I Tried the Viral Skin 1004 Centella Ampoule and It Calmed My Sensitive Skin

As someone with sensitive skin and rosacea, finding skincare that doesn’t trigger flare-ups has been the bane of my existence. I’ve spent more money than I care to admit trying products that promised the world but ended up making my skin worse.

For years, my ride-or-die was the Advanced Clinicals Tea Tree Oil. It cleared my very first rosacea breakout back in 2023, and I have used it religiously ever since. But in 2025, it suddenly stopped working for me. I know it sounds dramatic, but I genuinely believe our skin changes with time and needs different things depending on its condition.

When I first started dealing with rosacea, I was also on oral medication, which left my skin super dry. Back then, I had to focus heavily on hydration by layering different hydrating products. Once I stopped the medication, my skin swung the other way and became oily. Naturally, the products I once swore by for dryness no longer did the trick.

That’s when my skin seemed to reject the tea tree oil, and I decided to finally try something I’d been hearing about for years: Centella Asiatica. After scrolling through endless glowing reviews, I bought the Skin 1004 Madagascar Centella Asiatica Ampoule, and let me just say, it’s now permanently part of my skincare routine.

About the Brand and Product

Skin 1004 is a Korean skincare brand that puts Centella Asiatica at the heart of all its products. While they mix it with other ingredients across their range, I went for the purest option, which is their signature ampoule made with 100% Centella Asiatica extract and no extras.

According to their website, this ampoule:

Hydrates, soothes, and strengthens the skin barrier.
Offers anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.
Contains Madagascan Centella, which they claim has seven times more soothing actives than regular Centella.

For those unfamiliar, Centella Asiatica (also called cica or tiger grass) is a herb used in skincare. It’s rich in compounds like madecassic acid and asiaticoside, which boost collagen production, help skin heal faster, and calm inflammation. It’s often recommended for sensitive, irritated, or compromised skin. The Madagascan version that Skin 1004 uses is said to be even more potent, thanks to its unique growing conditions.

Full Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cellulose Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin.

First Impressions

The ampoule comes in a transparent glass bottle with a dropper. I went all in and bought the 100ml bottle because I was confident I’d love it (and I wasn’t wrong). For anyone testing it out, there’s also a 30ml and 55ml version.

Texture-wise, it’s watery and runny, so you’ll need to rub it in quickly, or it will slide down to your neck. It’s fragrance-free, which is a plus if you’ve got sensitive skin that hates unnecessary additives. There’s no sticky feeling either; it just has a very clean and neutral texture.

I apply one full dropper to my face and neck. It absorbs nicely, though I find sitting in front of a fan speeds up the process. Once it’s fully absorbed, it doesn’t leave a greasy film. Instead, it gives a light, hydrating finish that almost feels matte.

How It Worked for My Skin

Here’s where things get interesting. My rosacea-prone skin turns red at the slightest provocation, and I frequently experience small, rash-like bumps around my mouth that itch and spread on bad skin days.

From the very first application, I noticed a difference. My face instantly felt calmer, the itching stopped, and it was as if my skin had been soothed from the inside out. I’ve been using it consistently for two weeks now, and I’m pleased with the results.

The Madagascar Centella ampoule significantly reduced my redness, made the rash-like bumps on my face less frequent and less itchy, and also calmed overall irritation by making it more manageable.

I should also mention that I’ve been pairing the ampoule with the Dang! Lifestyle Everyday Foaming Face Wash and the Dang! Lifestyle Hydra Glow Sun Protection Gel. Both are minimal, barrier-friendly products formulated with skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid, beta-glucan, and rose water. I genuinely believe this simple routine has boosted the efficacy of the ampoule, because instead of overwhelming my skin with too many actives, these products work together to hydrate, protect, and calm my skin.

I do want to be clear, though, that this ampoule is all about skin barrier repair and soothing. It’s not a brightening serum or a product that will fade dark spots. If your concern is sensitivity, redness, or repairing overworked skin (especially from too many harsh actives), this is your girl.

Pricing

I bought the 100ml bottle from Teeka4. The 55ml goes for ₦12,790 on Teeka4, and the 30ml is sadly sold out everywhere. Honestly, I think the 100ml bottle is a great value for money. My old Advanced Clinicals Tea Tree Oil was only 53ml and cost me ₦13,000. So, for nearly double the size and arguably better results for my current skin needs, I can’t complain.

So, is the Skin 1004 Madagascar Centella Asiatica Ampoule the holy grail for sensitive skin? For me, yes. It’s not flashy; it’s not trying to do a million things at once. Instead, it just gives you calm, soothed, balanced skin.

Source: Pulse