Brand Comparison
Glow Recipe 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)
Glow Recipe
Glow Recipe is the Korean-American K-beauty crossover brand that made its way into Sephora aisles worldwide. The Watermelon Glow line is genuinely well-formulated, and the 2026 launch of their Korean Toner Pads earned a spot in the Oscars goodie bag. Not the cheapest, but the formulations and branding are best-in-class.
Pros
- ✓ Excellent fruit-based formulations
- ✓ Widely available at Sephora globally
- ✓ Dewy, lightweight textures
- ✓ Strong clean beauty standards
Cons
- ✗ More expensive than pure K-beauty rivals
- ✗ Some products are over-marketed
- ✗ Scents can be polarizing
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
