Anua Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam Versus Anua Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingWater
Skin ConditioningDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventCoco-Glucoside
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingHectorite
Absorbent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSalicylic Acid
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyquaternium-67
Houttuynia Cordata Powder
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Sorbitol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingOenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantPinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantQuercetin
AntioxidantHouttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Water, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Glyceryl Stearate, Propanediol, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Decyl Glucoside, Hectorite, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Salicylic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-67, Houttuynia Cordata Powder, Sodium Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sorbitol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Hexylene Glycol, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Quercetin
Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingWater
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingHectorite
AbsorbentSodium Chloride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBetaine Salicylate
AntimicrobialPotassium Benzoate
PreservativeHouttuynia Cordata Powder
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-67
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
HumectantGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetate
BufferingIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventPinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin ConditioningOenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingTocopherol
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantQuercetin
AntioxidantHouttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Water, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Coco-Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Hectorite, Sodium Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine Salicylate, Potassium Benzoate, Houttuynia Cordata Powder, Polyquaternium-67, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Dextrin, Disodium EDTA, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Acetate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Quercetin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideDecyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate is a surfactant and helps cleanse skin. It is created from the fatty acids of coconut oil.
Surfactants help rinse oil, dirt, and other pollutants easily from skin. It has a faint fruit-like scent.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinThis oil is derived from the leaves of Eucalyptus Globulus, a type of Eucalyptus tree native to Australia.
Though this oil shows antibacterial and antioxidant activity, it is also a known skin-irritant due to its fragrance components.
Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinWe don't have a description for Hectorite yet.
This ingredient is created by distilling parts of the Houttuynia Cordata (Heart Leaf) plant.
The components found in Heart Leaf possess antioxidant, hydrating, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Read more about the benefits of Heart Leaf here.
Learn more about Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem WaterHouttuynia Cordata Powder comes from the Fish Mint or Chameleon plant. It is an herb native to southeast Asia and used throughout the continent. It is used in traditional cooking and medicine.
The components found in Fish Mint give it antioxidant, hydrating, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidThis ingredient is created by putting sodium hyaluronate through hydrolysis.
You might know this as 'mini' or 'ultra low-molecular weight' hyaluronic acid. The small molecule size means it is able to travel deeper in the skin.
According to studies, low molecular-weight hyaluronic acid can:
One study from 2011 found ultra-low weight HA to show pro-inflammatory properties. Another study from 2022 found it to downregulate UV-B induced inflammation.
Hydrolysis is a process of changing a molecule using water or enzymes.
This ingredient is water-soluble.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Sodium HyaluronateThis form of hyaluronic acid is produced through fermentation.
According to a manufacturer, it has a positive charge by ionic binding to help moisturize and give hair a smooth feel. This is why you'll find this ingredient in shampoos and body washes.
We don't have a description for Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract yet.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWe don't have a description for Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract yet.
We don't have a description for Polyquaternium-67 yet.
Potassium hyaluronate (PH) is a salt form of hyaluronic acid and has similar skin hydrating benefits.
Similar to hyaluronic acid, PH is able to draw and hold moisture to your skin. This helps keep skin soft and hydrated.
Fun fact: PH is used in eye drops and injectable treatments for joint disorders. It has lubricating and tissue-repair properties.
Learn more about Potassium HyaluronateThis ingredient comes from the Kudzu root.
Quercetin is a polyphenol flavonoid that can be naturally found in plants like apples, onions, berries, and broccoli. It has antioxidant and skin soothing properties.
The anti-inflammatory research for this ingredient is pretty solid:
It also looks promising for anti-aging; it activates pathways tied to cellular "youthfulness" by helping the cells that produce collagen and elastin do their job better. It also switches on the "longevity" gene that keeps cells acting young.
As of right now, most of the anti-aging research has been done on animals or cells in petri dishes, but there's no harm in trying this ingredient in your routine.
Another cool perk of this ingredient?
It does a great job stabilizing the chemical UV filters avobenzone and octinoxate against sun degradation. One study found it outperformed both tocopherol and octocrylene as a photostabilizer.
The only downside (if you can even call it that) is that quercetin doesn't dissolve well in water and cannot penetrate skin easily on its own. This just means formulators pair it with delivery systems to actually get it into skin.
There is some recent buzz about this ingredient having brightening effects, but the research hasn't backed this up.
Learn more about QuercetinSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is a type of Hyaluronic Acid.
Hyaluronic Acids help moisturize, soothe, and protect the skin.
Read about common types of Hyaluronic Acid here:
Learn more about Sodium Acetylated HyaluronateChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Cocoyl Glycinate is a cleansing agent. It can be naturally derived or synthetically-created.
As a surfactant, it helps clean your skin by gathering dirt, oil, and other pollutants to be rinsed away more easily.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a crosslinked version of sodium hyaluronate. This just means it's linked into a 3D mesh network that lets it be more stable and sit on skin as a cohesive, gel-like film rather than sinking into skin.
A 2016 human skin study found crosslinked HA increased epidermal water content by 7.6% over the control group and reduced transepidermal water loss by 27.8%.
A follow-up clinical trial found that a topical crosslinked HA serum applied after fillers, microneedling, or chemical peels was well-tolerated and enhanced skin quality at 14 / 28 days.
More recent research suggests that concentrations as low as 0.03% can act as a penetration enhancer for other skincare actives.
Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate CrosspolymerSodium Lauroyl Glutamate is the sodium salt from the lauric acid of glutamic acid.
It is a surfactant and helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants from your skin so they may be washed away easily.
This tree is also known as the David Elm. It contains the ingredient bakuchiol.
Other great compounds found in this ingredient include galactose, glucose, and phenolics. The sugar content gives it great skin hydrating properties. Phenolics are potent antioxidants commonly found in fruits and veggies.
A 2020 study found the phenolics of this root to have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Fun fact: This ingredient is used in traditional Asian medicine.
Learn more about Ulmus Davidiana Root ExtractWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water