Anua Under Test: A Month With Kendall Jenner's K-Beauty Line
A Harper's Bazaar reviewer tested Kendall Jenner's favorite Anua products for a month on acne- and rosacea-prone skin. The verdict: 4.5/5, with visible results in days.
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The takeaway
- Kendall Jenner became Anua's first global ambassador; she credits the brand's double cleanser with changing her skin.
- A Harper's Bazaar reviewer tested the line for over a month on acne- and rosacea-prone skin and rated it 4.5/5.
- Anua's azelaic acid serum reduced the reviewer's inflamed pustules within about three days; dark spots faded within a few weeks.
Kendall Jenner became Anua's first global ambassador, and a Harper's Bazaar reviewer with acne- and rosacea-prone skin has now spent more than a month testing the supermodel's favorite products from the viral Korean brand. Her verdict: 4.5 out of 5.
Jenner's connection to the brand is personal. She has spoken publicly about severe acne, which she managed alongside the reviewer with treatments including Accutane and Proactiv before turning to Korean skincare. "I first discovered the double cleanser, and it has changed my skin. I also love their Azelaic green serum and PDRN, which gives me a dewy glow," Jenner said in a statement.
The reviewer has already gone through at least three bottles of Anua's azelaic acid serum. Here is what she found across the brand's best-sellers.
The Double Cleanse
Jenner's entry point to Anua was the two-step routine of the Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil and the Heartleaf Pore Deep Cleansing Foam.
The cleansing oil, built on sunflower seed oil, jojoba seed oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil and vitamin E, has a lightweight, liquidy texture. The reviewer massaged one to two pumps over her face for 30 seconds to a minute, added water to emulsify it into a milky texture, then rinsed. It broke down makeup, sunscreen and grime without filmy residue. It is also, she notes, one of the few cleansing oils on the market that doesn't blur her vision.
The Pore Deep Cleansing Foam, formulated with heartleaf powder, triple hyaluronic acid and glycerin, targets oily skin. It starts creamy and slightly gritty, then builds into a rich lather. It cleans without stripping moisture. The reviewer uses it at night, massaging it for about 30 seconds after the oil cleanse, because the lather is too much for morning use.
The Azelaic Acid Serum
"I have been reaching for this one if my skin feels irritated or prone to blemishes, and it really works," Jenner wrote in an Instagram Story posted on September 5.
The reviewer agrees. Her rosacea presents as breakouts, and the serum calmed her skin and reduced inflamed pustules within about three days. Daily use over a few weeks improved texture and faded post-acne dark spots. The formula combines azelaic acid, zinc PCA, salicylic acid with betaine, niacinamide, panthenol, squalane, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, allantoin, centella asiatica and aloe leaf juice. It is watery, absorbs quickly and feels like adding a layer of hyaluronic acid — one of the lightest azelaic acid serums she has tried, and ideal for oilier skin.
The Brightening Serum
For post-acne hyperpigmentation, the reviewer tested the niacinamide- and tranexamic-acid-based serum. After about a month, she was shocked by how even-toned her skin became. It brightened her complexion and faded dark spots within a few weeks. The formula includes niacinamide, tranexamic acid, alpha arbutin, a vitamin C derivative, hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid, glycerin, ceramides and centella asiatica. It is slightly more viscous than the azelaic serum and a little sticky on dry-down, but it layers well without pilling. She uses it at night to avoid overloading her skin with two serums.
The PDRN Serum Spray
This TikTok-viral facial spray, which Jenner uses for instant hydration and glow, earned a more measured review. Its formula — PDRN 2,000 ppm oil capsules, hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed collagen, panthenol, hydroxyethyl urea and botanical extracts — is a nice-to-have for the reviewer, though she sees its value for drier skin. The fine mist absorbs quickly, hydration lasts, and it delivers a natural dewy glow that refreshes makeup. No shaking required. She used it after cleansing or on drier-than-usual days.
The Sunscreen
The Zero Cast SPF 50 is now one of her all-time favorite sunscreens. Korean sunscreens often lean dewy, but this one — with avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene, hyaluronic acid, glycerin and vitamin E — delivers a hydrated, skinlike finish that is neither dewy nor mattifying. It leaves absolutely no white cast on her brown skin, feels like a lightweight moisturizer even when over-applied, layers well under makeup and doesn't sting her eyes. She uses it daily and reapplies throughout the day when not wearing makeup.
The Verdict
After a month, the reviewer understands why Jenner raves about the products and why they have gone viral. The formulas suit acne-prone and oily skin while staying hydrating and gentle — a change from the mattifying products she previously used on breakouts.
Her skin felt noticeably smoother almost immediately. Bumpy texture and inflamed breakouts appeared less pronounced after a few days. With consistent use, her complexion looked more balanced, achieved a glass-skin-like finish as Anua claimed, and showed improvement in hyperpigmentation and post-acne dark spots after about a week, plus refined pores. She had previously needed stronger treatments — peel pads or retinoids — for comparable results. She is not a fan of every Anua product, but she plans to restock these core staples as soon as possible.
For the trade, the takeaway is clear: gentle, hydration-first formulations are delivering clinical-adjacent results for acne and rosacea patients, and Anua's ambassador-driven momentum shows no sign of slowing.
Source: Harper's Bazaar Beauty; Source: amazon.com
Daniel Okafor
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News editor covering business strategy at Eurasian Beauty Journal.
