Dr. Althea is a new brand both to Kōsame Beauty and to me as a beauty blogger. I’ve seen their products around the Instagram skincare community and when they landed in my lap to review, I was keen to try them out! Today I’ll be sharing thoughts on the Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser, the Herb Therapy Velvet Mask, and Azulene 147HA Intensive Soothing Cream. Let’s get into it!
The Brand
The brand is a Korean-American brand that prides itself on connecting stunning aesthetics with innovative formulas. I like the meaning behind the brand name: “Doctor” to represent the research and expertise behind every product combined with “Althea”, the national flower of South Korea, to represent the country that inspires their approach to skincare.
The brand puts emphasis on providing skincare for sensitive skin, which really attracts me because I frequently deal with sensitized skin and redness. Although packaging does not define a product’s performance, I really appreciate the minimalistic aesthetic. The products are beautiful to look at!
Dr. Althea Amino Acid Bubble Cleanser
A little background information on this cleanser:
“Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser is a gentle, weak acidity cleanser that kills bacteria while protecting acne-prone skin. Containing 17 different types of Amino-acid, it cleanses any impurities while revitalizing and strengthening the skin.”
I’m not holding back- this cleanser is GORGEOUS and for more than one reason. Firstly, the packaging is an airless pump bottle, which is ideal. Efficiency is key when it comes to cleanser packaging and a pump makes life much easier than fiddling with lids and screw top tubes, as well as being more hygienic.
Being low pH (weak acidity) means the cleanser should be suitable for all skin types, including dry and sensitive. It won’t strip the skin and damage the skin’s natural barrier, which is super important to me when I’m seeking out a new cleansing product. I really value the fact that my skin feels soft but not squeaky clean after using this.
The texture of the bubble cleanser is what makes the product stand out from the crowd. It dispenses as a thick, fluffy foam and is incredibly soft on the skin. The foam feels SO decadent and is hugely enjoyable to use, which isn’t an experience that many cleansers provide. Usually, I’m just looking for function from my cleansers, but I genuinely enjoy using this one.
The cleanser can be used both in the morning and as a second step cleanser in an evening routine. It very gentles cleanses, removing all traces of leftover makeup and dirt, and rinses easily off the skin. You need very little of the product to achieve a full cleanse which is why I think it’s such great value for the quality. This product gets a big YES from me.
Dr. Althea Herb Therapy Velvet Mask
The purpose of the Herb Therapy mask is to calm, soothe, and help hydrate and moisturize the skin’s natural barrier. The essence contains a blend of moisturizing and herbal ingredients to achieve this. Packaging is not a factor in a sheet mask review but we can all appreciate the beauty of that blue!
As the product name suggests, the sheet material has a velvet-like feel and is extremely soft on the skin. It clings to every contour of the face which is the most important factor for a thorough and effective treatment- as much skin as possible should be covered! This material is perfectly adhesive and can be easily folded and adjusted to fit the face.
The essence is abundant and creamy. It immediately felt great on my skin and soothed my redness. There is a definite herbal-floral scent that personally I enjoyed but is something to be wary of if you’re sensitive to scents. I was able to leave the sheet mask on my skin for around 20 minutes- I usually prefer to get a longer wear time of at least 30 minutes before I start to feel the mask drying. I would have ideally liked an extra 10 minutes or so from this.
When I removed the sheet mask, I was pleased to feel that my skin was so nourished, calmed, and rejuvenated. There was also a subtle glowy look to my skin - I think this was enhanced by the fact that the mask really reduced and calmed the redness I have in my skin, so it looked brighter and clearer. This elegant sheet mask lived up to its stunning and sophisticated outer packaging!
Azulene 147HA Intensive Soothing Cream
The purpose of this intensive cream is to soothe and repair irritated, sensitive, or damaged skin. It’s supposed to be used in an evening routine, as a last step, but can of course be used whenever works for you and your skin. The formula includes many soothing ingredients including one of my favorites, Centella Asiatica Extract. However, the star ingredient is azulene; azulene is a chamomile extract that is known to have skin-soothing properties.
I have to be honest- initially I felt that the cream was underwhelming. It’s packaged in a beautiful but very minimalistic tube and dispenses as a distinctly average looking white cream moisturizer. However, Dr. Althea came through with yet another product that worked extremely well for my skin.
The texture is quite a thick, balmy cream that spreads extremely easily onto the skin. It feels as though it forms a barrier on the skin and then gradually absorbs. The scent is a light herbal scent that I adore and really enjoyed as part of my unwinding evening routine.
I tested the cream by using it overnight for several weeks as a final step in my routine and every morning I woke up to super soft, healthy-looking skin. My skin is normal-dry and I did find that I occasionally needed to add a couple of drops of oil to the cream to get the moisturizing level my skin needed. But the soothing properties are undeniable, and I quickly went from being rather unexcited by the product to reaching for it nightly! The calming results as well as the way it has helped my skin barrier are making this a go-to.
The Takeaway
It’s not often I try three products from a single brand and vow to keep each of them in my routine, but here I am! I had very little expectation going into this product testing because I was mildly concerned the brand was focussed more on aesthetics than formula quality. I was VERY pleasantly surprised- these products are beautifully formulated, and I love how they seem to be centered on treating sensitive, irritated skin. I look forward to trying more of Dr. Althea’s products in the future!
Katherine Spowart from www.skinfullofseoul.com