ANUA BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner
by ANUA · skin_care
Editor's Take
Most exfoliating toners stop at the acid; this one gives 2% salicylic acid a five-ceramide cushion, though the petrochemical-heavy base takes some shine off the bottle.
Four-pillar formula scores
- Performance: 8.8 / 10
- Innovative Ingredients: 8.2 / 10
- Clean Standards: 6.7 / 10
- Formula Sustainability: 4.6 / 10
The Verdict
The 2% salicylic acid sits at a credible active level for clogged pores and breakouts. Five ceramides, cholesterol, and phytosphingosine make this more barrier-minded than the usual acid toner, while multiple hyaluronic acid forms and amino acids support hydration. The compromise is a glycol-heavy base with ethoxylated surfactants and EDTA, choices that weigh down its clean and sustainability credentials. A standout exfoliating toner for results with better barrier support, not an eco-led formula.
Is ANUA BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner clean?
DARE scores ANUA BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner by ANUA 6.7 / 10 on Clean Standards, the human-health pillar of the Formulation Architecture Model™. That reading comes from the published INCI list read as a system — preservative, fragrance and surfactant choices in context — not from flagging single ingredients in isolation.
What are the key ingredients in ANUA BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner?
The formula leads with Aqua, Dipropylene Glycol, 2-Hexanediol, Salicylic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, C12-14 Pareth-12. DARE reads the full INCI list below in order, so position and pairing shape how each ingredient contributes under Performance and Innovative Ingredients.
How does DARE score ANUA BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner?
Under the Formulation Architecture Model™, ANUA BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner by ANUA scores Performance 8.8 / 10, Clean Standards 6.7 / 10, Innovative Ingredients 8.2 / 10, and Formula Sustainability 4.6 / 10. Each pillar is scored from the finished formula rather than from isolated ingredient flags.
Full INCI list
Aqua (Water), Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Salicylic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, C12-14 Pareth-12, Octyldodeceth-16, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Sodium Citrate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Extract, Panthenol, Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Tocopherol, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Flower Extract, Ceramide NP, Zinc Sulfate, Triethylhexanoin, Cholesterol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Glyceryl Stearate, Potassium C11-15 Alkyl Phosphate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceramide NG, Phytosphingosine, Ceramide AP, Ceramide AS, Ceramide NS, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Citrulline, Ornithine, Taurine, Tryptophan, Asparagine, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Valine, Serine, Cysteine, Aspartic Acid, Alanine, Arginine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Proline, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Threonine, Ceramide EOP.