Dr Althea Products Explained: Which Should You Buy?

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Dr. Althea is a Korean skincare brand focused on calm, comfortable skin, and its range is easiest to choose from by concern: the 345 Relief Cream for redness and breakouts, the 147 Barrier Cream for dry or compromised skin, the Aqua Marine line for hydration, and the Vitamin C serums for brightness. Gentle cleansers and a daily sunscreen round out the routine.

Here's what each product does, who it suits and how they fit together.

Dr. Althea at a glance

• Sensitive or acne-prone skin: 345 Relief Cream
• Dry, sensitive or compromised skin: 147 Barrier Cream
• Dehydrated skin: Aqua Marine Deep Serum
• Dullness and uneven tone: Gentle Vitamin C Serum
• Cleansing: Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm and Green Relief Amino Gel Cleanser
• Sun protection: Aqua Glowing Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++

The moisturisers: 345 vs 147

345 Relief Cream: best for sensitive and acne-prone skin

The Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream is the brand's best-known product. It's a lightweight, vegan, fragrance-free moisturiser named after its 3-4-5 formula: three blemish-relief, four nourishing and five soothing ingredients. Ceramide NP and hyaluronic acids hydrate, while centella asiatica, panthenol and beta-glucan soothe. It's designed to help with redness, sensitivity and the look of marks left after breakouts, with a non-greasy finish that suits acne-prone and sensitive skin. It's clinically tested for sensitive skin.

You can use it morning and night. In the morning, apply a pea-sized amount after serum and finish with SPF; at night, use it as your last moisturising step. Our guide to using the 345 Relief Cream day or night goes into more detail. For hot days and on-the-go top-ups, the 345 Relief Cream Mist offers the same soothing idea in a 2-in-1 cream and water-essence mist with hyaluronic acid, rice extract, centella asiatica and panthenol.

147 Barrier Cream: best for dry and compromised skin

The Dr. Althea 147 Barrier Cream is the richer sibling. It's a moisturising cream that strengthens and protects the skin barrier and provides long-lasting hydration, with panthenol, centella asiatica and ceramides. It's made for dry, sensitive and compromised skin, so it's a good choice if your skin feels tight, flaky or stingy, or if you spend a lot of time in air-conditioning.

Quick rule: if you're oily, combination or breakout-prone, start with 345. If you're dry or your barrier feels damaged, start with 147. Some people use 345 in the morning and 147 at night in cooler months. See our full 345 vs 147 comparison for more.

The serums

Aqua Marine Deep Serum: best for dehydrated skin

The Dr. Althea Aqua Marine Deep Serum is made with 70% bamboo water to quench thirsty skin. Its blue colour comes from guaiazulene, a chamomile-derived ingredient that soothes and protects skin from external irritants. It also contains green caviar extract and panthenol to strengthen the skin barrier, plus vegan PDRN and agave extract to boost skin elasticity. It layers easily under either cream.

Gentle Vitamin C Serum: best for first-time vitamin C users

The Dr. Althea Gentle Vitamin C Serum uses a mild concentration of a stabilised vitamin C derivative, which makes it suitable for sensitive skin. It's designed to gently brighten and even skin tone, help fade the look of pigmentation and marks, and provide antioxidant protection. Allantoin soothes and hyaluronic acid replenishes moisture. It's best for sensitive and acne-prone skin and first-time vitamin C users.

If your skin is less reactive and you want a stronger option, the range also includes the Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum.

The cleansers

• Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm: a sherbet-type balm with shea butter, centella asiatica and natural oils that melts away heavy makeup and sunscreen while leaving skin soft and hydrated. It's gentle on sensitive skin and suits all skin types, especially dry and sensitive.
• Green Relief Amino Gel Cleanser: a gentle, low-pH gel cleanser with an amino acid complex, centella asiatica and green tea extract. It cleanses without stripping and is ideal for sensitive, combination and acne-prone skin.

Together they make an easy double cleanse: balm first to dissolve sunscreen, then the gel cleanser.

The sunscreen

The Dr. Althea Aqua Glowing Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++ is a lightweight, non-sticky chemical sunscreen with a glowing, hydrated finish and no white cast. It includes niacinamide, panthenol, sodium hyaluronate, ceramide NP and bamboo water, and suits dry, sensitive or combination skin. With strong Australian UV, it's an easy way to finish a Dr. Althea routine.

Sample Dr. Althea routines

Sensitive, breakout-prone skin

1. AM: Green Relief Amino Gel Cleanser, Gentle Vitamin C Serum, 345 Relief Cream, Aqua Glowing Sunscreen.
2. PM: Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm, Green Relief Amino Gel Cleanser, 345 Relief Cream.

Dry or dehydrated skin

1. AM: rinse or gentle cleanse, Aqua Marine Deep Serum, 345 Relief Cream, Aqua Glowing Sunscreen.
2. PM: Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm, Aqua Marine Deep Serum, 147 Barrier Cream.

Introduce one new product at a time and patch test first if your skin is reactive. Shop the full Dr. Althea collection or browse more gentle picks in Korean skincare for sensitive skin.

FAQ

What is the most popular Dr. Althea product?

The 345 Relief Cream is the brand's best-known product. It's a lightweight, fragrance-free, vegan moisturiser for sensitive and acne-prone skin.

What's the difference between Dr. Althea 345 and 147?

345 is lighter and aimed at redness, sensitivity and breakout-prone skin. 147 is richer and focused on strengthening the skin barrier, so it suits dry, sensitive or compromised skin better.

Can I use Dr. Althea 345 cream in the morning?

Yes. Apply a pea-sized amount after your serum in the morning and follow with sunscreen. You can also use it at night as your final moisturising step.

Is Dr. Althea good for sensitive skin?

Much of the range is made with sensitive skin in mind, including the 345 Relief Cream, 147 Barrier Cream, Gentle Vitamin C Serum and Green Relief Amino Gel Cleanser. Always patch test new products, and see your GP or dermatologist for ongoing skin concerns.