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SKIN1004 vs Dr. Althea

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

SKIN1004 and Dr. Althea are two Korean skincare brands that offer gentle, soothing daily essentials. The first brand is known for soothing toners, comforting moisturizers, reliable sunscreens, and nourishing masks formulated with pure centella, hydrating hyaluronic acid, and brightening niacinamide, while the second brand is widely beloved for thoughtful moisturizers, gentle cleansers, effective makeup removers, and nourishing serums driven by its soothing formulas. SKIN1004 suits sensitive and acne-prone skin best with ingredients that calm irritation and control breakouts, whereas Dr. Althea suits dry and acne-prone skin best by providing balanced hydration and calm comfort. While both cater to acne-prone skin with targeted solutions like eye creams, bubble cleansers, essences, and relief creams, they differ in their foundational ingredients and primary focus on either moisture retention and brightening or gentle barrier support and hydration.

SKIN1004 is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2012 and owned by Goodai Global Inc. since 2024.

mk.co.krpitchbook.comtracxn.comgoodai-global.com

Dr. Althea is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd..

doctoraltheaglobal.comdoctoralthea.co.kr

This page compares some of the most popular SKIN1004 and Dr. Althea products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular SKIN1004 vs Dr. Althea products

People Say

SKIN1004Dr. Althea
  • Hydrating and soothing Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “calmed my angry skin — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Toning Toner”
    • “Gives my dehydrated skin a moisture surge — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Watergel Sheet Ampoule Mask”
    • “hydrating but light — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “calms redness — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
  • Clean finish and gentle cleansing Often MentionedMostly 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”
    • “Turns milky immediately and washes off completely. — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil”
  • Lightweight texture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “sunk in like a dream — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum”
    • “Texture is on the thinner side... surprisingly lightweight. — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil”
    • “absorbs like water — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Toning Toner”
    • “absorbs beautifully — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
  • Exfoliation and smoothing Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Melts instantly — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
    • “faded acne scars — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “skin feels super soft — SKIN1004 Zombie Pack”
  • Pleasant application Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “rich but non-greasy — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “foams up well — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “absorbs quickly — SKIN1004 Probio-Cica Bakuchiol Eye Cream”
  • Lightweight and fast absorption Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “absorbs practically immediately — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Poremizing Light Gel Cream”
    • “Sinks in instantly — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Boosting Toner”
    • “absorbs quickly — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
  • Irritation and sensory issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “smells like wet dog — SKIN1004 Zombie Pack”
    • “hard to wash off — SKIN1004 Zombie Pack”
    • “smells like plants — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “clinical scent — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
  • Insufficient moisture and hydration Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “not enough for dry skin — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “not enough for dry skin — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Poremizing Light Gel Cream”
  • Size and pricing complaints Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Price is quite steep — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Watergel Sheet Ampoule Mask”
    • “wish it came in larger size — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Poremizing Light Gel Cream”
    • “Pricey for daily use — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Quick Calming Pad”
    • “Runs out fast — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”

SKIN1004 vs Dr. Althea routines for dry skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · £104.68 · 91% fitBuy SKIN1004 routine · £52.78 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

SKIN1004 vs Dr. Althea routines for oily skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · £189.45 · 89% fitBuy SKIN1004 routine · £134.28 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

SKIN1004 vs Dr. Althea routines for combination skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · £153.55 · 88% fitBuy SKIN1004 routine · £90.21 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

SKIN1004 or Dr. Althea: which is better?

Both SKIN1004 and Dr. Althea are well suited for different needs, with SKIN1004 offering a lighter texture and Dr. Althea providing a cleaner finish and gentle cleansing.

What is the difference between SKIN1004 and Dr. Althea?

SKIN1004 and Dr. Althea are both South Korean skincare brands founded in the 2010s that feature fragrance-free products on this page, but they differ in their strengths and routine fits. SKIN1004 is known for its lightweight textures and best fits sensitive, acne-prone, and dry skin, while Dr. Althea excels in gentle cleansing and exfoliation with routines that fit dry skin, acne-prone skin, and skin with dark spots best.

SKIN1004 or Dr. Althea for dry skin?

For dry skin, Dr. Althea has a Superior routine fit while SKIN1004 has a High routine fit on the products on this page. Both brands offer products with no fragrance listed in their ingredients, and reviewers mention that their moisturizers are soothing and hydrating.

SKIN1004 or Dr. Althea: which cleanser is better?

Both SKIN1004 and Dr. Althea offer quality cleansers, with SKIN1004 featuring options like its Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Cleansing Gel Foam that achieves a Superior fit for dry sensitive, dry, and oily acne-prone skin, while Dr. Althea provides options like its Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser achieving a Superior fit for oily, combination, acne-prone, and dry skin.

Which is more affordable, SKIN1004 or Dr. Althea?

When comparing SKIN1004 and Dr. Althea, SKIN1004 has size and pricing complaints while Dr. Althea does not.

Do SKIN1004 and Dr. Althea products contain any fragrance?

No, every product from both SKIN1004 and Dr. Althea on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

Which brand performs better for lightweight texture versus clean finish and gentle cleansing?

SKIN1004 does better for lightweight texture, whereas Dr. Althea does better for clean finish and gentle cleansing.

When comparing the two brands, which one has complaints regarding size and pricing?

When comparing the two brands, SKIN1004 is the one that has complaints regarding size and pricing.

SKIN1004 or Dr. Althea for oily skin?

Both SKIN1004 and Dr. Althea are a High fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that SKIN1004 offers a lighter texture, while Dr. Althea provides a cleaner finish and gentler cleansing.

SKIN1004 or Dr. Althea: which moisturizer is better?

Both SKIN1004 and Dr. Althea offer popular moisturizers on this page, with SKIN1004 noted for its lightweight textures and Dr. Althea praised for soothing and hydrating benefits. Reviewers find that SKIN1004 fits sensitive, acne-prone, and dry skin well, while Dr. Althea excels in routine fit for dry skin and acne-prone skin.

SKIN1004 or Dr. Althea for sensitive skin?

Both SKIN1004 and Dr. Althea offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin on Lovi. Every product on this page for both brands lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

SKIN1004 or Dr. Althea for acne-prone skin?

Both SKIN1004 and Dr. Althea have a Superior routine fit for acne-prone skin, with Dr. Althea providing an overall Superior routine fit while SKIN1004 products on this page offer lightweight textures and no fragrance in their ingredients.

Research behind their key ingredients

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

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    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

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

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