Brand Comparison
Sunday Riley 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 8.1)
Sunday Riley
TikTok's "first serum" era. Good Genes and A+ are genuinely punchy. The brand has had its moments (FTC, fake Sephora reviews) but the formulas still deliver.
Pros
- ✓ Potent actives
- ✓ Cult hero products
- ✓ Distinct luxe aesthetic
Cons
- ✗ Very premium pricing
- ✗ Past trust issues
- ✗ Can be irritating
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
