Dr. Althea vs Some By Mi
Dr. Althea and Some By Mi are Korean skincare brands known for gentle, nourishing moisturizers, cleansers, makeup removers, and serums featuring ingredients like niacinamide, centella asiatica, and salicylic acid. Both brands suit dry skin and skin with dark spots best, while the first brand also suits mature skin and the second brand also suits acne-prone skin. The brands differ primarily in their founding years, ownership, and specific standout formulations for targeted concerns.
Dr. Althea is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd..
doctoraltheaglobal.comdoctoralthea.co.kr
Some By Mi is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by JKL Partners since 2021.
kedglobal.compreqin.comtracxn.com
This page compares some of the most popular Dr. Althea and Some By Mi products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular Dr. Althea vs Some By Mi products
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AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner
S$22.54
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Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum
S$29.89
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AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Acne Clear Foam
S$17.71
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AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum
S$36.93
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Retinol Intense Advanced Triple Action Eye Cream
S$21.93
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Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask
S$28.52
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Beta Panthenol Repair Cream
S$31.71
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Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream
S$16.59
People Say
Gentle Formula Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
- “doesn't dry out my face — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
- “skin doesn't feel stripped — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
- “great for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
- “Zero irritation or redness — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum”
Soothing and Calming Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
- “calms redness — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
- “instantly calms irritated skin — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
- “perfect for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
- “Calmed my retinol burn overnight — Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream”
Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “hydrating but light — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
- “consistently hydrated mornings — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
- “Lasts 100 hours as claimed — Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream”
- “Absorbs quickly — Some By Mi Galactomyces Pure Vitamin C Glow Serum”
Lightweight and Fast Absorbing Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “absorbs beautifully — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
- “absorbs quickly — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
- “absorbs quickly — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream”
- “absorbs quickly — Some By Mi Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Serum”
Skin Texture Improvement Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “Skin became smoother — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
- “Skin feels baby soft — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum”
- “skin feels baby soft — Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum”
- “Melts instantly — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
Brightening and Evening Skin Tone Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “Fades dark spots — Some By Mi Galactomyces Pure Vitamin C Glow Serum”
- “skin looks visibly brighter — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Anti Blemish Serum”
- “brightens dull skin — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream”
- “faded dark spots — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
Scent and Fragrance Dislike Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “smells like plants — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
- “clinical scent — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
- “prominent acidic hint — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
- “overwhelming citrus fragrance — Some By Mi V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen”
Insufficient Hydration or Dryness Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “not enough for dry skin — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
- “drying on my hands and face — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
- “not moisturizing enough — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream”
Breakouts and Purging Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
- “broke me out — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
- “gave me cystic acne — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
- “Zits appeared initially — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
- “gave me cystic acne — Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum”
Dr. Althea vs Some By Mi routines for dry skin
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Cleanser
Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$22.31
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Hydrating Toner
COSRX Propolis Synergy Toner
Morning
S$41.07
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Moisturizer
345 Relief Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$29.47
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SPF
thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen SPF 50+
Morning
S$21.09
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Pre-Cleanser
Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
S$25.00
-
Serum or Treatment
Vitamin C Boosting Serum
Evening · Once a week
S$29.86
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Nourishing Mask
MEDIHEAL Collagen Essential Mask
Once a week
S$62.94
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Cleanser
Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Low pH Gel Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$18.34
-
Hydrating Toner
Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Toner
Morning
S$15.51
-
Moisturizer
Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$16.59
-
SPF
V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen
Morning
S$21.45
-
Pre-Cleanser
MISSHA Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream
Evening · Once a week
S$39.68
-
Serum or Treatment
Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Serum
Evening · Once a week
S$26.58
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Nourishing Mask
MEDIHEAL Collagen Essential Mask
Once a week
S$62.94
Buy Dr. Althea routine · S$125.10 · 91% fit
Buy Some By Mi routine · S$102.62 · 91% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit
Dr. Althea vs Some By Mi routines for oily skin
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Cleanser
Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$22.31
-
Hydrating Toner
TROIAREUKE H+Cocktail Purifying Ampoule Toner
Morning · Once a week
S$168.51
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Moisturizer
345 Relief Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$29.47
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SPF
CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30
Morning
S$28.72
-
Pre-Cleanser
Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
S$25.00
-
Cleansing Toner
Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0
Evening · Once a week
S$36.48
-
Serum or Treatment
Vitamin C Boosting Serum
Evening · Once a week
S$29.86
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
S$89.14
-
Cleanser
Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Low pH Gel Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$18.34
-
Hydrating Toner
Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Toner
Morning · Once a week
S$15.51
-
Moisturizer
Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$16.59
-
SPF
V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen
Morning
S$21.45
-
Pre-Cleanser
Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
S$70.21
-
Cleansing Toner
AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner
Evening · Once a week
S$22.54
-
Serum or Treatment
AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum
Evening · Once a week
S$36.93
-
Cleansing Mask
Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask
Once a week
S$28.52
Buy Dr. Althea routine · S$322.85 · 88% fit
Buy Some By Mi routine · S$135.66 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit
Dr. Althea vs Some By Mi routines for combination skin
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Cleanser
Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$22.31
-
Hydrating Toner
Whamisa Organic Flowers Toner Deep Rich
Morning · Once a week
S$64.81
-
Moisturizer
345 Relief Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$29.47
-
SPF
CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30
Morning
S$28.72
-
Pre-Cleanser
Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
S$25.00
-
Cleansing Toner
Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0
Evening · Once a week
S$36.48
-
Serum or Treatment
Vitamin C Boosting Serum
Evening · Once a week
S$29.86
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
S$89.14
-
Cleanser
Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Low pH Gel Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$18.34
-
Hydrating Toner
Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Toner
Morning · Once a week
S$15.51
-
Moisturizer
Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$16.59
-
SPF
V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen
Morning
S$21.45
-
Pre-Cleanser
Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
S$70.21
-
Cleansing Toner
AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner
Evening · Once a week
S$22.54
-
Serum or Treatment
AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum
Evening · Once a week
S$36.93
-
Cleansing Mask
Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask
Once a week
S$28.52
Buy Dr. Althea routine · S$219.15 · 88% fit
Buy Some By Mi routine · S$135.66 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit
Questions and answers
Dr. Althea or Some By Mi: which is better?
Dr. Althea tends to do better for gentle, soothing formulas, while Some By Mi excels at skin texture improvement and complexion brightening. Both brands offer equal routine fit levels for dry, oily, combination, acne-prone, and oily acne-prone skin types.
What is the difference between Dr. Althea and Some By Mi?
Dr. Althea stands out for its gentle and soothing formulas, making it better suited for mature skin, while Some By Mi excels in skin texture improvement and brightening, offering a superior fit for sensitive skin and skin with dark spots.
Dr. Althea or Some By Mi for dry skin?
Both Dr. Althea and Some By Mi fit dry skin well, offering a Superior routine fit for this skin type. Dr. Althea features gentle and soothing moisturizers like the 345 Relief Cream, while Some By Mi provides hydrating options such as the Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream.
Dr. Althea or Some By Mi: which cleanser is better?
Dr. Althea provides gentler and more soothing cleansing options that frequently stand out for sensitive skin, while Some By Mi focuses heavily on deep pore cleansing and acne-clearing treatments. Both brands offer fragrance-free cleanser selections across their product lines.
Which is more affordable, Dr. Althea or Some By Mi?
This page does not provide pricing information for Dr. Althea or Some By Mi, so it is not possible to determine which brand is more affordable.
Between Dr. Althea and Some By Mi, which brand is better suited for mature skin?
Dr. Althea is better suited for mature skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Some By Mi's High fit.
How do Dr. Althea and Some By Mi compare when it comes to skin texture improvement?
When it comes to skin texture improvement, Some By Mi does better than Dr. Althea according to the review themes on the page.
Which brand performs better for addressing skin with dark spots, Dr. Althea or Some By Mi?
Some By Mi performs better for skin with dark spots, as the brand achieves a superior Lovi fit level for this concern while Dr. Althea reaches a high level. Niacinamide, a key ingredient featured across Some By Mi products on this page, helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.
Dr. Althea or Some By Mi for oily skin?
Both Dr. Althea and Some By Mi are a High fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea offers gentle cleansers and soothing moisturizers, while Some By Mi provides deep pore cleansing cleansers and effective acne-clearing treatments.
Dr. Althea or Some By Mi: which moisturizer is better?
Both Dr. Althea and Some By Mi offer well-liked moisturizers, with Dr. Althea featuring soothing formulas like the 345 Relief Cream and Some By Mi providing options tailored for brightening and repair like the Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream and Beta Panthenol Repair Cream. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea focuses on gentle hydration, whereas Some By Mi excels in texture and complex issues.
Dr. Althea or Some By Mi for sensitive skin?
For sensitive skin, both brands work well, but Some By Mi has a superior routine fit compared to Dr. Althea's high fit. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea tends to do better with gentle formulas, while Some By Mi sometimes faces feedback about not being suitable for sensitive skin.
Dr. Althea or Some By Mi for acne-prone skin?
Both Dr. Althea and Some By Mi fit acne-prone skin at a High level on this page. Reviewers report that Some By Mi offers effective acne-clearing treatments, while Dr. Althea is noted for its gentle, soothing cleansers and moisturizers.
Research behind their key ingredients
The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer
Topical menthol--a human model for cold pain by activation and sensitization of C nociceptors
Molecular basis of retinol anti-ageing properties in naturally aged human skin in vivo
Topical palmitoyl pentapeptide provides improvement in photoaged human facial skin
HelixComplex snail mucus as a potential technology against O3 induced skin damage
Vitamin C-squalene bioconjugate promotes epidermal thickening and collagen production in human skin
Ethosomes of Phenylethyl Resorcinol as Vesicular Delivery System for Skin Lightening Applications
The use of green tea extract in cosmetic formulations: not only an antioxidant active ingredient
A comparative study of gluconolactone versus benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne
Allergy to oxidized limonene and linalool is frequent in the U.K
The anti wrinkle efficacy of synthetic hexapeptide (Argireline) in Chinese Subjects
Development and efficacy assessments of tea seed oil makeup remover
Effects of fermented tea seed oil on the skin lipid barrier and microbiome of sensitive skin
Retrospective Review of Dermal Safety Studies of Organic Sunscreens
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.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-

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
-

Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-

Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-

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
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