Anua Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam Versus Anyong Cica Purifying Gentle Cleansing Gel
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 ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantDisodium 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
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingNiacinamide
SmoothingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentCoco-Glucoside
CleansingCucumis Sativus Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentInulin
Skin ConditioningZinc PCA
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningFructose
HumectantSorbitol
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantBenzyl Glycol
SolventCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningLactobionic Acid
BufferingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantRaspberry Ketone
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Lauryl Glucoside, Maltodextrin, Coco-Glucoside, Cucumis Sativus Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Inulin, Zinc PCA, Panthenol, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Fructose, Sorbitol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Benzyl Glycol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Gluconolactone, Lactobionic Acid, Allantoin, Propylene Glycol, Raspberry Ketone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate
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.
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 preservatives
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid comes from salicylic acid, the famous acne-fighting BHA.
It usually goes by a more common name of LHA, or lipohydroxy acid.
Like salicylic acid, this ingredient is a chemical exfoliant that can help break down the oil in your pores and reduce inflammation.
Though studies for LHA do show it to be less effective than salicylic acid. To be fair, salicylic acid is the reigning monarch of acne treatments.
However, a study from 2009 found LHA to be comparable to BPO, making it a good alternative for people with sensitive skin. Another study of 14 patients found a significant decrease in comedones after using LHA.
Another pro of LHA? It is less irritating than salicylic acid due to its large molecule size.
Large molecules cannot penetrate skin as well, so they are gentler on the skin. LHA is much less penetrative than salicylic acid.
An in-vitro study (not done on a living organism) found only 6% of LHA penetrated past the statum corneum compared to 58% of salicylic acid. An in-vivo (done on a living organism) analysis revealed ~17% of LHA was still present in the top layer of skin after 4 days, versus ~9% of salicylic acid.
Interestingly, a study from 2008 found LHA comparable to another famous acid, glycolic acid.
This study found about 10% of LHA is as effective as 20-50% of glycolic acid in treating hyperpigmentation and fine-lines.
Hydroxy acids have been found to stimulate skin protein, lipids, and thermal thickening. This may have anti-aging benefits.
Learn more about Capryloyl Salicylic AcidCoco-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-GlucosideEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium 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 CrosspolymerWater. 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