Welcome to the first-ever K-Beauty Brand Spotlight! This month, we’ll be taking a look at Dr. Althea, one of the few brands whose products I’ve consistently incorporated into my routine this year.
Dr. Althea: A Brief History
First and foremost: Dr. Althea is not a real person.
Keeping true to K-beauty’s unique approach to naming entities, the Dr. Althea brand story has a deeper meaning behind it. Doctor (Dr.) represents the scientific research that goes into developing its products. Althea is the national flower of its origin country, South Korea.
Dr. Althea launched in 2014. Many of its products can be identified by the minimalist white packaging that’s akin to a super-niche luxury brand, but minus the extravagant price tags.
The brand’s mission is to “discover safe, effective, and natural ingredients to create high-quality products” for all skin types, especially sensitive and problematic skin. It strives to become a worldwide leader in sensitive skincare and K-beauty at large.
K-Beauty Brand Spotlight: Dr. Althea Products I’ve Used
Throughout 2020, I’ve had the opportunity to use a range of Dr. Althea products via PR from the brand. The latest of these, which I’ve yet to formally review, is the Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser.
Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser
Ingredients & Texture
As the name suggests, this foaming cleanser is packed with amino acids — 17 types, to be exact. Amino acids may improve skin texture and boost hydration.
Other noteworthy ingredients in this Dr. Althea foaming cleanser include:
- Bisabolol: Anti-inflammatory and soothing agent derived from chamomile
- Sodium hyaluronate: The sodium form of hyaluronic acid
- Sedum sarmentosum extract: A humectant; also known as stonecrop extract
Per the product page, the Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser is a soft UFD -200nm nano-size foam for easier penetration into the pores. The foam is quite fluffy once it’s dispensed from the pump. It’s easy to work into and rinse off my skin.
My Thoughts
I’m typically not big on foaming cleansers. Sure, I find them fun, but more often than not they leave my skin feeling dry and tight.
That has not been the case with the Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser. This has been my go-to second evening cleanser for the last two months. I reckon I have another month or so to go with my current bottle — I don’t need to use a lot of it.
Dr. Althea markets this cleanser for dry and sensitive skin types. I have combination skin but between a drop in temperatures and (ahem) some bad habits, my skin has been skewing dry. I can’t speak to how this feels on sensitive skin, but on my more resistant skin, this foam is gentle.
Best of all, this foaming cleanser doesn’t saddle me with that uncomfortable feeling of dryness and tightness. In fact, my skin feels smoother after using it.
And does it clean well? Sure, I think it’s good at removing any residue or leftover makeup that my oil or balm cleansers might have left behind.
Overall, I’m happy with the Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser. If you have dry and/or sensitive skin, you might want to give this cleanser a go. It won’t put a major dent in your wallet, either, at under $15.
Dr. Althea Moisturizing Creams
I’ve had the Dr. Althea Azulene 147 HA Intensive Soothing Cream and Dr. Althea Resveratrol 345 NA Intensive Repair Cream in my skincare stash since the brand gifted them to me in early 2020. I’ve spoken at length about each cream on my Instagram, but I thought I’d offer an update.
Dr. Althea Azulene 147 HA Intensive Soothing Cream
I like the Azulene 147 HA cream a lot — so much that I am likely going to purchase another tube for the fall-winter transition. It’s heavier than the Reservatrol 345 NA cream, but it’s still a nice mid-weight formula that doesn’t leave my skin greasy. Dr. Althea recommends this for dry, acne-prone skin.
Dr. Althea Reservatrol 345 NA Intensive Repair Cream
In the rare case I need a daytime moisturizer, I reach for the lighter, more watery Reservatrol 345 NA cream. It’s also a reliable night cream during warmer months. Dr. Althea recommends this formula for oily skin prone to inflammation.
Dr. Althea Water Glow Skin Renewal Hydrogel Mask
I reviewed the Dr. Althea Water Glow Skin Renewal Hydrogel Mask on Instagram last month. After that initial review, I’ve used the rest of the masks in stock on nights when it was cold / I was too lazy to use a proper moisturizer. I was right — it’s the mask I need when my skin is dry and there’s a chill in the air.
Dr. Althea Everyday Sheet Masks
It’s been a while since I’ve used these Dr. Althea Everyday sheet masks, and I didn’t record my thoughts on them at the time. But I remember liking both the Water Glow Aqua Ampoule Mask and Pore-Control Charcoal Mask. Nothing outstanding, but there’s nothing wrong with a reliable sheet mask that does its job!
Dr. Althea: Affordable, Effective K-Beauty
Overall, I think Dr. Althea skincare suits my skin. I’ve outgrown that stage of my K-beauty journey when cute packaging heavily sways my decision to buy something. Dr. Althea is far from flashy but its straightforward approach to skincare speaks to what I care about in the present day.
It also helps that Dr. Althea skincare products aren’t ridiculously expensive, if not on-par with comparable brands. The Dr. Althea items I’ve discussed in this post were all gifted to me by the brand, but they’re also items I’m not priced out of buying otherwise. I look forward to buying and trying more Dr. Althea products in my skincare routine.
Are you familiar with Dr. Althea products? Which ones have you tried, and which ones are on your wish list? Sound off in the comments.
Save Sitewide at Dr. Althea With My Affiliate Coupon!
Use coupon code QOWS to save 10% off sitewide at Dr. Althea Global. Clicking this link will apply the discount at checkout automatically. Even better, all orders qualify for free shipping so buy as much or as little as you need without fussing over delivery costs. Code expires December 10, 2020.
Enjoy this K-Beauty Brand Spotlight? Watch the blog for more content like this. (I swear, I’ll try to update this site more regularly!)
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I am not a professional. All opinions are my own.