Anua 8 Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser
A highly rated cruelty-free face cleanser that contains hyaluronic acid.
Overview
What it is
Face cleanser with 32 ingredients that contains hyaluronic acid
Cool Features
It is cruelty-free, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and reef safe
Suited For
It has ingredients that are good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, scar healing and dark spots
Free From
It doesn't contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates
Fun facts
Anua is from South Korea. This product is used in 381 routines created by our community.
We independently verify ingredients and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Does this product need an update? Let us know.
What's inside (and what isn't)
Ingredients List
Dive into the full list of ingredients.
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingLauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningZinc PCA
HumectantDecyl Glucoside
CleansingHectorite
AbsorbentPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantPolyquaternium-67
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Phytate
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Zinc PCA, Decyl Glucoside, Hectorite, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Polyquaternium-67, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Maltodextrin
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Explained
Water. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinSodium 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.
We don't have a description for Lauryl Hydroxysultaine yet.
Coco-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-GlucosideSodium 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.
We don't have a description for Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract yet.
We don't have a description for Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein yet.
This 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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is a form of hyaluronic acid. It is created by the hydrolysis of hyaluronic acid with a high molecular weight. Once created, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid has a low molecular weight.
Low molecular weight HA has been shown to hydrate and increase elasticity of the skin. Increasing elasticity is also associated with reduction of wrinkle depth.
One study found topical low molecular weight hyaluronic acid may be considered for the treatment of rosacea in the adult population. However, we always recommend speaking with a professional about your skin concerns.
Hyaluronic acids are a humectant. This means they draw moisture from the air. Hyaluronic acids help moisturize, soothe, and protect the skin.
Read more about other common forms of hyaluronic acid:
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidSodium 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: Sodium Hyaluronate Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid Hyaluronic Acid
Learn more about Sodium Acetylated HyaluronateHyaluronic acid is naturally found in healthy skin. It is a humectant, meaning it draws moisture to your skin.
This ingredient helps hydrate, soothe, and protect the skin.
What makes hyaluronic acid so hydrating? It has the capacity to bind or hold large amounts of water.
Fun fact: It is already naturally found in our bodies, such as the fluids of our eyes and our joints.
Studies find this ingredient to have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. This can help speed up wound-healing.
Hyaluronic acid can be irritating if the molecule has a low-molecular weight, or if the molecules are small.
One study found low-molecular weight hyaluronic acid to be pro-inflammatory, meaning some people may experience irritation. This is because our bodies use hyaluronic acid in the wound-healing process to signal to our bodies, via irritation, that something needs healing.
The same study found high-molecular weight hyaluronic acid to be anti-inflammatory.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about 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 HyaluronateSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a type of hyaluronic acid. In fact, it is modified version of hyaluronic acid.
The structure of Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer allows it to stay in the skin's top layer for a longer period of time. This allows for even more hydration and humectant action than hyaluronic acid.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate CrosspolymerWe don't have a description for Potassium Hyaluronate yet.
Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolZinc PCA (or "zinc salt") differs slightly from zinc itself. PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid. However, Zinc PCA comes from zinc.
It can help reduce redness, regulate sebum, and promote the general healing process of the skin.
Zinc PCA tends to be especially useful for those with oily, acne-prone skin. It's certainly an ingredient worth trying out!
Learn more about Zinc PCADecyl Glucoside is a glucose-based surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Surfactants help clean the skin by trapping oil, sebum, and dirt to be washed away. As an emulsion stabilizer, it stabilizes the ingredients in a product by preventing them from separating.
This ingredient is biodegradable and non-toxic. This ingredient is commonly found in baby shampoos.
Decyl Glucoside is sometimes used to stabilize the UV filter Tinosorb.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideWe don't have a description for Hectorite 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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate is a modified starch used to help thicken a product.
It is also used in foods.
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
Betaine is a common humectant (a substance that promotes retention of moisture). It's known to be gentle on the skin and can help balance hydration.
This ingredient is best for improving hydration and soothing irritated skin. Studies also show it helps even out skin tone.
Fun fact: Betaine is naturally created in the skin and body. The kind found within cosmetic products can be either plant-derived or synthetic.
Learn more about BetaineWe don't have a description for Polyquaternium-67 yet.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken and improve the texture of products. Due to its properties, it can prevent water and oil ingredients from separating.
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and even out skin tone.
If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidChances 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.
There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.
The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.
Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Sodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.
The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.
This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.
Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl IsethionateMaltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.
As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.
Learn more about MaltodextrinReviews
Where it's from
Anua is a Korean brand
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The data we've presented on this page has been verified by a member of the SkinSort Team.
Read more about us· Updated July 3, 2024 • Added by rosethao