Brand Comparison
Salt by Hendrix vs Real Barrier
A head-to-head comparison of two popular K-beauty brands. Which one is right for your skin?
Our Pick
Real Barrier
Higher editor rating (8.7 vs 8.3)
Salt by Hendrix
Salt by Hendrix is the Australian clean-beauty brand with a distinctive coastal-girl aesthetic — pink Himalayan salt, Australian botanicals, and packaging that lives well on Instagram. The Rosé Crystal Eye Mask and Ocean Mist Body Wash are the gifting-favorite heroes. Mid-tier pricing, distribution across Australian beauty retail and a growing international presence.
Pros
- ✓ Distinct coastal-girl branding
- ✓ Strong gifting appeal
- ✓ Affordable mid-tier
- ✓ Australian botanical sourcing
Cons
- ✗ Lifestyle-led, not treatment-led
- ✗ Some scents are heavy
- ✗ Limited international distribution
Real Barrier
Real Barrier is the kind of brand dermatologists quietly recommend without the hype. Launched in 2015 as ATOPALM's adult-focused line, it's built around one core technology — MLE (Multi-Lamellar Emulsion), a patented way of formulating ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids in the same lamellar structure as human skin. The result is a hero Extreme Cream that rebuilds the barrier twice as fast as most ceramide moisturisers in independent testing. Not a brand you buy for a routine — a brand you buy for your most compromised skin days. The Intensive Moisture Essence and Aqua Soothing Ampoule are under-appreciated supporting actors. Real Barrier is Korea's quiet answer to La Roche-Posay Toleriane.
Pros
- ✓ patented MLE ceramide technology is legitimately differentiated and clinically backed
- ✓ Extreme Cream restored 99% of barrier function within two weeks in the brand's published clinical data
