Anua Heartleaf 77 vs 70 vs 80: Which Heartleaf Product Is Right for You?

Anua built a global following on one plant: heartleaf, or Houttuynia cordata. The problem is that the brand now sells it at 70%, 77% and 80%, across toners, pads, lotions, creams and ampoules — and the numbers do not mean what most people assume.

Here is the honest summary: the percentage tells you concentration, but the format tells you whether the product will suit you. A 77% toner and an 80% ampoule are not competing — they are different steps.

What Heartleaf Actually Does

Heartleaf is a calming ingredient. It is used in Korean formulas to soothe the look of redness and irritation and to keep oily, congested skin comfortable without stripping it. It is the gentler cousin of tea tree: less purifying, more soothing.

What it does not do is treat acne directly or fade dark spots. If those are your goals, heartleaf is the calming base you build on, not the active. More on the ingredient in our heartleaf guide.

77%: The Toner and the Pad

This is the flagship tier. The Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner is the product that made Anua famous — a watery, unfragranced toner that calms and hydrates in one step. It is the entry point most people should choose.

The Heartleaf 77% Clear Pad is the same concentration in a soaked pad, with light exfoliation from the swiping action. Choose the pad over the toner if your skin is congested and you want mild physical polish; choose the toner if your skin is sensitive or you want to layer several times.

Do not buy both. They do the same job.

70%: The Lotion and the Cream

The 70% tier is where heartleaf becomes a moisturizing step. The Heartleaf 70% Daily Lotion is light, emulsion-textured and generously sized — good for combination skin, and good on the body too. The Heartleaf 70% Intense Calming Cream is the richer sealing step for skin that needs more.

The lower percentage is not a downgrade. A cream needs room in the formula for emollients; you cannot make a 77% cream that still functions as a cream.

80%: The Ampoule

The Heartleaf 80% Moisture Soothing Ampoule is the most concentrated of the three, in the smallest bottle. It is a treatment step: a few drops after toner, before moisturizer, on days when skin is particularly reactive.

This is the one to buy last, not first. It works best layered into a routine that already has a calming toner and moisturizer, and 30ml goes quickly if you use it daily.

Cleansing and Sun Care

Anua runs heartleaf through the rest of the routine too. For first cleanse there is the Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil, or the gentler Mild version for sensitive skin. Second cleanse options are the Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam for congestion or the Succinic Moisture Cleansing Foam for drier skin.

Daytime is covered by the Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sunscreen. For weekly pore care there is the Heartleaf Pore Clay Pack, and for individual spots the Heartleaf Centella Red Spot Cream.

Building a Heartleaf Routine Without Overbuying

A complete, non-redundant Anua routine looks like this:

• Cleanse: Pore Control Cleansing Oil, then a heartleaf foam
• Hydrate: 77% Toner (or the Clear Pad, not both)
• Treat: 80% Ampoule on reactive days only
• Moisturize: 70% Lotion for combination skin, 70% Cream for dry
• Protect: Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sunscreen

That is five products, not nine. Stacking every heartleaf item Anua makes does not calm skin faster — it just costs more.

If Heartleaf Is Not Enough

Heartleaf is gentle by design, which means it can feel underpowered if your main complaint is active breakouts or pigmentation. In that case, keep the heartleaf as your calming base and add a targeted active: BHA for congestion, niacinamide for tone, or a tea tree product for more purifying action.

Anua also makes strong non-heartleaf options worth knowing about — the Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum for pigmentation and the Azelaic Hyaluron Soothing Serum for redness with a bit more force behind it.

The Short Answer

• First heartleaf product ever → 77% Soothing Toner
• Congested, oily skin → 77% Clear Pad
• Need a moisturizer → 70% Lotion (combination) or 70% Cream (dry)
• Already have a calming routine, want more → 80% Ampoule

Browse all Anua products, or explore Sensitive Skin picks across brands.