Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Also known as: Heartleaf
Heartleaf (Houttuynia Cordata Extract) is a works on your skin used in skincare to calming botanical extract from the heartleaf plant, used to soothe reactive skin. It's found in 0 products in our database, making it a less common ingredient.
What it does
Calming botanical extract from the heartleaf plant, used to soothe reactive skin.
Heartleaf — the common name for Houttuynia cordata — is a calming botanical extract that became the defining K-beauty ingredient of the 2020s. Anua's Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner alone has over 580 million views on TikTok and helped normalise heartleaf-forward routines for reactive skin types. The plant is native to East Asia and has been used in Korean traditional medicine for centuries. The extract is rich in quercitrin, isoquercitrin, and afzelin — flavonoids that have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. In clinical testing, heartleaf extract reduces the histamine response in irritated skin and strengthens the barrier against trans-epidermal water loss. It's well tolerated across skin types but is particularly suited to over-exfoliated, acne-prone, or rosacea-adjacent skin. Look for heartleaf concentrations in the 30–80% range (K-beauty brands often disclose percentages on the front of the bottle). It layers well with niacinamide and panthenol for a full calming stack.
Who it's best for
People with specific skin concerns looking for targeted treatment.