Anua Heartleaf LHA Moisture Peeling Gel for dry skin

Average
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- Low RiskSafety
Works for dry skin; other products fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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
- Offers moderate exfoliation for your dry skin, as capryloyl salicylic acid and 2-hexanediol work to smooth texture, while glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide essential hydration.
- The formula includes humectants like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to support hydration, but it lacks sufficient emollient ingredients to fully address your dry or flaky skin concerns.
- The product is generally safe for your dry skin, with a low risk of irritation from capryloyl salicylic acid.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliant as part of your PM routine once a week, increasing slowly to twice a week if your dry skin tolerates it well. Always remember to apply SPF every morning to protect your newly smoothed skin.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toning, but always before your rich moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and let it absorb for a minute. Avoid rubbing to prevent any irritation on flaky areas.
- Apply the product directly to dry clean skin to ensure the best possible tolerance for your dry type. This helps address flaky patches without causing extra stress.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a quick patch test before your very first use. Do not mix this with other strong acids or retinoids on the same night.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsUsers with sensitive and acne-prone skin frequently praise this peeling gel for its extremely gentle, non-irritating exfoliation that effectively removes dead skin cells and smooths texture without stripping moisture. While the majority report a "glass skin" finish and improved makeup application, a minority find the LHA formula too mild to address stubborn congestion or rough patches compared to stronger acids.
Highlights
Gentle & Non-Irritating Mostly Mentioned
- “zero irritation even on sensitive skin”
- “doesn't sting or burn”
- “gentlest exfoliator I've used”
- “great for daily use”
Smooths Skin Texture Mostly Mentioned
- “skin feels like a baby's”
- “removed all my dry flakes”
- “makeup sits perfectly after”
- “smooth glass skin finish”
Hydrating Finish Often Mentioned
- “no tight feeling after rinsing”
- “feels hydrating while peeling”
- “leaves a moisture film”
- “skin feels supple”
Pore & Blackhead Care Sometimes Noted
- “helped with nose blackheads”
- “pores look cleaner”
- “cleared up sebaceous filaments”
- “good for clogged pores”
Too gentle / Ineffective Sometimes Noted
- “didn't notice a difference”
- “too mild for my rough skin”
- “wanted a deeper scrub”
- “felt like it did nothing”
Breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused tiny white bumps”
- “broke me out in T-zone”
- “triggered fungal acne”
- “clogged my pores”
Scent Rarely Noted
- “smells like medicine”
- “weird herbal scent”
- “scent is a bit strong”
- “didn't like the fragrance”
Texture & Pilling Confusion Rarely Noted
- “clumps got stuck in peach fuzz”
- “hard to wash off residue”
- “weird chunky texture”
- “messy to use”
Sources: lovi.care, stylekorean.com, yesstyle.com, oliveyoung.com, iherb.com, stylevana.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does ANUA Heartleaf LHA Moisture Peeling Gel work for dry skin?
This exfoliant works for your dry skin, though other products fit it better because it offers moderate smoothing while providing essential hydration, with a low risk of irritation. A product of this type needs rich moisturizing ingredients, soothing elements like niacinamide or centella, barrier-supporting ceramides or peptides, and nourishing antioxidants to fully address dry or flaky skin.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for dry skin?
Capryloyl salicylic acid and 2-hexanediol help smooth rough texture, while glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide essential hydration for dry skin. To best care for dry skin, products of this type need rich softening ingredients and skin barrier supporters like ceramides, niacinamide, or peptides alongside deep hydrators.
What does Capryloyl Salicylic Acid do for dry skin?
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid is unlikely to be a good fit for dry skin on its own because it is designed to clear out pores and smooth texture rather than add moisture. Dry skin needs rich, gentle moisturizers with ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, or glycerin to keep it soft and comfortable.
What does Houttuynia Cordata Extract do for dry skin?
Houttuynia cordata extract helps calm dry skin by reducing inflammation and protecting cells from sun and oxidative damage. It also supports skin barrier proteins, which is useful since a product of this type for dry skin needs nourishing oils and humectants to lock in moisture.
Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This exfoliant treatment fits into an evening routine, starting at once a week and using it more often only if your skin tolerates it well. It offers moderate texture smoothing with a low risk of irritation, but dry skin of this type needs extra rich moisturizing ingredients like plant oils or butters to fully address dryness and flakiness.
Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?
It is best to use this exfoliant on a different night than your retinol to keep your dry skin from getting irritated. Using both at the same time may cause excessive dryness or redness. This product needs richer, softening ingredients and skin-protecting oils to better care for dry or flaky skin.
How often should I use this exfoliant?
Start using this exfoliant once a week in the evening, and if your skin feels comfortable and shows good results, you may carefully use it more often. This product works for dry skin, but an exfoliant of this type needs extra soothing and softening ingredients to fully comfort dry or flaky areas.
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This exfoliant is unlikely to cause breakouts or clogged pores for dry skin, and irritation is low. However, dry skin needs rich, softening ingredients and barrier-protecting oils alongside hydrating helpers to properly soothe flaky patches.
Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
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, 2017Topical hyaluronic acid filler serum combined with Botulinum toxin type A lengthened the duration of the toxin's effect in reducing wrinkles compared to Botulinum toxin type A alone.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Capryloyl salicylic acid peel reduced fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation comparably to glycolic acid peel in 44 female volunteers, with no statistically significant differences between the two treatments.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008Combining a salicylic acid and lipohydroxy acid facial serum and mask improved closed comedones and acne severity significantly more than serum alone in adults with acne over 8 weeks, with no adverse reactions reported.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Parity was demonstrated between an OTC BPO 5.5% formulation with lipohydroxy acid and tretinoin cream 0.025% versus prescription clindamycin 1%-BPO 5% gel and tretinoin cream 0.025% in participants with mild to moderate acne vulgaris at 12 weeks.
Cutis, 2012Daily use of a deep cleansing gel containing salicylic acid 2%, zinc gluconate 0.2% and lipohydroxy acid 0.05% significantly reduced total lesion count by 56.3% after 84 days in 35 subjects with mild to moderate truncal acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023Quercetin phospholipids 1% cream significantly reduced UV-, histamine-, and chemical-induced skin erythema (-10.05%) and mean wheal diameter in 30 healthy human volunteers, showing comparable efficacy to 1% dexchlorpheniramine cream.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2016Quercetin-loaded niosomes formulated with Span60-RH40 at a 9:11 mass ratio improved quercetin solubility, photostability, sustained release, and transdermal penetration, yielding a skin retention 2.95 times higher than quercetin solution.
Molecules, 2019Optimized rutin-loaded glycerosomes formulated into a nanosunscreen gel demonstrated sustained drug release, greater skin permeation, good antioxidant activity, and better epidermal retention compared to the dermis, indicating high safety, stability, and sun protection factor values for topical administration.
Gels, 2023Aloe vera and Aloe marlothii hydrate skin after single application while Aloe ferox dehydrates it, all aloe materials dehydrate skin after multiple applications, and Aloe vera and Aloe ferox reduce erythema similarly to hydrocortisone gel in healthy female volunteers.
Pharmacognosy Magazine, 2014Aloesin treatment suppressed UV-induced skin pigmentation by 34%, arbutin by 43.5%, and their cotreatment by 63.3% compared to the vehicle control in human subjects.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2002Finasteride-oregano oil nanocubosomes loaded into aloe ferox gel enhanced drug release and ex vivo skin permeation compared to finasteride aqueous suspension and pure finasteride gel.
Drug Delivery, 2022Topical application of a plant body oil blend for 8 weeks reduced the Observer Scar Assessment Scale score by approximately 5% and the Patient Scar Assessment Scale score by approximately 20% in volunteers with non-hypertrophic scars or striae compared to an untreated control region.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2018Plant extracts from Gomphrena globasa L., Clitoria ternatea L., Carthamus tinctorius L., Punica granatum L., and Papaver rhoeas L. demonstrated no cytotoxicity, high antioxidant potential, strong collagenase inhibition, moderate elastase inhibition, effective skin hydration, and varying suitability as stable cosmetic dyes when tested on keratinocyte and fibroblast cell lines and incorporated into face cream formulations.
Molecules, 2021Water extracts of Papaver rhoeas L., Punica granatum L., Clitoria ternatea L., Carthamus tinctorius L., and Gomphrena globosa L. showed no cytotoxicity on skin cells while exhibiting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and enzyme-inhibiting properties, with P. rhoeas, C. ternatea, and C. tinctorius demonstrating strong permanent coloring ability in cosmetic products.
Molecules, 2022Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019
Why other products fit dry skin better
A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Treatment with cross-linked hyaluronic acid-based microneedle patches combined with acetyl hexapeptide-8 or epidermal growth factor significantly improved wrinkles and skin hydration compared to the patch alone in Korean females over 29 days.
Annals of Dermatology, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Cellulose, 2-Hexanedio, Arginine, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Propanediol, Allantoin, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Dextrin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Disodium Edta, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Glycerin, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Aloe Ferox Leaf Extract, Bioflavonoids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin
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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