Anua Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser for acne-prone skin
Glycerin
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Average
- SuperiorCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for acne-prone skin; other cleansers fit it 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
- Suitable for combination skin, this cleanser offers general hydration benefits due to Hyaluronic Acid and Panthenol, which support skin barrier function and humectant action. Zinc PCA provides mild pore-cleansing benefits, though it is not specifically targeted for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The formula contains Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate and Coco-Glucoside, providing moderate cleansing that is gentle and effective for combination skin.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your acne-prone skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
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
★4.8Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsUsers with dry and sensitive skin frequently praise this cleanser for its hydrating and non-stripping properties, noting it leaves skin soft and clean. It is also often described as gentle and suitable for sensitive skin types, with a moderate number of users appreciating its rich lather and effective cleansing. A moderate number of reviews mention issues with the thick consistency and packaging, making it difficult to dispense, while a low number of users found the scent unpleasant or the results underwhelming compared to other products. Negligible mentions of breakouts were reported.
Highlights
Hydrating non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
- “doesn't leave skin tight”
- “leaves face soft”
- “moisturizing finish”
- “no dry feeling”
Gentle sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “no irritation”
- “mild facial cleanser”
- “soothing for redness”
- “great for sensitive skin”
Effective cleansing Sometimes Noted
- “removes residue well”
- “cleanses pores deeply”
- “refreshing finish”
- “skin feels clean”
Rich creamy lather Sometimes Noted
- “foams well”
- “dense bubbles”
- “luxurious foam”
- “little goes a long way”
Packaging texture issues Sometimes Noted
- “hard to squeeze out”
- “very thick consistency”
- “tube is stiff”
- “difficult to dispense”
Beneficial ingredients Rarely Noted
- “love the panthenol”
- “zinc helps oil”
- “8 types of HA”
- “good barrier support”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused small bumps”
- “broke me out”
- “acne on forehead”
- “clogged my pores”
Underwhelming results Rarely Noted
- “just an ordinary cleanser”
- “nothing special”
- “prefer the Heartleaf version”
- “expected more hydration”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “odd medicinal smell”
- “smells like raw ingredients”
- “faint chemical scent”
- “weird fragrance-free smell”
Sources: lovi.care, anua.us, oliveyoung.com, stylekorean.com, yesstyle.com, ulta.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Anua Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser work for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser works reasonably well for acne-prone skin, offering gentle cleansing and general moisture without causing irritation. However, a product of this type needs powerful ingredients like Niacinamide and Ceramides to effectively target breakouts and blemishes while maintaining a balanced skin barrier.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser works reasonably well because it contains panthenol and multiple forms of hyaluronic acid, which help keep acne-prone skin hydrated and calm. It also includes zinc PCA for mild pore cleansing, though a top-rated acne product needs powerful ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides to tackle breakouts directly while strongly supporting the skin barrier.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
What does Water do for acne-prone skin?
Water-based hydration helps keep acne-prone skin balanced by providing essential moisture without adding excess oil. Proper hydration also helps reduce dryness and flakiness that can sometimes result from harsh acne treatments.
What does Glycerin do for acne-prone skin?
Glycerin helps keep acne-prone skin hydrated and calm without clogging pores or feeling heavy. It supports the skin barrier so it stays soft and smooth while handling everyday treatments.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser goes in the morning and evening steps of your routine, right before your toner and moisturizer. It is very safe and unlikely to irritate your skin, though acne-prone skin needs a cleanser with targeted blemish-fighting ingredients to fit best.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by washing your face with it before applying your retinol treatment. Using a gentle cleanser like this helps keep your skin calm and supports your skin barrier while you use retinol, though acne-prone skin often does better with a cleanser specifically targeted for breakouts.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day in the morning and evening as part of your routine. It is very gentle and safe for your acne-prone skin, though this type of skin also needs targeted blemish-fighting ingredients and oil-balancing care.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to cause breakouts for your acne-prone skin because it has a very safe formula with no harsh ingredients that typically trigger irritation. While it cleans gently, a cleanser for this skin also needs targeted blemish-fighting ingredients to properly manage active breakouts.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this gentle cleanser on your body and the thin skin around your eyes, as its mild cleansing ingredients and excellent safety profile are well-tolerated by delicate areas. However, because skin thickness varies across the body, highly sensitive areas may still require extra gentle care.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017A panthenol-enriched mask significantly decreased erythema and hyperpigmentation, increased sebum and stratum corneum moisture, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to a saline dressing in 60 subjects undergoing facial laser treatment.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Coco-glucoside powered emulgels containing probiotics and prebiotics demonstrated stability without phase separation and preserved probiotic viability for up to 11 days, supporting the skin's natural barrier.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2025A 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, 2017The 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, 2020Ten 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
Why other cleansers fit acne-prone skin better
Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Hydrolyzed Protein, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Zinc Pca, Decyl Glucoside, Hectorite, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Phosphate Starch, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Polyquaternium-67, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Maltodextrin
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.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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