Brand Comparison
Mamaearth 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 7.4)
Rating7.4/108.8/10
Price RangeBudget ($)Mid-Range ($$)
Founded20162003
OriginIndiaSeoul, South Korea
Products115
Best Fornormal, Combo, DrySensitive, compromised-barrier, Mature, Dry
PhilosophyToxin-free skincare for the Indian family — onion shampoo, ubtan face wash, affordable, Nykaa-level ubiquitous.Dermatologist-led K-beauty — clinical formulations, no wasted space, 147 as in the number of ingredients in the cream that made them famous.
Mamaearth
India's fastest-growing beauty IPO story. Huge on onion hair oil. Skincare is fine, not revolutionary, but hits the price-performance sweet spot.
Pros
- ✓ Very affordable
- ✓ Pan-India ubiquity
- ✓ Toxin-free positioning
Cons
- ✗ Marketing hype vs. formula
- ✗ Simple formulations
- ✗ Fragrance-heavy
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
- ✗ packaging photographs less well than the K-pop-adjacent competition
