plateaued. The flush returned every afternoon, suggesting the centella water was more of a temporary pacifier than a lasting fix. Still, I appreciated the calm start to the day.
During the second week I pushed the mask after an AHA toner session. No sting, no extra peeling and no angry bumps later, which speaks well to the soothing claim. Yet on two consecutive mornings I woke up with a faint film that made my combination T zone look borderline shiny in photos. Not a dealbreaker but it nudged me back to my usual gel cream for balance.
When the 14 nights wrapped, my skin felt comfortably hydrated and mildly soothed but not dramatically transformed. The mask did most of what it promised yet stopped short of that wow factor that earns permanent shelf space. I will happily finish the jar and might reach for it after beach days or retinol misfires, but for now it will live in my skincare bullpen rather than the starting lineup.
Main ingredients explained
First up is the headline act: 76 percent centella asiatica leaf water. Centella is prized for its madecassoside and asiaticoside content, compounds that help temper redness, boost antioxidant defenses and support wound healing. Using the leaf water rather than a sprinkle of extract means you get a diluted but still skin friendly dose without the alcohol often found in tinctures, so it feels gentle enough for nightly use.
Sitting right behind it is panthenol, also known as provitamin B5. This multitasker attracts and holds water in the outer layers of skin while promoting the production of lipids that keep the barrier intact. Over the two weeks I noticed its humectant skills most clearly in the way dehydrated patches felt bouncy by morning.
Butylene glycol and propanediol do double duty as solvents and secondary humectants, helping the thicker ingredients glide on and boosting overall hydration. Carbomer and acrylates polymers create the cushiony gel cream consistency while tromethamine balances pH so the mask stays in the skin’s sweet spot.
The formula also sprinkles in adenosine, a yeast derived ingredient that has modest evidence for smoothing fine lines by energizing cellular processes. Think of it as a quiet helper rather than a headline retinol replacement.
On the plant side, neem leaf and flower extracts plus mugwort offer extra antioxidants, though their concentrations appear low. Trehalose, a sugar, rounds out the hydration crew by mimicking the protective water binding shell it forms in desert plants.
Now for the stuff ingredient detectives care about. Ethylhexyl palmitate, an emollient that makes the texture silkier, scores medium on the comedogenic scale, meaning it can clog pores if you are very prone to breakouts. That said the overall formula feels light enough that only the oiliest skins should proceed with caution. Comedogenic simply means an ingredient has the potential to block pores and trigger blackheads or pimples.
No animal derived components appear in the INCI list and the brand does not use beeswax, lanolin or carmine, so the mask is suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Fragrance is present near the middle of the deck which may bother ultra sensitive noses or skin types although I experienced no irritation.
Finally a note on safety. While none of the listed ingredients raise obvious red flags during pregnancy, topicals can absorb unpredictably so it is smartest to clear any new leave-on product with your doctor first. If you are breastfeeding the same caution applies.
All told this ingredient list leans heavily on tried and true hydrators and soothers with just a hint of extra care from adenosine and botanicals. It is a straightforward formula that keeps the promise of overnight comfort without wandering into overly complicated territory.
What I liked/didn’t like
After two weeks of nightly use these are the points that stood out most clearly.
What works well:
- Light creamy texture absorbs fast so it layers easily over serums without pilling
- Noticeable overnight hydration lets dry areas feel supple enough to skip a morning moisturizer
- Plays nicely with actives; no sting when layered over AHAs or retinol which makes it a handy recovery step
- Vegan friendly formula with centella and panthenol that genuinely calms low grade irritation
What to consider:
- Redness relief feels temporary so those seeking a long term solution may need a stronger targeted product
- Can leave a light film by morning that looks shiny on combination or oily zones
- Contains fragrance and ethylhexyl palmitate which may not suit very sensitive or clog-prone skin types
My final thoughts
After two solid weeks of nightly use I would put Banila Co’s Overnight Soothing Cica Sleeping Mask in the dependable but not life-changing category, a respectable 7/10 on my personal scoreboard. It earns those points for the way it cushions dry or mildly sensitised skin without clogging pores or clashing with acids and retinoids. If your main night-time wish is to wake up feeling comfortably hydrated rather than dramatically resurfaced, this is a sensible pick.
Where it falls short is staying power on redness and that faint morning film that combination and oily complexions may find irksome. Those chasing long-term tone correction or a mattified T zone will probably want something more targeted. I would still recommend it to friends with dry, reactive or seasonal irritation, with the caveat that it is a supporting actor rather than the star of a barrier-repair saga.
For anyone shopping around I have tested enough bedside contenders to suggest a few standouts. Nocturnal Revive Cream by Deascal remains my gold standard one-and-done night cream, balancing moisture, gentle actives and a sane price tag for every skin type. Peace Out’s Overnight Bio-Collagen Recovery Mask delivers a plush hit of peptides that leaves my face looking improbably bouncy after late nights. African Botanics Retinal Night Cream is pricier but marries calming oils with a potent yet non-irritating retinal for those who want real renewal. Finally Nutricentials Pillow Glow Sleeping Mask offers a juicy surge of hydration with a weightless finish that never triggers morning shine. All four have earned repeat appearances on my shelf.
Before you jump in, remember the usual housekeeping: patch test any new formula first, sorry for sounding like an over-protective parent. Consistency is key so results will fade if you stop using the product. Keep expectations realistic, listen to your skin and sweet dreams.