Most exfoliating toners ask you to choose between an acid that works and one your barrier can live with. The Anua BHA 2% Toner tries to hold both ends: free salicylic acid at 2%, sitting fourth in the ingredient list, with a six-ceramide complex, panthenol and a full hyaluronic acid stack underneath to catch the fallout.

This page covers what is actually in the bottle, which of the two circulating formulas you are getting, the sun-sensitivity warning that comes with any salicylic acid product, and one marketing claim we are not going to repeat because the ingredient list contradicts it.

Product Overview
Two Formulas Exist — which is this?
The Acid, Precisely
Key Benefits
Key Ingredients
One Claim We Will Not Repeat
Who Should Use It
Suitable Skin Types
How to Use the Anua BHA 2% Toner
How Often — start slower than you think
Where It Fits in Your Routine
What to Combine It With
Do Not Combine With
Realistic Results
Size and Value
Authenticity and Storage
Full Ingredient List
Warnings and Precautions
Product Specifications
Frequently Asked Questions
Should You Buy It?

Product Overview

Anua built its reputation on the Heartleaf 77 line — calm, soothing, no actives. The Anua BHA 2% Toner is the other side of the brand: a genuine chemical exfoliant, and the only salicylic acid product Anua makes.

The Anua BHA 2% Toner comes in one size, 150 ml, and that is worth stating because the range is confusing. Anua’s Heartleaf 77 Soothing Toner does come in 250 ml and 500 ml, and at least one European retailer has mixed the two SKUs and listed a “250 ml BHA toner” that does not exist. If you are offered the Anua BHA 2% Toner in anything other than 150 ml, it is the wrong product.

The Anua BHA 2% Toner has a thin, watery texture rather than a gel or an essence. It is fragrance-free, and Anua positions it for all skin types including sensitive — a claim the ceramide content makes more plausible than it would otherwise be.

One structural note that explains several gaps further down this page: the Anua BHA 2% Toner is an export product. It is not sold on Anua’s Korean domestic store at all, which means there is no Korean statutory disclosure block for it, and therefore no officially published shelf life, period-after-opening figure or functional-cosmetic classification.

Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner bottle in a water splash with the product name and benefit tags — Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner, 150 ml. Official brand visual.

Two Formulas Exist — which is this?

Anua reformulated the Anua BHA 2% Toner without changing its name, and both versions are still circulating internationally. Some retailers label the newer one “renewal”; most do not label it at all.

	Original	Renewal (current)
Name on the box	BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner	Identical — no change
Ceramides	Fewer	Six-ceramide complex
Glycerin	Not listed	Added
Salicylic acid	2%	2% — unchanged

We list the ingredient list for the current renewal formula below, because that is what is shipping now. But because the name did not change, the only reliable way to know which one is in your hand is to read the carton. That is true of every retailer selling this product, including us, and we would rather say so than pretend otherwise.

The Acid, Precisely

Vague acid claims are the norm in this category, so here is the specific position for the Anua BHA 2% Toner.

The BHA is free salicylic acid, not betaine salicylate and not “willow bark extract standing in for salicylic acid”. It appears in the ingredient list as Salicylic Acid.
It sits fourth, immediately after water, dipropylene glycol and 1,2-hexanediol. That is a high position and consistent with a real 2% inclusion.
The 2% figure is published by Anua itself, not inferred by a retailer. The brand’s own wording is “2% BHA (Salicylic Acid)”.
Willow bark extract appears separately, eighth in the list, as a secondary salicylate source.
There is no AHA and no PHA in this product. If you see it described as an “AHA BHA PHA” toner, that is a different product from a different brand.

Two percent is the standard maximum for a leave-on salicylic acid in most markets, so the Anua BHA 2% Toner sits at the top of that range. This is a working concentration, not a token one.

Key Benefits

Anua states the following for the Anua BHA 2% Toner:

Exfoliates dead skin cells
Helps clogged pores
Improves skin clarity and balance
Mild exfoliation, fragrance-free, low irritation

For the Anua BHA 2% Toner, Anua also cites a 2023 study by the Korea Institute of Dermatological Sciences reporting high satisfaction with pore care and noticeable improvement in skin clarity within two weeks, with the brand’s own caveat attached: results may vary.

These are cosmetic, appearance-level benefits. Salicylic acid clears what sits inside a pore, which makes pores look smaller — it does not change pore size, because pore diameter is structural.

Key Ingredients

Salicylic Acid, 2%

The active in the Anua BHA 2% Toner. Salicylic acid is oil-soluble, so unlike an AHA it travels into a sebum-filled pore rather than working only on the surface. That is precisely why it is the standard choice for blackheads and congestion rather than for sun damage or tone.

The Six-Ceramide Complex

Ceramide NP, NG, AS, AP, NS and EOP — all six in the renewal formula, alongside cholesterol and phytosphingosine. This is unusually thorough for a toner and is the main thing separating the Anua BHA 2% Toner from a plain acid liquid. Acids raise water loss through the skin; ceramides are how you offset that.

The Hyaluronic Acid Stack

Nine hyaluronic acid derivatives appear in the list, from sodium hyaluronate through crosspolymer and acetylated forms. Different molecular weights sit at different depths, which is the reasoning behind stacking them rather than using one.

Panthenol

Provitamin B5, supporting the barrier and helping skin hold water. In an exfoliating product it is doing damage control, and it is a sensible inclusion.

Tea Tree and Centella

Melaleuca alternifolia leaf extract and centella asiatica — the two most familiar Korean additions for congested and reactive skin. Both sit high in the list, just after the willow bark.

The Amino Acid Complex

Over twenty amino acids close out the ingredient list — glycine, glutamic acid, lysine, arginine and the rest. These contribute to the skin’s natural moisturising factor. At the end of a long list they are present in small amounts, and we are not going to pretend otherwise.

Zinc Sulfate

A quiet inclusion aimed at oil control, which fits the product’s target user.

Key ingredients in the Anua BHA 2% Toner: 2% salicylic acid, panthenol with six ceramides, tea tree leaf and hyaluronic acid — The four ingredient groups Anua leads with on the box: 2% salicylic acid, panthenol with six ceramides, tea tree leaf extract and hyaluronic acid.

One Claim We Will Not Repeat

Some retailers publish a “free from” list for the Anua BHA 2% Toner that includes silicones. The ingredient list contains Dimethicone, which is a silicone.

We are not accusing anyone of bad faith — free-from lists get copied between retailers and go stale after a reformulation. But we are not going to reprint a claim the ingredient list contradicts, and if silicone-free matters to you, this product does not qualify.

The rest of the free-from list does hold up against the ingredients: no denatured alcohol, no parabens, no artificial colour, no added fragrance, no sulfates, no mineral oil.

Who Should Use It

The Anua BHA 2% Toner suits you if you are dealing with:

Blackheads and congestion across the nose, chin and forehead
Pores that look enlarged because they are full rather than genuinely stretched
Rough, bumpy texture that makeup catches on
Oiliness through the day
A history of acids leaving your barrier stripped — the ceramides are the reason to try again
Body areas with congestion; Anua permits use on affected areas of the body

It is the wrong product for you if your barrier is currently damaged, if you already use a prescription retinoid nightly, or if you are unwilling to wear sunscreen — salicylic acid increases sun sensitivity, and the brand says so explicitly.

Suitable Skin Types

Skin type	Suitability
Oily	Excellent — the core user
Combination	Excellent
Congested / blackhead-prone	Excellent — this is what BHA is for
Normal	Good
Dry	Use sparingly — every third day, follow with moisturiser
Sensitive	Cautiously good — fragrance-free with six ceramides, but still a 2% acid

Anua lists the Anua BHA 2% Toner as suitable for all skin types including sensitive.

How to Use the Anua BHA 2% Toner

Cleanse first. The Anua BHA 2% Toner is the step immediately after washing.
Apply with fingertips or a cotton pad, gently layering over the face and neck.
It may also be used on affected areas of the body — the brand permits this explicitly.
Do not rinse. Follow with the rest of your routine.
Moisturise afterwards. Acids increase water loss; this is not optional.
If you use it in the morning, apply SPF 30 or higher. Anua states this directly.

The brand permits both morning and evening use. You will see some retailers claim it is evening-only — that is their own advice, not Anua’s.

How to apply the Anua BHA 2% Toner: every two to three days at first, with SPF 30 sunscreen in the morning — Anua’s own application guidance: start at once every 2–3 days, and wear SPF 30 or higher in the morning.

How Often — start slower than you think

Anua’s own instruction is unusually cautious for a toner, and it is worth following: apply once every two to three days, monitor your skin’s response, and adjust from there.

Not daily. Not twice daily with the Anua BHA 2% Toner. Every second or third day to begin with, then build if your skin is comfortable.

The reason is that 2% is the top of the leave-on range, and a toner is a large-surface-area application. Many people settle permanently at three or four times a week with the Anua BHA 2% Toner, and that is a perfectly good outcome rather than a failure to progress.

Signs you are overdoing it: tightness, a shiny red look, stinging when you apply anything else, or new flaking. Stop for a week and restart at a lower frequency.

Where It Fits in Your Routine

Step	Product	Notes
1	Cleanser	Oil cleanse then foam if wearing makeup or sunscreen
2	Anua BHA 2% Toner	Cotton pad or fingertips, do not rinse
3	Essence or serum	Hydrating — avoid other actives on toner days
4	Moisturiser	Important — offsets the water loss
5	Sunscreen	SPF 30+ if used in the morning, and daily regardless

What to Combine It With

The Anua BHA 2% Toner pairs well with hydrating essences, hyaluronic acid serums, centella and panthenol soothing products, ceramide moisturisers, and a high-protection sunscreen the following morning.

Browse the rest of our toners and essences range, everything for oily skin and large pores, or the full Anua collection to build a routine around it.

Do Not Combine With

Other exfoliating acids in the same routine. One acid step is enough. Alternate days.
Retinoids on the same night. Space them out rather than stacking.
Physical scrubs. Not while you are using a 2% BHA.
Immediately after waxing, threading or a professional peel.
Children under three years of age — the product carries an explicit instruction against this.

Realistic Results

First use of the Anua BHA 2% Toner: skin feels smoother almost immediately from the removal of surface dead cells. That part is real and reliable.

One to two weeks on the Anua BHA 2% Toner: blackheads begin to look less obvious and texture evens out as congestion clears. Anua’s cited study points at the two-week mark for visible clarity.

Four to eight weeks: pores look less prominent and oil is better controlled through the day.

What it will not do: permanently shrink pores, clear cystic acne, or work on pigmentation — salicylic acid is not a brightening ingredient. Results vary between people.

Anua BHA 2% Toner clinical before and after pore close-up after two weeks of use — Brand-supplied clinical visual. Anua credits a test run by the Korea Institute of Dermatological Sciences, 21 Aug – 6 Sep 2023. Results vary by individual.

Size and Value

Detail	Value
Size	150 ml — the only size made
Recommended start	Once every 2–3 days
At 3 uses a week	Several months, depending on application method
Cotton pad vs fingertips	Fingertips use noticeably less product
Period after opening	Not published by Anua

Because the recommended frequency starts at every second or third day, a 150 ml bottle of Anua BHA 2% Toner lasts considerably longer than a daily-use toner of the same size.

Authenticity and Storage

This is authentic Anua, made in South Korea and carefully selected from trusted suppliers and established distribution channels. We review packaging, labelling and condition before dispatch.

Store it away from direct sunlight and heat with the cap closed.

Two authenticity notes worth knowing. The barcode most widely published for this product is 8809640734519. And since Anua does not sell it domestically in Korea, any listing presenting a Korean domestic price or a Korean statutory label for this SKU should be treated with suspicion.

Full Ingredient List

The current renewal formula:

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Salicylic Acid, C12-14 Alketh-12, Octyldodeceth-16, Pentylene Glycol, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Extract, Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Flower Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Citrate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Ceramide NP, Zinc Sulfate, Triethylhexanoin, Cholesterol, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium C11-15 Alkyl Phosphate, Ceramide NG, Phytosphingosine, Dimethicone, Ceramide AS, Ceramide AP, Ceramide NS,

Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine, Lysine, Leucine, Methionine, Valine, Serine, Cysteine, Citrulline, Asparagine, Aspartic Acid, Isoleucine, Alanine, Arginine, Ornithine, Taurine, Tyrosine, Threonine, Tryptophan, Phenylalanine, Proline, Histidine, Ceramide EOP.

Because two formula generations are in circulation and published lists differ slightly between retailers, always read the carton you receive.

Warnings and Precautions

Sun sensitivity. This product contains salicylic acid, which may increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun and particularly the possibility of sunburn. Use a sunscreen, wear protective clothing, and limit sun exposure while using this product and for a week afterwards.

Do not use on infants or children under three years of age.
If rashes, swelling, irritation or other negative reactions occur from direct sunlight while using the product, consult a doctor.
Apply SPF 30 or higher when using it in the morning.
For external use only. Avoid the eye area.
Do not use on wounded or broken skin.
Patch test the Anua BHA 2% Toner before first use if your skin is easily irritated.
Keep out of reach of children and store away from direct sunlight.
Anua publishes no pregnancy guidance for this product. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please ask your doctor rather than relying on a retailer’s opinion.

Product Specifications

Specification	Detail
Brand	Anua
Product type	Exfoliating toner
Size	150 ml / 5.07 fl oz — only size
Active	Salicylic Acid 2% (BHA), brand-published
Secondary BHA source	Willow bark extract
AHA / PHA content	None
Barrier support	Six ceramides, cholesterol, phytosphingosine, panthenol
Fragrance	Fragrance-free
Contains silicone	Yes — dimethicone
Skin types	All, including sensitive
Concerns	Blackheads, clogged pores, rough texture, excess oil
Country of manufacture	South Korea
Korean domestic sale	No — export SKU
Period after opening	Not published by Anua
Barcode (EAN)	8809640734519
Vegan / cruelty-free	Not claimed — see FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What size does the Anua BHA 2% Toner come in?
150 ml only. If you see a 250 ml, that is Anua’s Heartleaf 77 Soothing Toner — a different, non-exfoliating product that some retailers have confused with this one.

Is the 2% figure real or a retailer’s claim?
Real and brand-published. Anua states “2% BHA (Salicylic Acid)” itself, and salicylic acid sits fourth in the ingredient list, which is consistent with that.

How often should I use the Anua BHA 2% Toner?
Anua says once every two to three days to start, then adjust to your skin. Not daily out of the gate.

Can I use it in the morning?
Yes, and Anua permits it — but apply SPF 30 or higher afterwards. Some retailers claim evening-only; that is their advice, not the brand’s.

Does the Anua BHA 2% Toner contain AHA or PHA?
No. Only BHA. Products labelled “AHA BHA PHA” are from other brands.

Is the Anua BHA 2% Toner silicone-free?
No. Some free-from lists say it is, but the ingredient list contains dimethicone. We would rather correct that than repeat it.

Is it vegan or cruelty-free?
We make no such claim. Anua publishes no vegan or cruelty-free certification for this product, and PETA currently lists Anua as not certified cruelty-free.

Why is there no expiry or PAO figure?
Because Anua does not sell this product in Korea, it carries no Korean statutory disclosure, and no period-after-opening figure is published anywhere we could verify. We are not going to invent one.

Can I use the Anua BHA 2% Toner on my body?
Yes. Anua explicitly permits use on affected areas of the body.

Will it help with acne scars or dark spots?
Not directly. Salicylic acid clears congestion; it is not a brightening or pigment-fading ingredient. Pair it with something else for tone.

How do I know which formula I have?
Read the carton’s ingredient list. The renewal contains six ceramides and glycerin; the name on the box is identical for both.

Where is it made?
South Korea.

How long does delivery take?
We deliver the Anua BHA 2% Toner across Bangladesh. Delivery charges and timelines are shown at checkout.

Should You Buy It?

Buy the Anua BHA 2% Toner if congestion, blackheads and rough texture are your problem and you want a properly dosed salicylic acid that does not leave your barrier in pieces. Free salicylic acid fourth in the list, six ceramides, a serious hyaluronic stack and no fragrance is a genuinely well-judged combination, and the brand’s own advice to start every second or third day tells you they took it seriously too.

Do not buy it for pigmentation, do not buy it if you will skip sunscreen, and do not buy it expecting silicone-free. Set those three expectations correctly and it is one of the easier acid toners to recommend.

One hundred and fifty millilitres. Authentic Anua, delivered across Bangladesh by Lume & Layer.

You can read Anua’s own product information on the official Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner page.

Table of Contents

Toners & Essences

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution 240ml

VT Cosmetics PDRN Essence 100 30ml

Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner 150ml