Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner Review: What's in the Viral Toner

Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner is a gentle, fragrance-free watery toner that's a good fit for sensitive, oily or combination skin that wants light hydration without acids or alcohol. Its first ingredient is heartleaf (Houttuynia cordata) water, backed by glycerin, panthenol and several forms of hyaluronic acid. Just know that the soothing claims rest mostly on the brand's own tests and lab studies of heartleaf, not on human trials of this toner.

Before you buy, you can scan the bottle's barcode or label with the ingredient scanner in Pori to check its ingredients against your skin type. Pori reads the label; it doesn't diagnose skin conditions.

Below we go through every ingredient, what's known about heartleaf, who the toner suits and who should skip it, sizes and price per ounce, how to use it, and alternatives. We compared published ingredient lists, brand claims and listed prices; we did not test these products on skin.

What is Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner?

It's the best-known product from the Korean brand Anua, a thin, watery toner for daily use after cleansing. Anua says it's powered by 77% heartleaf plus hyaluron to help soothe stressed, sensitive-feeling skin and lists it as fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, low-irritation, cruelty-free and clinically tested. The brand also calls it the number one best-selling facial toner on Amazon. Some retailers sell older stock or a version labeled "renewal" or "Hyaluron", so check that the list on your bottle matches the one below.

What's in Anua Heartleaf 77% Toner? The full ingredient list

Anua's US site lists houttuynia cordata flower/leaf/stem water, water, 1,2-hexanediol, glycerin, betaine, butylene glycol, isopentyldiol, panthenol, acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, disodium EDTA, tromethamine, centella asiatica extract, arctium lappa root extract, phellinus linteus extract, portulaca oleracea extract, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract, vitex agnus-castus extract, sodium hyaluronate, hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, sodium acetylated hyaluronate, hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer and potassium hyaluronate.

• Houttuynia cordata water: heartleaf, a plant used in East Asian traditional medicine. It's the base of the toner, standing in for most of the plain water. More on the evidence below.
• Glycerin, betaine, butylene glycol, isopentyldiol: humectants that draw water into the top layer of skin. These do most of the hydrating.
• Panthenol: provitamin B5, a well-studied moisturizing and soothing ingredient.
• Hyaluronic acid in seven forms: from sodium hyaluronate to a crosspolymer. They sit at the end of the list, so the amounts are small.
• Centella asiatica extract: the "cica" plant, popular in soothing products.
• Burdock root, Phellinus linteus mushroom, purslane, chamomile and chaste tree extracts: plant extracts in small amounts.
• 1,2-hexanediol: a humectant that also helps preserve the formula.
• Acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, tromethamine, disodium EDTA: a light thickener, a pH adjuster and a chelator.

There's no fragrance, essential oil, drying alcohol or exfoliating acid on the list. That's the main reason the toner works for reactive skin: it leaves out the usual irritants.

Does heartleaf actually soothe skin? What the evidence says

Not much is proven in people. Houttuynia cordata has a long history in Chinese medicine, and a 2022 review describes anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and antioxidant effects in laboratory and animal research. A 2025 study found heartleaf polysaccharides eased atopic dermatitis in mice. We couldn't find a controlled human trial of heartleaf on facial skin, and none of this tells you how much a 77% heartleaf water does in a toner.

Anua's own results are that skin temperature fell 14.52% after one use, hydration rose 97.52% after one use and sebum dropped 49.55% after two weeks. Those are brand tests; Anua's page doesn't say how many people took part or what the toner was compared against, so treat them as claims.

The supporting ingredients have firmer footing. Panthenol has decades of research behind its use for skin hydration and barrier repair. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that holds water in the skin. Centella asiatica has wound-healing and anti-inflammatory research behind it, mostly at higher concentrations than a toner uses. Our guides to panthenol and centella go deeper.

Do you even need a toner?

No, but a hydrating one can help. Cleveland Clinic's Angela Wei, MD, says adding a toner can be beneficial if you want to step up your routine, and that because of their high water content, toners can help hydrate skin. She advises avoiding toners that are heavily fragranced or packed with dyes, which this one isn't. If your skin already feels comfortable after cleansing and moisturizer, you can skip the step. Our explainer on what toner does covers the different types.

Who is Anua Heartleaf 77% Toner for, and who should skip it?

It suits you if you:

• Have sensitive or easily flushed skin and want a fragrance-free toner with no acids or alcohol.
• Have oily or combination skin that feels tight after cleansing but doesn't want a heavy moisturizer.
• Use strong actives such as retinoids or acne treatments and want a gentle hydrating layer that doesn't add irritation.
• Follow a Korean skincare routine and want a simple first toner.

Look elsewhere if you:

• Want to treat clogged pores or texture: it has no salicylic, glycolic or lactic acid. An exfoliating toner does that job; see our best toner roundup.
• Have very dry skin: a watery toner won't replace a moisturizer, so you'll still need a cream on top.
• React to plant extracts: it has seven, including chamomile. Patch test first.
• Have rosacea or eczema flares: it isn't a treatment. See a dermatologist for those.

Can you use Anua Heartleaf toner with retinol, vitamin C or acids?

Yes. The toner has no exfoliating acid, retinoid or vitamin C of its own, so it doesn't add to the irritation load of a strong routine. Use it right after cleansing, let it sink in, then apply your active serum or treatment. On nights you use a retinoid or an exfoliating acid, a plain hydrating layer like this is one of the safer extras to keep. If your skin stings after an active, the toner won't undo that; cut back on the active instead. Our guide to skincare ingredients not to mix covers the combinations that do cause trouble.

How much does Anua Heartleaf 77% Toner cost?

Other US retailers, including Amazon, stock both sizes at prices that change often, so compare per ounce. If you use it twice a day, the 500 ml bottle is the better value.

How do you use it?

1. Cleanse first. Anua says to apply it after thoroughly cleansing your face, morning and night.
2. Apply with a cotton pad or your hands, then gently pat it over your face. Patting with hands wastes less product.
3. Layer while skin is still damp: serum next, then moisturizer, then sunscreen in the morning. Our skincare routine order guide shows the sequence.
4. Patch test if you're reactive. The AAD suggests applying a new product to a quarter-sized spot twice daily for seven to 10 days and using it only if no redness, itching or swelling appears. See how to patch test skincare.

What are the best alternatives to Anua Heartleaf 77%?

• SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Toning Toner: another fragrance-free Korean toner, with centella, niacinamide and a mild PHA, at $12.89 for 210 ml at Target. Pick it if you want very gentle exfoliation as well.
• Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner: a plain drugstore hydrating toner with glycerin and panthenol, $7.39 for 8 fl oz at Target, for the lowest cost.
• Thayers Unscented Witch Hazel Toner: alcohol-free and fragrance-free with witch hazel and aloe, better suited to oily skin that likes a slightly astringent feel. Dry or sensitive skin may find witch hazel drying.

Browse more toners, see the best centella products, or read about Korean skincare brands.

Is Anua Heartleaf 77% Toner worth it?

If you want a fragrance-free, alcohol-free hydrating toner for sensitive or oily skin, it's a sound pick at about $2 to $2.70 an ounce. Its comfort comes from what it leaves out and from glycerin, panthenol and hyaluronic acid, more than from proven heartleaf effects. If you want exfoliation, look at an acid toner. If you just need hydration on a budget, a drugstore toner does a similar job for less.