Brand Comparison
Hada Labo vs Dr. Althea
A head-to-head comparison of two popular K-beauty brands. Which one is right for your skin?
Our Pick
Hada Labo
Higher editor rating (9 vs 8.8)
Hada Labo
Hada Labo is technically J-beauty, but it's so deeply embedded in K-beauty routines that excluding it would be dishonest. The Gokujyun Lotion is arguably the most influential hydrating toner ever made — it taught millions of people what hyaluronic acid can do. Simple, effective, affordable. A desert-island brand.
Pros
- ✓ Gokujyun line is the gold standard for hydration
- ✓ Extremely affordable for the results
- ✓ Minimal, no-nonsense formulations
- ✓ Multiple molecular weights of hyaluronic acid
Cons
- ✗ Technically Japanese, not Korean
- ✗ Packaging is purely functional
- ✗ Very focused range — not a full routine brand
- ✗ Some versions contain parabens
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
