Brand Comparison
Fancl 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)
Fancl
Fancl cracked a real problem decades before clean beauty was a buzzword: preservatives can irritate sensitive skin. Their fix is radical — tiny bottles you finish before anything goes off, with zero added preservatives, fragrance, or dyes. The Mild Cleansing Oil is an industry benchmark. If your skin reacts to everything, start here.
Pros
- ✓ Pioneering preservative-free formulations
- ✓ Mild Cleansing Oil is a 30-year cult favorite
- ✓ Small bottle sizes mean genuinely fresh product
- ✓ Dermatologist-developed, reactive-skin safe
Cons
- ✗ Short shelf life after opening
- ✗ Single-use sizing means more packaging
- ✗ Some formulas feel utilitarian
- ✗ Limited presence outside Asia
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
