🇨🇦Canada

Anua Heartleaf Succinic Moisture Cleansing Foam for acne-prone skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Anua Heartleaf Succinic Moisture Cleansing Foam

High

  • HighCombination Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.

Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works

Lovi Assistant explains

  • Highly suitable for your combination skin, this cleanser effectively addresses acne and breakouts with salicylic acid and succinic acid, which decongest pores and offer mild seboregulation. Panthenol and ceramides further support your skin barrier, enhancing overall skin health.
  • The formulation provides excellent cleansing without irritation, thanks to soothing Houttuynia Cordata Extract and a gentle surfactant blend that removes impurities effectively.
  • This product is safe for your acne-prone skin, as it contains no harsh ingredients and includes beneficial components that minimize the risk of irritation.

How to apply

  • Could be used as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it.
  • This cleanser is the first step in your morning routine and the second step after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Always follow up with a toner and moisturizer .
  • Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face in circular motions. Avoid harsh rubbing to keep your skin calm.
  • Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help it work effectively against breakouts. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water .
  • Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.

People Say

★4.6Overall rating based on 200+ reviews

This gel-type cleanser is widely praised by users with sensitive and acne-prone skin for its ability to gently exfoliate and reduce texture without damaging the moisture barrier. While most users report a soothing, non-stripping finish, a minority experience dryness or purging breakouts, particularly those with very dry skin or sensitivity to the active acids.

Highlights

  • Gentle and non-stripping Often Mentioned
    • “skin feels squeaky clean but never too dry”
    • “leaves my face very clean... non stripping”
    • “adjusts to my sensitive skin”
    • “gentle cleansing properties”
  • Can be drying Sometimes Noted
    • “not as moisturizing for my very dry skin”
    • “left it dry... especially for those with sensitive oily skin”
    • “extremely stripping... definitely not for dry skin”
    • “become dry and strip off layers”
  • Improves skin texture/acne Sometimes Noted
    • “reduce textures... really good for oily acne prone skin”
    • “didn't feel as much texture... wasn't breaking out as often”
    • “helped my skin especially after all the small breakouts”
    • “pores being nonexistent”
  • Rich, dense lather Sometimes Noted
    • “lathers nicely... beautiful foam”
    • “creates dense, rich foam”
    • “viscous transparent gel that can be easily lathered”
    • “cloudy and creamy kind of texture”
  • Soothing and calming Sometimes Noted
    • “skin never felt less congested”
    • “helps soothe sensitive skin”
    • “calm inflamed or irritated skin”
  • Caused breakouts/purging Rarely Noted
    • “gave me tiny white bumps all over”
    • “chin and lower left cheek are FREAKING OUT”
    • “destroyed my skin... irritated, red, bumpy”
    • “doesn't get rid of my acne and makes it more irritated”
  • Eye irritation/Bad taste Rarely Noted
    • “get in your eyes and make them sting”
    • “can literally taste it without even trying”
    • “sting your eyes”
  • Ineffective for deep cleaning Rarely Noted
    • “doesn't remove sebum like in the ads”
    • “mild is non existent... BHA definitely is better”
    • “not sure if it does anything for my skin”

Sources: lovi.care, oliveyoung.com, stylekorean.com, skinsort.com, yesstyle.com, reddit.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes ANUA Heartleaf Succinic Moisture Cleansing Foam a great fit for acne-prone skin?

This cleanser is a great fit because it uses salicylic acid and succinic acid to clear clogged pores and keep oil in check, while soothing ingredients and ceramides keep your skin calm and protected without irritation.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for acne-prone skin?

This cleanser is a great fit for acne-prone skin because it contains salicylic acid and succinic acid, which help clear out pores and keep oil under control. It also includes soothing panthenol and ceramides to keep your skin calm and support your skin barrier.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

What does Succinic Acid do for acne-prone skin?

Succinic acid helps reduce breakouts, excess oil, and redness in acne-prone skin while balancing your skin's natural microbiome. Using it regularly may improve overall skin clarity and calm irritated areas.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Skin Research and Technology, 2024

What does Salicylic Acid do for acne-prone skin?

Salicylic acid helps clear acne-prone skin by reducing pimples and calming redness without causing many side effects. It works by dipping deep into pores to clear out blockages and control oil, making it a reliable choice for keeping skin smooth and clear.

BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?

This cleanser goes in both your morning and evening routines, right at the start after any makeup remover. It gently clears away impurities while helping to decongest pores and keep breakouts under control.

Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this cleanser with retinol by using the cleanser first in your routine to clear impurities, followed by your retinol treatment. Using gentle, barrier-supporting ingredients helps minimize the irritation and dryness that often come with retinol use.

Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Cutis, 2006

How often should I use this cleanser?

This cleanser is a great fit for your acne-prone skin and can be used daily in both your morning and evening routines. It gently removes impurities and helps clear pores with salicylic acid and succinic acid without causing irritation.

Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?

This cleanser is a great fit for your acne-prone skin and is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts. It contains salicylic acid and succinic acid, which help clear out pores and manage oil, while soothing ingredients keep irritation away.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?

This cleanser is generally fine for the body, but it is best to avoid the thin skin around the eyes to prevent irritation from its acne-fighting acids. Its gentle surfactants and soothing plant extracts safely wash away impurities on larger skin areas without stripping away moisture.

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

  • The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

  • A hyperoside-enriched fraction of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. inhibited UVB-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen degradation in human dermal fibroblasts by regulating the MAPK signaling pathway.

    Plants, 2021

  • A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.

    BioMed Research International, 2020

  • Treatment with a facial cream gel containing a biotechnological phytocomplex, niacinamide, and succinic acid increased skin microbial diversity and reduced C. acnes abundance, lesion counts, sebum, and acne severity in 44 subjects with mild-moderate acne over 56 days.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

  • Treatment with a lotion containing a phytocomplex, niacinamide, and succinic acid increased skin microbial alpha diversity, reduced Cutibacterium acnes relative abundance, and improved acne severity and clinical symptoms in 43 subjects with truncal mild-moderate acne.

    Skin Research and Technology, 2024

  • Treatment with plant-derived exosomes combined with non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid and succinic acid improved facial hyperpigmentation in two patients.

    Cureus, 2026

  • Hyaluronic acid and succinic acid combination induced mitophagy in senescent fibroblasts, promoted adipogenesis, increased IGF1 and decreased TNFA in aged adipocytes, and upregulated COL3A1 and EGF expression.

    International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025

  • Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.

    CMAJ, 2010

  • Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

  • Topical 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.

    Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010

  • A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.

    Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

  • The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020

  • Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001

Ingredients

Water, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Glycerin, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate, Sodium Chloride, Methylpropanediol, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Chitosan, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tromethamine, Coco-Glucoside, Panthenol, Salicylic Acid, Succinic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Protease, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide Np, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Cholesterol

Behind this fit score

Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play