CENTELLIAN 24: the Korean brand behind the centella Madeca Cream
Its story, TECA, its lines and which product to choose for your skin: the complete guide to CENTELLIAN 24.
- CENTELLIAN 24 is a Korean skincare brand launched in April 2015 by Dongkook Pharmaceutical, a Seoul laboratory founded in 1968.
- Its key active: TECA, a centella asiatica extract Dongkook has been using for decades.
- Its signature product: the Madeca Cream, with more than 100 million units sold (figure announced by the brand in July 2026).
- Its other lines: peptides for firmness, PDRN for bounce, Melacapture for radiance, Real Green for pores.
Contents
The white and red tube of the Madeca Cream started out in Korea in 2015, on TV shopping, and today it comes in several formulas. Behind this tube is CENTELLIAN 24, the skincare brand of a big Korean laboratory that bet on a single plant: centella asiatica.
So what exactly is CENTELLIAN 24? A 100% Korean brand that puts its laboratory’s know-how into easy-to-use skincare. In this guide, we tell you where it comes from, what this TECA really is, how to find your way among all the Madeca Creams, and above all where to start for your skin.
The story of CENTELLIAN 24, born in 2015
It all starts with Dongkook Pharmaceutical (동국제약), a Korean company founded in October 1968 in Seoul. For years, its business revolved around pharmacy products, including Madecassol, which it has made itself in Korea since 1978. Its ingredient: a centella asiatica extract, the plant that would later give the brand its name.
On April 6, 2015, Dongkook launched CENTELLIAN 24, its cosmetics brand, with a first product presented that very evening on TV shopping on GS Home Shopping: the Madeca Cream. The name wasn’t picked at random: “Centellian” comes from centella, and the “24” refers to skin that’s hydrated 24 hours a day (and, according to the brand at the time, to the skin of a 24-year-old woman).
By the end of 2024, the brand’s cumulative sales passed 1 trillion won, and in July 2026, Dongkook announced it had sold more than 100 million Madeca Creams, all versions combined.
As for the news, as of mid-October 2026: since May 2026, the Madeca Cream Time Reverse has been sold in around 1,400 Ulta Beauty stores in the United States, a first in-store presence there for the brand. And on October 12, 2026, Dongkook announced it wants to change its name to DK Centellian: the change is due to be voted on by its shareholders on November 27, 2026. Proof that the brand has become the face of the group.
The CENTELLIAN 24 philosophy: a lab’s science, a cream’s simplicity
CENTELLIAN 24 presents itself as a dermo-cosmetic brand: skincare designed by a laboratory, but that remains everyday cosmetics. In the bottles, that means three things:
- One plant at the heart of everything: centella, in the form of TECA, is in almost every line, hence the “Madeca” prefix on many product names.
- One key product in several formulas: rather than piling up new launches, the brand keeps evolving its Madeca Cream (Time Reverse, Active Skin, Hydra, Power Boosting…).
- Easy steps: creams in tubes, ready-to-use pads, masks, for a routine that doesn’t take hours.
An enriched version of the Madeca Cream, our best-selling CENTELLIAN 24 product over the last three months. It combines the brand’s Active-TECA with 12 centella-derived ingredients, for nourished, smoother and suppler skin. Ideal from the first signs of aging, morning and evening.
17,90 €VIEW PRODUCTThe key ingredients of CENTELLIAN 24
Before you choose, here are the actives you’ll see on almost every label from the brand.
TECA (centella asiatica extract)
This is the brand’s signature active. TECA stands for a titrated centella asiatica extract: instead of using the whole plant, only its most interesting compounds are kept, mainly asiaticoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid, in controlled amounts. The centella used by the brand grows in Madagascar (hence the name “Madeca”). In cosmetics, it’s valued for soothing tight-feeling skin and helping to strengthen the skin barrier. You’ll find it in the Madeca Cream and in the more concentrated Expert Madeca Ssok ampoule.
Active-TECA
This is the “next generation” version of TECA, featured in the Madeca Cream Time Reverse. The brand pairs it with 12 centella-derived ingredients, the highest number in its whole range, for a more complete cream.
Peptides
Peptides are small chains of amino acids widely used in skincare for skin that looks firmer and smoother. CENTELLIAN 24 has made them a separate line, with the Lifting Peptide Cream, our second best-selling product from the brand over the last three months, and its serum.
PDRN
In the 360° Shot line, PDRN (derived from salmon) is paired with centella for well-hydrated, bouncier skin. Discover it with the 360° Shot PDRN serum and the Expert Madeca Active Renew cream. To understand it all, read our guide to PDRN (link at the bottom of the article).
Matcha
In a different vein, the Madeca Matcha line relies on green tea for cleansing and gentle exfoliation: a cleansing oil and a peeling gel that leave skin clean and fresh.
The CENTELLIAN 24 lines to know
| Line | What for |
|---|---|
| Madeca Cream | The brand’s signature cream, in several formulas: nourishment, suppleness, first signs of aging |
| Expert Madeca | More concentrated ampoules and creams, to go further |
| Lifting Peptide | Firmness, smoother look |
| 360° Shot PDRN | Hydration, bouncy skin, eye area |
| Melacapture | Radiance, uneven skin tone, dark spots |
| Madeca Real Green | Visible pores, combination to oily skin |
| Madeca Matcha | Makeup removal, gentle exfoliation |
| Madeca Homme | A simple routine for men |
Which CENTELLIAN 24 for your skin?
Pick your need: we give you our favorite product, plus two others to round it out.
First signs of aging, lack of firmness
A peptide cream as your base, a serum from the same line underneath, and a more concentrated ampoule in the evening if you want to go further.
Tired skin that lacks bounce
PDRN serum morning and evening, a rich cream to seal in hydration, and a dedicated eye-area product.
Dull complexion and dark spots
The Melacapture line for radiance, a stick to apply on targeted areas, and sunscreen every morning so you don’t lose the benefits.
Visible pores and blemishes
Centella pads for a quick step, a cleanser-mask that gently unclogs, and nose strips from time to time.
Dry or sensitive skin that feels tight
Thin, light layers: a soothing lotion after cleansing, a hydrating gel serum, then a more nourishing cream.
A complete CENTELLIAN 24 routine, morning and evening
Morning
- CleanseA PHA cleansing pad if your skin is dry, or the enzyme cleansing powder if it gets shiny fast.
- ToneThe Madeca Toning essence or the Madeca Relief lotion, patted in with your hands.
- SerumThe Lifting Peptide serum for firmness, or the Melacapture ampoule for radiance.
- MoisturizeA pea-sized amount of Madeca Cream Time Reverse, spread from the center of your face outward.
- ProtectThe Madeca Derma Shield sun essence, every day, even when it’s cloudy.
Evening
- Remove makeupThe Madeca Matcha oil on dry skin, massaged in for a minute, then emulsified with a little water.
- CleanseThe Acnience Pore Pack cleanser, for perfectly clean skin.
- ExfoliateOnly once or twice a week: the Matcha peeling gel or a Real Green pad.
- SerumThe 360° Shot PDRN serum, or the Expert Madeca Ssok ampoule for a more intense treatment.
- NourishThe Lifting Peptide Cream or your favorite Madeca Cream, and the 360° Shot eye cream.
Our tips for using CENTELLIAN 24 well
- One Madeca Cream is enough: choose the formula that matches your need rather than layering two.
- A small amount, spread well: the brand’s creams are rich, a pea-sized amount for your whole face and neck is enough.
- One new product at a time, and test it first on a small area (your neck or behind your ear), especially if your skin is sensitive.
- Exfoliating once or twice a week is enough: the Matcha gel or the Real Green pads, not both on the same evening.
- Sunscreen is a must in the morning, especially if you use radiance products like the Melacapture line or exfoliants.
- For the guys: the Madeca Homme line, with its cleanser and its soothing toner, makes a perfect express routine after shaving.
Even though CENTELLIAN 24 belongs to a pharmaceutical laboratory, its products are cosmetics: they help soothe, hydrate and even out the complexion, but they don’t replace medical advice. If your skin reacts (lasting redness, itching, unusual breakouts) or if you have a skin problem that persists, ask a dermatologist for advice.
A tip from the team in Seoul: keep your Madeca Cream in the fridge in summer: applied nice and cool in the evening, it’s a real moment of comfort after a hot day. And the night before a big evening, we treat ourselves to a 20-minute Madeca Lab gel mask before our evening cream.
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FAQ about CENTELLIAN 24
Is CENTELLIAN 24 a Korean brand?
Yes. It was launched in April 2015 in Seoul by Dongkook Pharmaceutical, a Korean company founded in 1968, which still owns it.
What does the name CENTELLIAN 24 mean?
“Centellian” comes from centella asiatica, the brand’s key plant, and “24” refers to skin that’s hydrated 24 hours a day.
What is TECA?
It’s a titrated centella asiatica extract that concentrates the plant’s main compounds (asiaticoside, asiatic acid, madecassic acid). In cosmetics, it’s valued for soothing the skin.
Which Madeca Cream should I choose?
To start, the Time Reverse, our best-selling cream over the last three months. The Hydra 3x suits dry skin, and the Lifting Peptide Cream (a separate line) suits those who want more firmness.
Is CENTELLIAN 24 suitable for sensitive skin?
Centella is valued precisely for skin that feels tight. As with anything new, test the product on a small area first, and ask a dermatologist for advice if your skin reacts.
Are CENTELLIAN 24 products medicines?
No. Even though the brand belongs to a pharmaceutical laboratory, its products are cosmetics, to use every day in your routine.
Are the CENTELLIAN 24 products from Ma Petite Corée authentic?
Yes, everything we sell is official and ships directly from our office in Seoul.
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Jihyun, team Ma Petite Corée