Brand Comparison
Su:m37° 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 8.6)
Su:m37°
Su:m37° bet its entire identity on one idea: ferment everything, for exactly 365 days, and don't add synthetic preservatives. The Secret Essence is what happens when that philosophy actually works — a naturally-fermented essence with legitimate cult status. Not cheap, not preachy, and the formulas have held up for 15+ years.
Pros
- ✓ Serious fermentation science
- ✓ Minimal synthetic preservatives
- ✓ Cult Secret Essence
Cons
- ✗ Luxury pricing
- ✗ Heavy natural fragrance
- ✗ Spa-lady packaging
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
