What Anua Is — South Korea’s Heartleaf Specialist
Anua was founded in Seoul in 2019 with a mission to bring Houttuynia cordata — heartleaf — to the centre of Korean skincare. Heartleaf has been used in Korean traditional medicine (hanbang) for centuries for its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, but had been largely absent from modern formulated skincare. Anua changed that.
The brand’s international breakthrough came with the Heartleaf 77 Soothing Toner — a product that arrived at the exact moment the global K-beauty community was looking for a fragrance-free, anti-inflammatory toner that could be used on reactive, rosacea-adjacent, or post-retinol skin. UK reception was particularly strong: a community dealing with hard-water barrier disruption found in heartleaf an effective, immediate-acting anti-inflammatory that could be applied within 30 seconds of rinsing to counteract the micro-inflammation London tap water causes.
The Heartleaf Ingredient
Heartleaf (Houttuynia cordata) is a plant native to Southeast Asia, used extensively in Korean and Chinese traditional medicine. In cosmetic formulation, its primary active compounds — quercetin, quercitrin, and isoquercitrin — function as anti-inflammatory agents that specifically target the pathways driving skin redness, swelling, and vascular reactivity.
What distinguishes heartleaf from other anti-inflammatory skincare actives (centella, aloe, chamomile) is the specificity of its action on vascular inflammation — the mechanism behind redness that doesn’t respond as well to other calming actives. For rosacea specifically, this vascular-targeted anti-inflammatory action is more relevant than the barrier-repair mechanism of centella.
At 77% concentration (Anua’s Heartleaf 77 Toner), the anti-inflammatory action is sustained and measurable — not the trace concentrations found in multi-ingredient “soothing” formulas from other brands.
Why Anua Works Particularly Well for UK Skin
The Best Anua Products Available in the UK
77% heartleaf extract in a 250ml bottle — the product that defines Anua and the toner we recommend to every UK reader starting K-beauty. Anti-inflammatory and hydrating in one formula, fragrance-free, suitable for all skin types including rosacea and eczema-adjacent. Apply within 30 seconds of cleansing on damp skin. 3,000+ UK ratings at 4.6/5. The most important product Anua makes and the most impactful first purchase for UK reactive skin.
77% heartleaf in a 20-minute sheet mask format — the sustained delivery equivalent of the toner. Where the toner provides daily calming at the first routine step, the sheet mask provides intensive heartleaf delivery 2–3 times weekly. Particularly effective after acid exfoliation evenings or retinol use, when additional anti-inflammatory support prevents the redness and sensitivity that follow active use. Fragrance-free, suitable for rosacea and post-procedure skin.
70% heartleaf alongside ceramide and panthenol — barrier repair and anti-inflammatory calming in one moisturiser. The most fragrance-free, most comprehensively calming moisturiser Anua produces. UK rosacea community members consistently cite this as the first moisturiser that calmed rather than aggravated their skin. Ceramide content addresses the depleted barrier that UK hard water produces; heartleaf content directly reduces the redness that follows.
The Heartleaf 77 Toner in pre-soaked pad format — the convenient travel and gym alternative to the bottle. Each pad contains the same heartleaf concentration as the toner but with the added mild exfoliation of the pad texture. The choice for on-the-go application, post-workout refreshing, or anyone who prefers pad format over patting with hands.
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The Anua UK Routine
For rosacea and reactive UK skin: Round Lab Dokdo Cleanser → Anua Heartleaf 77 Toner → Skin1004 Centella Ampoule → Anua Heartleaf 70 Calming Cream → Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun SPF (AM). PM: add COSRX Snail 96 Mucin between toner and cream.
For sensitive UK skin (all types): COSRX Low pH Cleanser → Anua Heartleaf 77 Toner → Torriden HA Serum → COSRX Snail 96 → Anua Heartleaf 70 Cream → Beauty of Joseon SPF. Add Anua Sheet Mask 2–3× weekly in place of serum step.
For post-retinol recovery evenings: Gentle cleanser → Anua Heartleaf 77 Toner → Anua Heartleaf Sheet Mask (20 minutes) → COSRX Snail 96 → Anua Heartleaf 70 Cream. Skip retinol on this evening — the heartleaf stack provides recovery between retinol applications.
Who Anua Is Best For
Anua is the first recommendation for UK skin dealing with: persistent redness or flushing, rosacea, eczema-adjacent sensitivity, post-retinol irritation, or any skin type that has reacted to fragrance in previous products. It is also the default brand recommendation for any UK reader who has tried Korean skincare before and found it aggravated their skin — because most aggravation in K-beauty is fragrance-related, and Anua removes that variable entirely.