🇬🇧United Kingdom

Anua Heartleaf Succinic Moisture Cleansing Foam for combination skin

High

  • HighCombination Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

A great choice for combination skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 excellent cleansing for your combination skin, as disodium cocoamphodiacetate and salicylic acid effectively remove impurities and decongest pores without causing irritation. Succinic acid and salicylic acid provide mild exfoliation to manage oily shine and seboregulation.
  • The formula is highly suitable for your combination skin, with Houttuynia Cordata Extract and Panthenol offering soothing benefits.
  • The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of calming components.

How to apply

  • Use this cleanser AM and PM as part of your daily routine. Start 3×/week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
  • Apply this cleanser as the very first step in your morning routine and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening.
  • Gently massage a small amount of cleanser onto your skin using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
  • For the best results , apply the cleanser directly onto slightly damp skin to help lift away excess oil.
  • 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 combination skin?

This cleanser is a great fit for your combination skin because it thoroughly removes impurities and helps manage oily shine without causing irritation. It features soothing ingredients and mild exfoliants that keep pores clear while maintaining skin comfort.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for combination skin?

This cleanser is a great fit for your combination skin because salicylic acid and succinic acid gently clear out pores and manage oily shine. At the same time, glycerin, panthenol, and ceramide NP help keep your skin feeling comfortable and hydrated without getting irritated.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025

What does Succinic Acid do for combination skin?

Succinic acid helps balance oily and dry areas by reducing excess sebum and calming redness, making it a great addition for combination skin. It also helps manage breakouts and keeps the skin smooth without feeling heavy. A product for this skin type needs oil-balancing ingredients and lightweight hydration.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2014

What does Salicylic Acid do for combination skin?

Salicylic acid helps clear clogged pores and balance oily areas while remaining gentle enough for dry spots on combination skin. It reduces breakouts and oiliness effectively with a low likelihood of irritation.

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

Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for combination skin?

This cleanser fits into your morning routine and your evening routine as the first or second cleansing step. It helps remove impurities while keeping your skin calm and balanced.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

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

You can use this cleanser in your routine before retinol, as it washes away impurities and clears pores gently without causing irritation. The gentle ingredients help calm your skin while keeping it balanced and comfortable.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025

How often should I use this cleanser?

This cleanser is a great fit for your combination skin, so you can use it in your morning and evening routines. It gently washes away impurities and excess shine while keeping your skin calm and comfortable.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?

This cleanser is a great fit for your combination skin and is unlikely to clog pores or cause irritation, as it effectively removes impurities and gently clears out pores without harsh ingredients. The combination of gentle cleansing agents and calming components helps manage oily shine while keeping your skin calm and comfortable.

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

This cleanser is unlikely to irritate the thin skin around your eyes or on your body, as its gentle formula clears impurities safely without harsh components. Panthenol helps keep these delicate areas calm and comfortable during cleansing.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • 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
  • Topical 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, 2002
  • A 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, 2025
  • 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, 2017
  • 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
  • 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.

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product.

How does it fit your skin?

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