Brand Comparison
Royal Fern vs Hera
A head-to-head comparison of two popular K-beauty brands. Which one is right for your skin?
Our Pick
Hera
Higher editor rating (9 vs 8.7)
Royal Fern
Royal Fern is what happens when a Munich dermatologist with celebrity clientele decides that the existing prestige-skincare science isn't deep enough. Founded in 2015 by Dr. Timm Golueke after four years of researching the antioxidant biology of royal fern (Osmunda regalis) and male fern (Dryopteris filix-mas), the brand built a small, focused catalogue around the patented fern complex. Pricing is genuinely prestige — €165-295 per product — and the brand sits on shelves alongside Augustinus Bader at Joanna Czech, Niche Beauty, and the European prestige-skincare retailers that carry serious science-led brands. The marketing is restrained: "no cream removes a wrinkle" honesty, dermatologist-led trial backing, and ingredient transparency that's unusual at the prestige tier. The Phytoactive Anti-Aging Cream is the brand's hero; the Phytoactive Serum is the daily-routine entry point; the Phytoactive Skin Perfecting Essence brings PHA + maleic acid resurfacing into the platform.
Pros
- ✓ dermatologist-founded with four years of patented fern research
- ✓ phytoactive complex (Osmunda regalis + Dryopteris filix-mas) is genuinely uncommon
- ✓ restrained marketing in a prestige category that usually overpromises
- ✓ stocked at Joanna Czech / Niche Beauty / European prestige skincare retailers
Cons
- ✗ genuine prestige pricing (€165-295 per product) — luxury tier without flexibility
- ✗ narrow catalogue means routine-building requires non-Royal Fern products for some steps
- ✗ fern complex efficacy data is largely brand-internal — independent clinical replication is limited
- ✗ limited international distribution outside Germany / select European prestige retail
