Dr. Althea and grace & stella are two distinct skincare lines known for their carefully crafted moisturizers and serums . The Korean brand features gentle, nourishing formulas that suit dry and mature skin best with soothing hydration, while the Canadian brand offers restorative daily care designed for all skin types. Ultimately, the two differ in their primary focus, with the former providing targeted solutions for specific concerns like dark spots and the latter specializing in popular eye products.
Dr. Althea is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd..
doctoraltheaglobal.com doctoralthea.co.kr
grace & stella is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by Gravitiq since 2022.
graceandstella.com tracxn.com pitchbook.com preqin.com
This page compares some of the most popular Dr. Althea and grace & stella products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app .
Popular Dr. Althea vs grace & stella products
Questions and answers
Dr. Althea or grace & stella: which is better?
Dr. Althea is better for a complete routine because the products on this page cover cleansers, makeup removers, serums , and moisturizers with fit levels ranging up to Superior, whereas grace & stella only offers a serum and eye masks.
What is the difference between Dr. Althea and grace & stella?
Dr. Althea offers a broader selection of cleansers, moisturizers, and treatments that Lovi rates as a Superior fit for several skin types, whereas grace & stella features only an under eye mask and a hyaluronic acid serum on this page. Every product listed for both brands is fragrance-free.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022
Dr. Althea or grace & stella: which moisturizer is better?
Dr. Althea offers a wider range of moisturizers with strong Lovi fit levels across multiple skin types, such as the 345 Relief Cream rating Superior for acne-prone skin and High for dry and mature skin. Meanwhile, grace & stella features the Hyaluronic Acid Serum, which rates High for dry and sensitive skin. Topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022
Which is more affordable, Dr. Althea or grace & stella?
The provided page does not contain pricing information to determine whether Dr. Althea or grace & stella is more affordable.
Which causes fewer breakouts, Dr. Althea or grace & stella?
grace & stella does not report breakout issues on this page, whereas reviewers of Dr. Althea sometimes note breakouts.
When was Dr. Althea founded compared to grace & stella?
Dr. Althea was founded in 2014 in South Korea, whereas grace & stella was established two years later in 2016 in Canada.
Do any of the products from Dr. Althea or grace & stella contain fragrance?
No, every product on this page from both Dr. Althea and grace & stella lists no fragrance in its ingredients.
What skin types do Dr. Althea's brand-focused routines fit best?
Dr. Althea's brand-focused routines fit dry skin, mature skin, and oily skin best.
3 more questions
Research behind their key ingredients
The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer
Niacinamide · The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002 Benefits of topical hyaluronic acid for skin quality and signs of skin aging: From literature review to clinical evidence
Sodium hyaluronate · Dermatologic Therapy, 2022 Topical use of dexpanthenol in skin disorders
Panthenol · American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002 Anti-aging and brightening effects of a topical treatment containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract: A split-face, randomized controlled trial
Tocopherol, Ascorbic acid · Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020 Moisturizing and Antiinflammatory Properties of Cosmetic Formulations Containing Centella asiatica Extract
Centella asiatica, Centella asiatica extract · Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016
33 more studies
Topical Application of Centella asiatica in Wound Healing: Recent Insights into Mechanisms and Clinical Efficacy
Centella asiatica · Pharmaceutics, 2024 Alteration of barrier properties, stratum corneum ceramides and microbiome composition in response to lotion application on cosmetic dry skin
Ceramide · Scientific Reports, 2022 Ceramide 1 and ceramide 3 act synergistically on skin hydration and the transepidermal water loss of sodium lauryl sulfate-irritated skin
Ceramide np · International Journal of Dermatology, 2008 Effect of a topical antioxidant serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and ferulic acid after Q-switched 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser for treatment of environment-induced skin pigmentation
Ascorbic acid, Tocopherol · Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020 Clinical, biometric and structural evaluation of the long-term effects of a topical treatment with ascorbic acid and madecassoside in photoaged human skin
Centella asiatica leaf extract · Experimental Dermatology, 2008 Design, characterization, and clinical evaluation of argan oil nanostructured lipid carriers to improve skin hydration
Argania spinosa kernel oil · International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2014 The 24-hour skin hydration and barrier function effects of a hyaluronic 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract moisturizing fluid: an intra-subject, randomized, assessor-blinded study
Glycerin · Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017 Randomized controlled study for the anti-aging effect of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide after laser therapy
Niacinamide · Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021 The Effects of a Standardized Extract of Centella asiatica on Postlaser Resurfacing Wound Healing on the Face: A Split-Face, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Madecassoside · Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020 A new topical panthenol-containing emollient: Results from two randomized controlled studies assessing its skin moisturization and barrier restoration potential, and the effect on skin microflora
Panthenol · The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017 Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches to improve skin wrinkles, dermal density, elasticity and hydration
Adenosine · International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2018 Efficacy of a topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol for pain and inflammation control after third molar surgery: A randomized and placebo-controlled clinical trial
Allantoin · Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020 Systematic Study of Paeonol/Madecassoside Co-Delivery Nanoemulsion Transdermal Delivery System for Enhancing Barrier Repair and Anti-Inflammatory Efficacy
Centella asiatica, Centella asiatica leaf extract, Paeonia albiflora flower extract, Centella asiatica extract · Molecules, 2023 A Lipid Mixture Enriched by Ceramide NP with Fatty Acids of Diverse Chain Lengths Contributes to Restore the Skin Barrier Function Impaired by Topical Corticosteroid
Ceramide np · Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2022 Efficacy and safety of moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese versus 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in decreasing adverse reaction and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing: A split-face, double-blinded, randomized, controlled trial
Centella asiatica leaf extract · Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019 Whitening effect of alpha-bisabolol in Asian women subjects
Bisabolol · International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2010 Two-phase delivery using a horse oil and adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patch for skin barrier restoration, moisturization, and wrinkle improvement
Adenosine · Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019 Development of solid lipid microparticles (SLMs) containing asiatic acid for topical treatment of acne: Characterization, stability, in vitro and in vivo anti-acne assessment
Centella asiatica leaf extract · International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2024 Clinical Development and Evaluation of a Multi-Component Dissolving Microneedle Patch for Skin Pigmentation Disorders
3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid · Polymers, 2023 Moisturizing effect of serine-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles and polysaccharide-rich extract of root Phragmites communis incorporated in hydrogel bases
Serine · Archives of Pharmacal Research, 2017 Formulation of Ascorbic Acid and Betaine-based Therapeutic Deep Eutectic System for Enhanced Transdermal Delivery of Ascorbic Acid
3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid ascorbic acid · Pharmaceutics, 2024 Combined Skin Moisturization of Liposomal Serine Incorporated in Hydrogels Prepared with Carbopol ETD 2020, Rhesperse RM 100 and Hyaluronic Acid
Serine · The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology, 2015 Why is sodium cocoyl isethionate (SCI) mild to the skin barrier? - An in vitro investigation based on the relative sizes of the SCI micelles and the skin aqueous pores
Sodium cocoyl isethionate · Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007 Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of a Panthenol-Enriched Mask for Skin Barrier Recovery After Facial Laser Treatment: Results of a Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Study
Panthenol · Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025 Translational Evaluation of a Disodium Adenosine Monophosphate (AMP2Na)-Based Topical Formulation for Physiology-Aligned Skin Rejuvenation: Integrated In Vitro, Ex Vivo, and Clinical Evidence
Adenosine · International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2026 Effect of isosecotanapartholide isolated from Artemisia princeps Pampanini on IL‑33 production and STAT‑1 activation in HaCaT keratinocytes
Artemisia princeps leaf extract · Molecular Medicine Reports, 2017 Development and efficacy assessments of tea seed oil makeup remover
Camellia sinensis seed oil · Annales Pharmaceutiques Francaises, 2017 Effect of an Emollient Emulsion Containing 15.0% of Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride on the Urocanic Acid of the Stratum Corneum
Caprylic capric triglyceride · Life, 2023 Functional properties and skin care effects of sodium trehalose sulfate
Trehalose · Skin Research and Technology, 2024 Effects of fermented tea seed oil on the skin lipid barrier and microbiome of sensitive skin
Camellia sinensis seed oil · International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2026 Efficacy and safety of combination cream of stimu-tex AS™ (spent grain wax, Argania Spinosa Kernel oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (shea butter) extract), and saccharide isomerate after fractional CO2 laser procedure: split-face, double blinded, randomized controlled trial
Argania spinosa kernel oil · Lasers in Medical Science, 2025 Clinical Evaluation of a Soap-Free Cleansing Lotion Containing Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids for Effective Impurity Removal and Skin Barrier Preservation in Healthy Adults With Diverse Skin Types
Sodium cocoyl apple amino acids · Cureus, 2025 Efficacy of a Topical Formulation on Skin Hydration and Barrier Function in Individuals With Xerosis: A 28-Day Randomized, Split-Leg, Untreated-Controlled Trial
Dipotassium glycyrrhizate · Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026
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Behind this comparison
Lovi compares products by their fit scores, calculated from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
Nadia Kapleva, MS
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
Alexey Shagraev, PhD
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
Aishani Shah, MD
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
Asya Zubkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
Hanna Kurets, MD
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist