Dr Althea 345 Relief Cream review: I have rosacea-prone skin, and this is the K-beauty moisturiser I keep coming back to
Our tester with rosacea-prone, sun-damaged skin put this popular K-beauty moisturiser through its paces for two weeks. Here's what she thought.
When you have sensitive, rosacea-prone skin, trying a new skincare product can feel like a gamble. Something that promises to hydrate or smooth can just as easily leave your complexion feeling hot, tight or irritated.
So, we pay close attention when a new product comes along that promises to calm inflammation. Dr Althea 345 Relief Cream is a nutrient-rich formula created to take the sting out of severe redness and improve the rough, uneven texture that those with sensitive skin know all too well. Making waves in the world of Korean skincare as an effective 'reset' for reactive skin, it's also fragrance-free – which is an important consideration if your skin doesn't take kindly to heavily scented skincare.
It's also currently reduced to £7.65 on Amazon for Prime Day, making it a timely one to revisit if it's been on your skincare radar.
But does it actually live up to the hype?
We asked Rachael Samuelson, a member of the Woman&Home Tester Network, to use Dr Althea 345 Relief Cream as part of her daily skincare routine for two weeks. Rachael has sun-damaged, rosacea-prone skin, so she was particularly interested in seeing whether the formula could provide some much-needed comfort without triggering further irritation.
Dr Althea 345 Relief Cream: at a glance
- Best for: Sensitive, dry or reactive skin
- Texture: Lightweight gel-cream
- Fragrance: Fragrance-free
- Key ingredients: Panthenol, niacinamide, ceramides and centella asiatica
Rachael Samuelson, a member of the Woman&Home Tester Network, was keen to discover whether Dr Althea 345 Relief Cream could help with her rosacea.
What is Dr Althea 345 Relief Cream?
Dr Althea 345 Relief Cream is a lightweight moisturiser aimed at skin that needs hydration and barrier support. Its formula combines humectants and skin-supporting ingredients with soothing botanicals, without adding fragrance.
The texture is one of the first things you'll notice. Despite being called a cream, it's much lighter than a traditional rich moisturiser, with a gel-like consistency that spreads easily across the skin.
That makes it an interesting option if you find richer creams too much, although drier complexions may prefer to layer it underneath a more nourishing moisturiser.
First impressions
The fear of a rosacea flare-up can make trying new skincare products daunting, but our tester, Rachael, was reassured by this being fragrance-free.
"I never use perfumed products, and this cream felt very soothing immediately."
She was also surprised by the consistency. Rather than the thick, rich cream she had anticipated, she found it lightweight and easy to spread.
"It glides on easily," she says, adding that it sinks into the skin without leaving a greasy finish.
That's worth noting if you have mature or dry skin but don't necessarily want a heavy moisturiser – the formula feels more like a lightweight treatment than a traditional face cream.
What happened after two weeks?
Rachael used the cream morning and evening as part of her usual skincare routine.
The biggest difference wasn't an overnight transformation, but how comfortable and soft her skin felt with regular use.
"I feel like my skin has been given a gentle bit of TLC and I actually look forward to putting it on every day," she says.
After two weeks, she reported that her skin felt more nourished and noticeably softer, while she also felt there had been some improvement in the appearance of her rosacea.
"After just two weeks of use, my skin is so much better for it – more nourished, and noticeably softer, plus I can already see a slight improvement in the rosacea."
She also noticed a change in texture, which was particularly important given her combination of rosacea and sun damage.
"Rosacea is not just about redness; it’s also about the texture of the skin, and I feel this has changed dramatically."
It's important to stress that a skincare cream isn't a treatment for rosacea, and individual responses to skincare can vary considerably. But for Rachael, the combination of a lightweight texture and non-perfumed formula made this one she would happily continue using.
"I would definitely buy this in future and recommend it to anyone whose skin needs help, particularly with the redness and dryness that rosacea brings."
What's in Dr Althea 345 Relief Cream?
The formula contains several familiar skincare ingredients that make sense for a sensitive-skin routine.
- Panthenol (vitamin B5) is a humectant that helps attract and retain moisture, while also supporting the skin barrier.
- Niacinamide is a versatile ingredient that can help support the skin barrier and improve the appearance of uneven tone and texture. If your skin is particularly reactive, however, it's always worth introducing new products gradually.
- Ceramides are naturally occurring lipids found in the skin. They're important components of the skin barrier and help reduce moisture loss.
- Centella asiatica (cica) is a botanical ingredient that's particularly popular in K-beauty formulations designed for sensitive or stressed skin.
- The formula also contains resveratrol, an antioxidant ingredient used to help protect skin from environmental stressors.
How to use Dr Althea 345 Relief Cream
The lightweight consistency means there are a few ways you can use it depending on your skin type.
- Apply a small amount to clean skin, then follow with your usual moisturiser if you need more hydration.
- If your skin is oily or combination, you may find it provides enough moisture on its own. If your skin is dry or mature, it can work well as a hydrating layer underneath a richer cream.
- In the morning, finish with a broad-spectrum SPF – particularly important if you're concerned about visible sun damage or have a complexion that's prone to redness.
Is Dr Althea 345 Relief Cream worth buying?
What stood out from our tester's two-week trial wasn't a dramatic overnight change, but a gradual improvement in how her skin felt and looked, alongside a formula she found comfortable enough to use every day.
That makes Dr Althea 345 Relief Cream worth considering if you have sensitive, dry or reactive skin and prefer lightweight textures. It's also an appealing introduction to K-beauty if you're interested in barrier-focused skincare but don't want a complicated 10-step routine.
And if you've already had your eye on it, Prime Day could be a good opportunity to pick it up for less than its usual Amazon price, but be quick - the sale ends at midnight.
As ever with rosacea-prone or particularly reactive skin, patch testing a new product first is sensible, and it's best not to introduce several new actives into your routine at the same time
