Brand Comparison
Dr. Dennis Gross 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 8.7)
Dr. Dennis Gross
The Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel is the product that made Dr. Dennis Gross famous, and 25 years later it's still the benchmark for at-home pre-soaked acid pads. The rest of the line is competent but less essential — you're here for the peel, the Vitamin C serum, and the LED masks (which are genuinely clinical-grade).
Pros
- ✓ Gold-standard Alpha Beta Peel
- ✓ Clinical-grade LED devices
- ✓ Dermatologist-led formulations
Cons
- ✗ Premium pricing
- ✗ Strong scent in peel
- ✗ Some overlap across SKUs
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
- ✓ dermatologist-led clinical approach
- ✓ 147 Enriched Cream is a legitimate barrier workhorse
- ✓ minimalist, no-nonsense branding
- ✓ every product is actives-first
Cons
- ✗ brand voice is drier than its peers
- ✗ distribution outside Korea and Sephora is limited
