Combines PHA chemical exfoliation with physical pad exfoliation in a 77% heartleaf-saturated environment, buffered by a full centella asiatica complex. This dual-action, dual-soothing approach makes it one of the gentlest effective exfoliating pads available — designed for skin that's scared of acids.
A thoughtfully designed exfoliating pad that makes PHA exfoliation genuinely accessible for sensitive skin, wrapped in heartleaf and centella soothing. Not the most powerful exfoliant on the market, but that's precisely the point — this is exfoliation you can trust.
Note: While Anua has been on the market since 2019, independent clinical data on this specific formula is limited. Our scoring reflects ingredient analysis, formulation quality, and moderate real-world user feedback. This review will be refreshed as the product's track record lengthens.
The case for it
What would change this: A declared concentration would move this to a firmer reading of the dose.
Same rule for everyone. “Promising” is the verdict on 7,858 of 45,024 concern verdicts across the catalog; rule R9p decided 7,858 of them. Unchanged since September 5, 2026, engine 5.1.1.
Brand or formulator? Disclose a concentration or correct a fact →
The studies behind the evidence row
Also listed for Acne, Large Pores, Dullness, Rough Texture and Blackheads — the actives here (Houttuynia Cordata (Heartleaf) are in our research queue for those concerns; there is no verdict until their evidence rows are written. That is a gap in our table, not a mark against the product.
A verdict is DermApproved’s assessment of how well a product’s ingredients fit a concern — never a claim about what the product treats. Evidence dots and collected reviews sit beside it and are never blended in. Rules 0.5.1 · evidence table ev-2026.09-r228 · how we decide
Toner pads are one of those K-beauty formats that sound unnecessary until you try them, and then you wonder why you spent years pressing cotton rounds saturated with toner against your face like some kind of skincare archaeologist. The format is simple — pre-soaked pads in a jar, grab one, swipe, done — but the convenience factor is real, especially on the nights when a full multi-step routine feels aspirational at best. Anua's Heartleaf 77% Clear Pad has become one of the format's biggest international ambassadors, and after living with it for weeks, the hype is mostly earned.
The dual-textured design is the first thing that sets this apart from a generic toner-soaked cotton round. One side is embossed with a subtle waffle pattern that provides gentle physical exfoliation as you swipe — enough to lift surface debris and dead skin cells without feeling like you're scrubbing your face with a dishcloth. The other side is smooth, designed for patting the remaining essence into skin after the textured side has done its work. It's a small design choice that makes the application feel intentional rather than wasteful.
The formula itself leads with 77% Houttuynia cordata extract — higher than the 70% in Anua's moisturizers — establishing an anti-inflammatory base that essentially tells your skin to relax while the active ingredient does its job. That active is gluconolactone, a polyhydroxy acid that occupies the gentlest corner of the chemical exfoliant spectrum. PHAs have a larger molecular size than AHAs like glycolic acid, which means they penetrate more gradually and trigger less irritation. They also bring humectant properties along for the ride, actually hydrating the skin they're exfoliating. For sensitive skin types who've been burned — literally — by glycolic or lactic acid, this is the kind of introduction to chemical exfoliation that builds confidence rather than destroying it.
The supporting botanical lineup is where Anua's formulation ambition shows. A full centella asiatica complex — not just the extract, but the isolated actives madecassoside, asiaticoside, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid — provides a secondary soothing and wound-healing layer. Green tea extract adds EGCG-driven antioxidant protection. And the proprietary Anti-Sebum P complex, a blend of pine leaf, evening primrose, elm root, and kudzu root extracts, targets sebum production and pore refinement. It's a lot of botanical action packed into a single pad.
In use, the experience is remarkably gentle. There's no tingling, no stinging, no burning — even on first use, even on sensitized skin. You swipe the textured side across the face, feel a satisfying gentle sweep, flip to the smooth side and pat, and that's it. Skin immediately looks a touch cleaner and feels smoother to the touch, with a light dewy finish that layers well under subsequent products. The lack of drama is the whole point — this is exfoliation that doesn't announce itself.
Results accumulate rather than appear overnight. After three to five uses, skin texture starts to feel noticeably smoother under the fingertips. By two to three weeks of consistent every-other-day use, pores look less congested, the skin surface appears more refined, and there's a subtle brightening effect. The changes aren't dramatic enough to make you grab your phone for a before-and-after selfie, but they're real and they're consistent. For skin that panics at the thought of a glycolic peel, this measured, gentle approach to resurfacing is exactly right.
The limitations are predictable and honest. If you want aggressive exfoliation — the kind that visibly flakes dead skin or delivers a dramatic overnight glow — this isn't it. The gluconolactone is doing real work, but it's working politely, and some skin types will find the effect too subtle to justify the product's place in their routine. The 70-pad count also means the jar lasts two to three months at every-other-day use, which is reasonable, but daily users will burn through it faster than they'd like at $22.
The pads themselves are thinner than some competitors in the toner pad space, which means they carry slightly less essence per pad. They're still adequately soaked — you won't feel like you're swiping a dry cloth across your face — but the pad material itself isn't as plush or substantial as premium alternatives. It's a minor quibble, but in a format where the physical pad is half the experience, pad quality matters.
What makes this product work is the philosophy behind it: exfoliation doesn't have to be aggressive to be effective. By embedding a gentle PHA in a 77% heartleaf solution, buffered by centella asiatica and soothing botanicals, Anua created an exfoliant that sensitive skin types can actually use consistently. And consistency, not potency, is what drives real results in exfoliation. A gentle pad used faithfully four times a week will outperform a dramatic peel used once and then abandoned because it left your face feeling like it lost a fight with a sunburn.
The hero actives that drive this product's performance.
| Ingredient | Function | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Houttuynia Cordata (Heartleaf) Extract (77%) (77%) | At 77% concentration, the heartleaf extract serves as both the primary soothing agent and the vehicle for the PHA exfoliant, ensuring that the gentle exfoliation happens in an anti-inflammatory environment that minimizes the irritation risk typically associated with acid-based products. | Not yet assessed |
| Gluconolactone (PHA) | A polyhydroxy acid that exfoliates more gently than AHAs due to its larger molecular size, dissolving dead skin cells while simultaneously providing humectant moisture. In this heartleaf-saturated environment, the PHA can work without triggering the reactive inflammation that stronger exfoliants provoke in sensitive skin. | Not yet assessed |
| Centella Asiatica Complex | The full spectrum of centella actives — madecassoside, asiaticoside, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid — provides a secondary anti-inflammatory and wound-healing layer that complements the heartleaf extract. Together they create a dual-botanical calming system that buffers the skin against PHA-induced sensitivity. | Not yet assessed |
| Green Tea Extract | Supplies EGCG-rich antioxidant protection that helps neutralize free radicals generated during the exfoliation process, supporting skin recovery while the heartleaf and centella handle inflammation control. | Limited for Excess Oiliness |
| Anti-Sebum P Complex | A proprietary blend of pine leaf, evening primrose, elm root, and kudzu root extracts that targets excess sebum production. Works alongside the physical exfoliation of the textured pad to clear and refine pores from multiple angles. | Not yet assessed |
Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Water, Gluconolactone, Propanediol, Tromethamine, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Sodium Phytate
treatment
PM
Use after cleansing as a toner-treatment step. Swipe the textured side over the face, then flip to the smooth side to pat in remaining essence. Follow with serum and moisturizer. Start with every other day and increase to daily use as tolerated.
Smoother skin texture noticeable after 3-5 uses. Reduced sebum and clearer pores visible within 2-3 weeks. Cumulative brightening and refinement over 4-6 weeks of consistent use.
Gluconolactone, the PHA exfoliant in this formula, has been studied extensively as a gentler alternative to traditional AHAs. A key comparative study published in Dermatologic Surgery demonstrated that PHAs provide comparable exfoliation and anti-aging benefits to AHAs like glycolic acid but with significantly less irritation, making them suitable for sensitive skin and rosacea patients. Gluconolactone's larger molecular size (molecular weight 178 g/mol vs. glycolic acid's 76 g/mol) results in slower, more even penetration that reduces the sharp pH-dependent irritation response.
The centella asiatica complex provides well-established soothing support. Madecassoside and asiaticoside have been shown to promote collagen synthesis and wound healing, while asiatic acid and madecassic acid exhibit anti-inflammatory activity through multiple pathways. A review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences confirmed centella's role in promoting skin barrier recovery and reducing inflammation.
Houttuynia cordata's anti-inflammatory flavonoids — quercetin, quercitrin, and hyperoside — add a complementary soothing mechanism through NF-kB pathway inhibition. The combination of two distinct anti-inflammatory botanical systems (heartleaf and centella) with a gentle exfoliant creates a formula designed to minimize the inflammatory response that typically accompanies chemical exfoliation.
Dermatologists frequently recommend PHAs as a starting point for patients who want to incorporate chemical exfoliation but have experienced irritation with AHAs or BHAs. Practitioners commonly observe that gluconolactone's humectant properties make it uniquely suited for exfoliation in sensitive skin, as it hydrates while it exfoliates. The combination with centella asiatica — one of the most well-validated calming botanicals in dermatological practice — adds clinical credibility to the soothing claims. Dermatologists would advise using these pads on alternate evenings initially and always following with sunscreen the next morning, as any exfoliant increases photosensitivity.
After double cleansing in the evening, use the included tweezers to remove one pad. Swipe the textured (embossed) side across the entire face, avoiding the immediate eye area. Flip the pad and use the smooth side to gently pat remaining essence into the skin. Follow with serum and moisturizer. Start with every other evening and increase to nightly use as tolerated. Always apply sunscreen the following morning.
At $22 for 70 pads, the cost works out to roughly $0.31 per pad — reasonable for a well-formulated toner pad with meaningful active ingredients. Compared to premium competitors that charge $30-40 for similar pad counts, this sits in the affordable tier of the K-beauty toner pad market. The convenience factor adds value beyond the raw ingredients — the format eliminates the need for separate toner, cotton rounds, and exfoliant, consolidating multiple steps into one. For every-other-day users, the jar lasts two to three months, making the per-month cost quite modest.
Anyone with sensitive, oily, or combination skin looking for a gentle entry point into chemical exfoliation. Also excellent for acne-prone skin that needs pore-clearing without aggressive acids, and for anyone who values the convenience of a pad-based format.
Those looking for intense, visible exfoliation results — AHA or BHA products will better serve aggressive resurfacing needs. Also unnecessary for very dry skin that doesn't need sebum control.
Thin, soft cotton pads soaked in a watery, non-sticky essence. One side is textured with an embossed pattern for gentle physical exfoliation; the other is smooth for patting in remaining product.
Very faint herbal scent from the heartleaf extract. No added fragrance. Barely noticeable during application.
Round dark green plastic jar with pop-open lid and included tweezers for hygienic pad removal. Well-sealed to prevent the pads from drying out.
The pads glide smoothly without any stinging or burning, even on first use. The textured side provides a gentle sweeping sensation that lifts surface debris without feeling abrasive. Skin immediately looks cleaner and feels smoother, with a slight dewy glow. No purging period for most users, though those with clogged pores may see mild purging in the first week.
2-3 months with every-other-day use (one pad per session)
All Year
Toner pads are a Korean skincare staple that never quite crossed over to Western markets with the same enthusiasm — until brands like Anua made them accessible. This product became one of Anua's gateway products internationally, introducing non-Korean consumers to the convenience of pad-based exfoliation wrapped in the brand's signature heartleaf soothing.
Anua was founded in 2019 by Korean brand incubator The Founders and has rapidly gained global traction through viral K-beauty channels. The brand's formulations center on Houttuynia cordata (heartleaf), a traditional East Asian botanical with emerging clinical evidence, though independent validation of Anua's specific products remains limited.
Toner pads are just expensive cotton rounds soaked in regular toner.
These pads are specifically engineered with a dual-textured construction — embossed for gentle physical exfoliation and smooth for essence delivery. The pad material and saturation level are designed to work together with the PHA formula, not just as a delivery vehicle.
PHA exfoliation is too weak to make a real difference.
Gluconolactone's larger molecular size means it penetrates more gradually than AHAs, but it still effectively dissolves intercellular bonds between dead skin cells. The gentler action actually allows more consistent daily-to-alternate-day use, and cumulative results over weeks often match or exceed aggressive weekly peels.
Start with every other evening after cleansing. Once your skin adjusts over 1-2 weeks without irritation, you can increase to nightly use. The PHA exfoliant is gentle enough for frequent use, but listen to your skin — if redness or sensitivity develops, reduce frequency.
Yes, but not on the same night. Alternate between the clear pad and retinol on different evenings to avoid over-exfoliation. The PHA in these pads is gentle, but combining it with retinol in a single routine can compromise your barrier.
Yes — the gluconolactone (PHA) gently dissolves dead skin that contributes to clogged pores, while the Anti-Sebum P complex helps regulate oil production. The 77% heartleaf extract calms acne-related inflammation. These pads work best for mild to moderate acne and as prevention for breakout-prone skin.
The Clear Pad contains gluconolactone (PHA) for active exfoliation and targets pores, sebum, and texture. The Toner Pad focuses on hydration and soothing without the exfoliating acid. Choose the Clear Pad if you want resurfacing benefits; choose the Toner Pad for pure calming hydration.
Yes — this formula is free of oils, fatty acids, and common fungal acne triggers. The water-based, fragrance-free formulation with heartleaf and PHA is considered safe for Malassezia-prone skin.
Recurring themes our editors read across retailer reviews of this product — summaries in our words, not quotations, and not a substitute for your own patch test.
Gentle enough for sensitive skin while still exfoliating effectively
Dual-textured pads are convenient and well-soaked
Noticeably smoother skin after a few uses
Soothes redness while clearing pores
Included tweezers make pad removal hygienic
70 pads don't last long if using one per day
Exfoliation is too mild for those wanting aggressive results
Packaging can be bulky for travel
Some find the pads too thin compared to competitors
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