Brand Comparison
Diego dalla Palma 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)
Diego dalla Palma
Diego dalla Palma is one of Italy's most recognizable makeup artists — a fixture of Italian television in the 1970s and 80s, author of beauty books, and the man who taught Italian women how to do their own makeup. He launched his eponymous brand in 1980 in Milan as a professional makeup line, and the skincare expansion in the 1990s has since grown into the dominant pillar. The Resurface, Hydro Replenishing, Revivyl, and Pure Glow lines now sit on Italian pharmacy and Sephora Italia shelves alongside La Roche-Posay and Vichy. The brand was acquired by RIGI Investimenti in 2009 and now operates separate consumer and professional lines, both with full INCI transparency. The Revivyl franchise is the modern heart of the brand — azelaic acid + niacinamide formulations that punch above their price point.
Pros
- ✓ founder-led credibility (Diego dalla Palma is a household name in Italian beauty)
- ✓ peptide and azelaic acid formulations punch above their price point
- ✓ clean INCI lists with no surprise nasties
- ✓ strong Sephora Italia distribution + growing US presence
Cons
- ✗ still building US/UK retail presence
- ✗ some products carry full fragrance complexes (limonene, citronellol, hexyl cinnamal)
- ✗ the brand straddles consumer + professional which creates SKU confusion
- ✗ premium-mid pricing for a non-prestige tier
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.
