Brand Comparison

beplain vs Dr. Althea

A head-to-head comparison of two popular K-beauty brands. Which one is right for your skin?

Our Pick

Dr. Althea

Higher editor rating (8.8 vs 8.5)

beplain Dr. Althea

Rating8.5/108.8/10

Price RangeBudget ($)Mid-Range ($$)

Founded20172003

OriginSeoul, South KoreaSeoul, South Korea

Products55

Best ForSensitive, dehydrated, all skin typesSensitive, compromised-barrier, Mature, Dry

PhilosophyMinimalist, plant-based skincare built around single-ingredient heroes with EWG-green certification and fragrance-free formulations.Dermatologist-led K-beauty — clinical formulations, no wasted space, 147 as in the number of ingredients in the cream that made them famous.

beplain

beplain is the minimalist clean K-beauty brand that lets each hero ingredient do the work. Their Mung Bean Cleansing Foam became the #3 product on Hwahae Global 2026, and the Greenful Toner is the default recommendation for reactive, dehydrated skin. Low-hype, high-efficacy.

Pros

✓ EWG-green and fragrance-free
✓ Single-ingredient focused formulations
✓ Outstanding value
✓ Top-rated on Hwahae rankings

Cons

✗ Minimalist approach means less variety
✗ Packaging is understated, not aspirational
✗ Slower to launch new products

Dr. Althea

Dr. Althea is the dermatologist-led K-beauty brand quietly outperforming its more-hyped peers on every actives-forward product. The 147 Enriched Cream (147 active and adjunct ingredients in one barrier cream) is the reason Reddit's AsianBeauty community keeps pointing new people here. No sparkly packaging, no K-pop collab — just well-built formulas with peptide, ceramide, and panthenol stacks that hold up under scrutiny.

Pros