The post-centella K-beauty soothing star. Heartleaf — known in Korean as 'eo-seong-cho' — is a wild mountain herb traditionally used for inflammation and acne; brands Anua, Abib, and Round Lab built entire identities around it from 2023 onward. Anua's Heartleaf 77 Soothing Toner became the breakout K-beauty toner of 2024. Quercitrin and reynoutrin are the active flavonoids; the 'redness reset' positioning resonates with the rosacea-aware Western audience.
Benefits
calms acute redness and inflammation (post-acne, post-sun, sensitivity flares)
antimicrobial — gentle support for acne-prone skin
antioxidant flavonoid load
Example uses
soothing toners (Anua Heartleaf 77)
calming essences
post-acne redness creams
Mechanism of action
A wild Asian wetland herb whose aqueous extract delivers a flavonoid-rich anti-inflammatory profile — quercitrin, hyperoside, rutin, and afzelin — alongside the volatile aldehyde decanoyl acetaldehyde (responsible for the characteristic 'fishy' note in unrefined extracts), which has demonstrable antibacterial activity against Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus aureus. The flavonoid fraction suppresses NF-κB and TNF-α signalling, with documented attenuation of histamine- and arachidonic-acid-induced erythema. Functions as both an immediate calming agent and a longer-arc acne-supportive ingredient.
Clinical evidence · Emerging
Solid in-vitro anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial data; Korean traditional medicine canon plus small clinical work on acne-prone and sensitive skin; large-scale dermatology RCTs are still maturing.
Effective concentration range
10–80% as aqueous base in toners and essences
Formulation notes
Used at 10–80% as the lead aqueous phase in toners and essences. Often paired with centella, panthenol, and niacinamide. Works in cool, low-active vehicles.
Watchouts
Real efficacy depends on extract concentration — '77% heartleaf' marketing is aspirational; check INCI position. Allergic contact dermatitis is rare but reported.
'77% heartleaf' and similar headline-percentage marketing routinely refers to total Houttuynia-derived aqueous content (much of which is water), not standardised active concentration. Allergic contact dermatitis is rare but documented. The plant's wild-mountain provenance image is mostly cultivated supply now.
Market positioning
Sold as the next-generation cica — Anua, Abib, Round Lab built breakout brand identities on it. Real value is genuine but lateral to centella; the differentiation is largely sensorial and narrative.
Comedogenicity
0 / 5
Sensitisation risk
Low
INCI & aliases
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
houttuynia cordata · houttuynia · eo-seong-cho · fish mint
Clean beauty perception
Strongly positive — the 'next centella' for clean K-beauty.