PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing Cleansing Foam

Look at the ingredient list of almost any cleanser on the market and you will see water as the first ingredient. It is so universal that most people never question it. Then look at Anua's PDRN Cleansing Foam. Glycerin — the humectant, the skin conditioner, the moisture magnet — sits in first position. Water comes second. This is not an accident. It is a statement about what Anua thinks a cleanser should be: a moisturizing treatment that also happens to clean your face.

The surfactant system reinforces that philosophy. Sodium cocoyl glycinate leads the charge — an amino acid-derived surfactant that produces a satisfying foam while maintaining a gentler pH than the sulfate-based systems that dominate mass-market cleansers. Sodium lauroyl glutamate and potassium cocoyl glycinate add cleansing power while sodium methyl cocoyl taurate contributes additional foaming without harshness. If you have ever used a foam cleanser that left your face feeling like a dried-out sponge, this is the opposite experience.

The foam itself dispenses pre-formed from the pump in a dense, almost mousse-like consistency. It feels substantial — not the thin, airy bubbles of a traditional foaming wash, but a thick cloud that cushions the skin as you massage it in. There is something psychologically satisfying about a cleanser that feels rich enough to be doing something while being gentle enough to use twice daily without concern.

But the real innovation here is the cationic hyaluronic acid — hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate. This is a positively charged form of HA specifically engineered to adhere to the negatively charged surface of skin, meaning it deposits onto your face during the wash and stays there after rinsing. While regular hyaluronic acid would simply wash down the drain, the cationic version electrostatically clings to skin, leaving behind a conditioning layer that preps the surface for everything that follows. It is a genuinely clever inclusion that solves the fundamental problem of putting hydrating ingredients in a product that you rinse off.

Alongside the cationic HA, you have sodium hyaluronate and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid for the brief contact-time hydration, panthenol for conditioning, allantoin for calming, and arginine — a basic amino acid that helps neutralize the mild acidity of the amino acid surfactants on the skin surface.

Now, about the PDRN, glutathione, and niacinamide listed in the formula. Let us be honest: in a cleanser that stays on your face for thirty to sixty seconds before being rinsed away, the functional impact of these ingredients is minimal. PDRN requires sustained contact to engage adenosine A2A receptors meaningfully. Glutathione needs time on skin to influence melanin pathways. Niacinamide benefits accumulate with prolonged exposure. These are ingredients that shine in the Capsule Serum and Booster Toner, not in a rinse-off foam. Their presence here is more about maintaining brand narrative across the PDRN line than about delivering standalone results. That is not deceptive — it is how product line architecture works in K-beauty — but consumers should not expect their cleanser to provide PDRN benefits comparable to the leave-on products.

What this cleanser does excellently is the job a cleanser should do: it removes impurities, excess oil, and water-soluble debris without disrupting the skin barrier. The amino acid surfactant blend is genuinely gentle — not gentle-as-marketing-claim, but gentle as confirmed by the glycerin-first formulation and the absence of sulfates, alcohol, and fragrance. For dry and sensitive skin types who have been burned by foaming cleansers before, this one earns trust.

It is less ideal as a standalone cleanser for heavy makeup or sunscreen removal. As a foaming wash, it handles light makeup and daily grime well, but waterproof sunscreen and full-coverage foundation will need an oil cleanser first. In a double-cleansing routine — oil cleanser followed by this foam — it is a perfect second step that removes the oil residue while conditioning the skin for toner.

At approximately $18 for 150ml, the pricing is competitive for an amino acid foam cleanser with this ingredient profile. One to two pumps per wash means the bottle lasts two to three months, putting the daily cost well under fifty cents. For a cleanser that genuinely leaves skin feeling hydrated rather than tight, that is reasonable.

Anua has done something subtle but important with this product: they have made a cleanser that does not work against the rest of your routine. In a market full of foam cleansers that strip skin only to have the next three products scramble to repair the damage, this one sends you into your toner step with your barrier intact and your skin primed for hydration. It is not the most exciting product in the PDRN line — that honor goes to the Capsule Serum — but it may be the most foundationally important.

Formula

The Science

The standout formulation choice in this cleanser is the amino acid surfactant system. Sodium cocoyl glycinate and sodium lauroyl glutamate are both derived from amino acids and produce significantly less irritation than traditional anionic surfactants like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). A study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science demonstrated that amino acid-based surfactants maintained skin barrier integrity as measured by transepidermal water loss (TEWL), while SLS-based cleansers caused measurable barrier disruption even at equivalent cleansing efficacy.

The cationic hyaluronic acid — hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate — is a particularly intelligent inclusion for a rinse-off product. Standard hyaluronic acid carries a negative charge at skin pH, meaning it has minimal substantivity (ability to remain on skin after rinsing). The quaternized form carries a permanent positive charge that electrostatically adheres to the negatively charged skin surface, providing sustained hydration even after the wash water carries everything else down the drain. Research has shown that cationic HA demonstrates significantly higher skin deposition rates compared to standard sodium hyaluronate in rinse-off applications.

The glycerin-first approach is noteworthy from a formulation science perspective. At the highest concentration in the formula, glycerin serves as both a humectant that binds water during the cleansing process and as a skin-conditioning agent that reduces the defatting potential of the surfactant system. Studies in Contact Dermatitis have shown that glycerin-enriched cleansers significantly reduce surfactant-induced irritation.

Regarding the PDRN and other treatment actives: while their inclusion maintains the product line's identity, the 30-60 second contact time in a rinse-off application severely limits their bioavailability. The cationic HA may carry trace amounts of co-deposited actives, but consumers should understand that the cleansing and conditioning benefits are the primary functional outcomes of this product.

Dermatologist Perspective

Board-certified dermatologists consistently emphasize that the cleansing step is where most patients damage their skin barrier without realizing it. Dermatologists frequently recommend amino acid-based cleansers over sulfate formulations, particularly for patients with dry, sensitive, or eczema-prone skin. This cleanser's glycerin-first formulation and gentle surfactant blend align well with dermatological recommendations for non-stripping cleansing. Dermatologists would note that while the PDRN and glutathione offer minimal benefit in a rinse-off context, the cationic hyaluronic acid technology represents a meaningful advancement in cleanser formulation — leaving behind a hydrating deposit is the kind of functional innovation that dermatologists appreciate in a cleanser.

Guidance

Anua designed this cleanser as the entry point to their PDRN routine — recognizing that barrier damage during cleansing undermines everything the toner, serum, and mist work to build. By using amino acid surfactants and depositing cationic HA during the wash, the cleanser preps the skin to absorb the subsequent PDRN products more effectively.

About Anua Established Brand (5–20 years)

Anua was founded in 2019 and has grown rapidly as a K-beauty brand, available in all 1,500 Ulta Beauty stores. The brand's PDRN line has earned Olive Young Awards recognition and the Hwahae Beauty Awards for best new product.

Brand founded: 2019 · Product launched: 2025

Myth vs. Reality

Myth

Foam cleansers are always too harsh for sensitive skin.

Reality

Traditional foam cleansers using sodium lauryl sulfate can indeed be stripping. This formula uses amino acid-based surfactants (sodium cocoyl glycinate, sodium lauroyl glutamate) that create rich foam while maintaining a skin-friendly pH and preserving the lipid barrier.

Myth

Active ingredients like PDRN and glutathione are wasted in a rinse-off product.

Reality

While contact time is limited, the cationic hyaluronic acid in this formula is specifically designed to bind to skin even after rinsing. Some conditioning actives do deposit and remain on skin during the wash process — the benefit is reduced compared to leave-on products, but not zero.

FAQ

Common Praise

"Does not leave skin feeling tight or stripped"

"Rich, dense foam texture"

"Pairs well with the rest of the PDRN line"

"Gentle enough for morning and evening use"

Common Complaints

"May not remove heavy makeup or sunscreen alone"

"PDRN and actives have limited benefit in a rinse-off product"

"Foam can be very dense — a little goes a long way"

Notable Endorsements

Available at Ulta BeautyPart of Anua's PDRN line

Appears In

best foam cleanser for dry skin best gentle foam cleanser best k beauty cleanser best sulfate free cleanser

Related Conditions

dryness dehydration sensitivity compromised skin barrier

Related Ingredients

hyaluronic acid glycerin panthenol