Anua
BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner
Anua's BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner is a toner (150ml), built around Salicylic Acid for a Korean-market formula, positioned as the step right after cleansing, before essence or serum.
No reviews yet- Ships from our California warehouse
- Duties prepaid
- Suited to
- Congested skinUneven textureDry skinCompromised barrier
- Helps with
- Shoppers looking for Salicylic Acid in an exfoliating tonerRoutines that want Salicylic Acid and Tocopherol in one stepFilling the exfoliating toner step with a Korean-market formulaAnyone who wants the Salicylic Acid exfoliating toner sold on Korean shelves
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- Duties prepaid
- 30-day returns
- Free US shipping on orders of $100 or more
- Dispatched within 2 business days
How it works
The BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner is a 150ml exfoliating toner, used in the evening, after cleansing, on dry skin rather than damp. The exfoliant it is built around is Salicylic Acid, named fourth on its own ingredient list. The same list carries Tocopherol, Ceramide NP and Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Extract, so the exfoliant is not the only thing on it worth naming. How much of the Salicylic Acid stays on the skin, and for how long, is decided by the exfoliating toner format rather than by the list alone. This is the Original Korean Formula, the exfoliating toner Anua sells in Korea, Salicylic Acid and all.
Key benefits
- Salicylic Acid, the exfoliant this exfoliating toner is built around
- Tocopherol on the same list, an antioxidant
- Ceramide NP on the same list, a barrier lipid
- Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Extract and Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract on the same list, plant extracts
- Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Flower Extract and Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract further down the same list
- Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract and Pueraria Lobata Root Extract further down the same list
Key actives
Salicylic Acidexfoliant
It loosens the dead cells that block pores and is used for the look of congested, oily skin. It is the entry this exfoliating toner is named after, and the list carries it.
Tocopherolantioxidant
Tocopherol is vitamin E. It is an oil-soluble antioxidant that protects the oils in a formula from going rancid and works on skin as an emollient, and it is regularly paired with vitamin C because each keeps the other going for longer. The panel names it twenty-second on this exfoliating toner's list, beside Salicylic Acid.
Ceramide NPbarrier lipid
Ceramide NP is the most used cosmetic ceramide, the same class of lipid that makes up roughly half the mortar between cells in the outer layer of skin. Added to a cream it slots into that structure, which is why ceramide formulas feel less leaky rather than merely greasy. The panel names it twenty-third on this exfoliating toner's list, beside Salicylic Acid.
Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Extractplant extract
Tea Tree Leaf Extract is the water-based extract rather than the essential oil, so it is far milder and much less aromatic. It is used in formulas for blemish-prone skin. The panel names it seventh on this exfoliating toner's list, beside Salicylic Acid.
Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extractplant extract
Willow Bark Extract carries salicin, the plant compound salicylic acid is related to. The two are not interchangeable: willow bark is a mild clarifying extract, not a BHA exfoliant at the levels used in cosmetics. It is named ninth on this exfoliating toner's list, alongside Salicylic Acid.
Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner
Where does this exfoliating toner go in my routine?
In the evening, after cleansing, on dry skin rather than damp. Anything thinner than an exfoliating toner goes on before it, and anything richer goes on after. If you are adding it to a routine you already like, give it a week on its own first, so what you see is the Salicylic Acid and not three changes at once.
Is this the Korean-market exfoliating toner or a US version?
The Korean-market one, Salicylic Acid and all. We match this exfoliating toner to its Korean barcode before it reaches the shelf, which is the check that tells you which market release you are holding.
What else is on the list besides Salicylic Acid?
Tocopherol, Ceramide NP and Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Extract. The order they are printed in on this exfoliating toner's panel is the order on the box, so you can see where Salicylic Acid sits relative to them. Further down the same panel: Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Flower Extract and Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract.
- Ships from
- California
Duties are prepaid. Nothing is owed at delivery. Returns are accepted for 30 days, by mail.
Orders ship from our California warehouse, dispatched within 2 business days, and arrive in 3 to 5 days. Shipping is free on orders of $100 or more.
We split shipments free, so one out-of-stock item never holds up the rest of your order.
Where this unit came from
- 1Seoul
Bought as Korean-market stock - 2Customs
Duty paid by us before it enters the US - 3California
Ships domestically, no international leg
We stock the version of a formula that is sold in Korea, not the release a brand prepares for another market under the same name.
Every unit keeps its original barcode and batch code intact, so the unit in your hands can be checked against the brand’s own records.
Import duties are paid by us before the parcel reaches you, so nothing is owed at the door, and returns run for 30 days.
Every claim on this page traces to the unit in the box, the barcode, the batch code and the price you can read for yourself.
Payment and security
We accept
How to use
- PM only, after cleansing, two or three nights a week to start. Evening because salicylic acid leaves skin more sun sensitive.
- Soak a cotton pad and sweep it over the oilier areas, staying off the eye area. Do not press and hold it in one place: a saturated pad parked on thin skin is where irritation starts.
- Do not rinse it off, and give it a minute to dry down before the next step. Going straight in with a serum dilutes the acid across the face.
- Follow with a moisturizer every time, and with sunscreen the next morning. Build toward nightly only once two or three nights a week feels like nothing.
Worth knowing
- Patch test this exfoliating toner on a small area and wait a day before using it more widely, especially with Salicylic Acid on the list.
- Citric Acid and Salicylic Acid on this list makes this exfoliating toner an exfoliating step, so do not stack it with another one on the same night.
Reviews
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Anua, Korean-market original
Built around Salicylic Acid, named on this product's own ingredient list, sourced as the authentic Korean-market formula.
Verify your unit when it arrives
Verify your unit when it arrives
Korean-market stock with the original barcode and batch code intact, exactly as it left Korea.
Anua uses a holographic QR seal that only the HiddenTag app can read. Install HiddenTag from your phone’s app store and scan the seal on the box. A camera app alone will not resolve it.
Source: Anua packaging, HiddenTag scheme
On the unit itself
- The Korean-market barcode, unaltered from the retail package.
- The manufacturer’s batch code, exactly as the maker printed it.
정품Genuine article, Korean-market stock
What professionals say
What professionals say
What skin-care professionals say about the key actives in this formula, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.
BHAs like salicylic acid get really deep into the pores, whereas the water-soluble ones don't go as deep.
Samantha Stein, PA-CDermatology physician assistant, Cleveland Clinic People with dry, flaky skin are more likely to see a benefit from using vitamin E because it enhances moisturization.
Amy Kassouf, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic
1 more professional perspective
I think it's fair to say I've seen lots of patients use tea tree oil for a variety of skin issues. It's a natural remedy that is known to help.
Simon Hodes, MB ChBFamily physician, Cleveland Clinic
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