Anua went from a brand nobody in Canada had heard of to one of the most searched Korean names here in about two years, largely on the back of one product. The range is now considerably wider than that one product, and choosing between the lines is where people get stuck.
Here is what each line does.
Heartleaf: for redness and reactivity
Heartleaf is Houttuynia cordata, a plant used in Korean and Japanese traditional medicine for inflammation. It is Anua's signature and it is genuinely good at what it does, which is calming visible redness and settling reactive skin.
The line, in order of how they layer:
- Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil for first cleanse
- Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam for second cleanse
- Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner, the one that built the brand, a hydrating and calming layer in one
- Heartleaf 80% Soothing Ampoule, the concentrated version for active irritation
- Heartleaf 70% Intense Calming Cream to seal
If you want the whole thing, the Heartleaf Complete Calming Set is the tidier way to buy it.
Choose Heartleaf if: your skin is red, reactive, easily provoked, or recovering from over-exfoliation.
PDRN: for hydration and plumpness
PDRN, polydeoxyribonucleotide, is salmon-derived DNA fragments. It arrived in Korea through aesthetic clinics and moved into topical skincare recently, which means the topical evidence is thinner than the injectable evidence. What it reliably does in a cream is hydrate well and leave skin looking plumper.
Choose PDRN if: your main complaint is dehydration and skin that looks flat or crepey by evening. Note the salmon origin if you avoid animal-derived ingredients or have a fish allergy.
Niacinamide and azelaic acid: for tone
This is the part of the range that suits the customer dealing with pigmentation and post-inflammatory marks, which in practice is most people over forty.
- Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum. Niacinamide and tranexamic acid together, which is one of the better-evidenced non-prescription combinations for pigmentation. This is the one I would point most people at for dark spots.
- Azelaic Acid 10% Hyaluron Redness Soothing Serum. Azelaic acid works on redness and pigmentation at once, which makes it unusually useful if you have both. Gentler than most acids and generally tolerated by rosacea-prone skin, though patch test first.
- Peach 70% Niacin Serum, a lighter niacinamide option with a nicer texture and a lower active load.
Choose these if: dark spots, sun damage or lingering marks from old spots are what bother you most.
Which Anua product should you buy first?
- Red, reactive skin: Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner
- Dehydrated skin: PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum
- Dark spots: Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum
- Redness and pigmentation together: Azelaic Acid 10%
- Congested and oily: Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil
The full Anua collection is stocked in Canada, in CAD, shipped from Markham with no customs.
Common questions
Where can I buy Anua in Canada?
We hold the range in Canada and ship domestically, so there is no import wait and nothing to pay at the door.
Is the Heartleaf toner an exfoliating toner?
No. It is a hydrating and calming layer with no acids. It is safe on a damaged barrier, which is unusual for something called a toner.
Can I use the azelaic acid and the niacinamide serum together?
Yes, but not on day one. Introduce one, wait two weeks, then add the second. If you want both effects quickly, alternate mornings and evenings.
Is Anua PDRN vegan?
No. PDRN is salmon-derived. The Heartleaf line is the plant-based part of the range.
What is the difference between the 77% toner and the 80% ampoule?
Concentration and format. The toner is a large-volume daily hydrating step; the ampoule is a targeted treatment for when skin is actively irritated.