Ingredient glossary
Heartleaf Extract
On your shelf ✓What Heartleaf Extract does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Houttuynia Cordata Extract · Also: Heartleaf, Dokudami
In short: Heartleaf Extract delivers anti inflammatory and antioxidant, suits oily and sensitive skin best, and the evidence behind it is emerging.
- What it does
- Anti inflammatory, antioxidant
- Best for
- Oily, Sensitive skin
- Evidence
- Emerging
- How long
- 4–8 weeks
The Glow take
The kind of ingredient sensitive skin quietly loves.
Heartleaf Extract earns its place by calming things down: less redness, less sting, a happier barrier. Not a headline active.
— Maya
What it does
- anti inflammatory
- antioxidant
- antimicrobial
emerging evidenceCell and animal studies show reduced inflammatory markers and inhibition of Cutibacterium acnes and melanin synthesis in vitro, but no controlled human trial exists, so 77 percent heartleaf marketing outruns the evidence.
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
- sensitive
- oily
- acne prone
- rosacea
Approach with care
- rare allergy
- Clogs poresLow
- Irritation riskLow
How it fits each skin type
- DryNeutral
- CombinationNeutral
- OilySuits
- SensitiveSuits
Often chosen for acne prone, rosacea. Take extra care if any of these apply to you: rare allergy.
Where it fits in your routine
Give it four to eight weeks — that is when the change first became measurable.
What was measured, and in whom
Measured on: facial sebum output by sebumeter, with stratum corneum hydration by corneometer as the second endpoint.
A randomised placebo-controlled parallel trial gave 16 volunteers, eight per arm, either a toner containing 0.05% ethanolic Houttuynia cordata leaf extract or an otherwise identical extract-free toner, once daily for eight weeks, with readings at weeks 0, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Sebum in the extract arm was significantly below baseline at week 8 (78% anti-sebum efficacy against 49.3% on placebo) and hydration was significant from week 5 on one cheek and week 6 on the other, ahead of weeks 7-8 on placebo. Three things bound this: the arms hold eight people each and the authors developed the product; the significance reported in the results is within-arm against baseline, not between arms, and the placebo toner also improved; and nothing at all was measured between week 0 and week 5, so a faster onset is untested rather than excluded. Note also the dose - 0.05% in the tested toner against the 77% heartleaf on Korean labels - and that the redness and soothing endpoint the base scores highest still has no human trial behind it.
Anurukvorakun O, Numnim S. Development and Clinical Efficacy Evaluation of Facial Toner Containing Houttuynia cordata Thunb. Cosmetics 2023;10(5):133. DOI:10.3390/cosmetics10050133 (no PMID). Rejected: PMID:31424962, an 8-week vehicle-controlled acne trial of a four-herb blend containing H. cordata, from which heartleaf's own contribution cannot be separated.
Plays well with
- niacinamide
- centella
- panthenol
Heartleaf Extract, answered
Is Heartleaf Extract safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Heartleaf Extract is considered safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. As with anything, if you are unsure it is worth a quick word with your doctor or midwife.
Who should avoid Heartleaf Extract?
Approach Heartleaf Extract with care if any of these apply to you: rare allergy.
What concentration of Heartleaf Extract actually works?
Its concentration is rarely printed on the label, so use the ingredient list as your clue: near the top third it is likely doing real work, near the bottom it is more of a sprinkle.
Can you mix Heartleaf Extract with
This, for every label you own
One ingredient is easy. A full label is where it gets confusing. The Ingredient Decoder reads any product and tells you the honest truth, ingredient by ingredient.
Sources & how we reviewed this
- DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0230645abstract only, the full text is paywalled
- DOI 10.1186/1472-6882-14-234summary page only, the document itself was not read
- DOI 10.1002/ptr.4905summary page only, the document itself was not read