Dr.Althea's 345 Relief Cream is one of the most talked-about Korean moisturizers of the past two years, mostly thanks to TikTok. The name refers to the brand's formula concept — 3 blemish-care, 4 nourishing and 5 soothing ingredients — and it's pitched as a lightweight, fragrance-free gel-cream for sensitive, breakout-prone and post-acne skin. On Amazon it sits at 4.6 stars across roughly 23,400 ratings, but the picture gets more mixed once you read the longer reviews.
What reviewers consistently praised
The texture is the most repeated positive. Woman&Home's tester, who has rosacea-prone, sun-damaged skin, expected a thick cream and instead found a light gel-cream that "glides on easily" and sinks in without a greasy finish. Owners on Female Daily describe the same thing in different words: watery-light, quick to absorb, not sticky on an oily T-zone, and easy to layer under sunscreen or a CC cream.
The second theme is comfort on reactive skin. Woman&Home's tester used it morning and evening for two weeks and reported softer, more nourished skin and a slight improvement in how her rosacea looked — while the article itself is careful to say a moisturizer is not a rosacea treatment and that responses vary. The fragrance-free formula was a big part of why she was willing to try it, and INCIDecoder tags the formula it lists as free of fragrance, essential oils and drying alcohol.
Several long-term Female Daily users (three to twelve months of use) say breakouts became less frequent and that it worked well as a "rescue" moisturizer while trying new actives. One detailed five-star Ulta review from a 26-year-old with long-running acne reports softer texture and scarring after about a month, though that reviewer also switched cleansers at the same time — a good reminder that single-user results are anecdotes, not controlled tests.
What reviewers pushed back on
The biggest gap is between platforms. Amazon shows 4.6 stars, but Ulta's page shows 3.9 out of 5 from 85 reviews, and Female Daily lands at 4.0 with 86% of 23 reviewers recommending it. The critical reviews cluster around a few points. One Ulta reviewer found it "just a meh moisturizer": it calmed redness from active breakouts but did nothing for the pink-red marks (post-inflammatory erythema) left behind, and wasn't moisturizing enough for flaky patches around the nose and mouth. That's a useful distinction — niacinamide-led formulas are generally marketed for brown marks and uneven tone, not red marks.
Hydration is the other split. Woman&Home suggests drier complexions may want to layer it under a richer cream, and several Female Daily users call it hydrating "but not very." On the opposite end, one oily-skin reviewer felt it was too heavy for daytime and linked it to clogged pores, and one dry-skin reviewer stopped after small bumps and red spots appeared. Price-per-milliliter also comes up: it's a 50 mL tube, and a couple of reviewers call it expensive for the amount — one even rationed it to mornings only. A smaller gripe: the aluminum tube makes it hard to squeeze out the last of the product.
What reviewers liked
- Light gel-cream texture that absorbs fast and layers under SPF and makeup
- Fragrance-free — a recurring reason sensitive and rosacea-prone users tried it
- Calming on irritated, breakout-prone skin for many long-term users
- Barrier-friendly ingredients: niacinamide, panthenol, ceramide NP, centella
- 4.6-star Amazon average across roughly 23,400 ratings
What reviewers flagged
- Noticeably lower scores elsewhere: 3.9/5 on Ulta (85 reviews), 4.0 on Female Daily
- Not rich enough for very dry or flaky skin without another cream on top
- Didn't help red post-acne marks (PIE) for at least one reviewer
- A few reports of bumps, clogged pores or heaviness on oily skin
- Pricey for 50 mL; aluminum tube is hard to empty
What's actually in it (and why versions matter)
Ingredient lists for this cream don't all match, because the formula has been revised. The current Amazon listing is labeled "Ver.2," and its tube and the ingredient list published on Female Daily include tea tree leaf water, niacinamide, panthenol, tannic acid, madecassoside, centella, ceramide NP, resveratrol and sodium DNA (marketed as PDRN from rice bran and centella). The older list on INCIDecoder has niacinamide and panthenol near the top but a much longer run of botanical extracts — including lavender flower extract — and no sodium DNA. If you're sensitive to specific botanicals, check the ingredient panel on the exact listing you buy rather than relying on an older breakdown. Centella fans may also recognize the soothing angle from the SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule, which takes a much simpler single-hero-ingredient approach.
Who it suits best
Going by the reviews, the sweet spot is normal-to-combination or oily skin that's irritated, breakout-prone or recovering from over-exfoliation, and that wants a light, fragrance-free moisturizer. Sensitive and rosacea-prone users report good tolerance overall, but both Woman&Home and several owners recommend introducing it slowly. If your skin is very dry, plan on using it as a hydrating layer under something richer. If your main concern is red post-acne marks rather than brown ones, temper expectations.
Before you buy: what to check
Make sure the listing is sold through the Dr.Althea brand store and says "Ver.2" if you want the current formula — at least one Female Daily reviewer stressed buying from official channels because of copies. It comes in single 1.69 fl oz (50 mL) tubes, a two-pack and a 15 mL travel size. Prices change often, so check before buying.
Quick answers to common questions
Can I use it morning and night? Yes — Woman&Home's tester did, finishing with SPF in the morning. Some oily-skin users prefer it at night only.
Is it fragrance-free? The brand and INCIDecoder both list it as fragrance-free; check the current list for botanical extracts if you're reactive to them.
Will it fade acne scars? Some owners say marks faded slowly over months; others saw no change, especially with red marks. Treat it as a supportive moisturizer, not a spot treatment.
Our take, based on the roundup
The consistent thread is a light, fragrance-free, barrier-friendly moisturizer that many people with irritated or breakout-prone skin genuinely like using every day. The hype outruns the evidence on post-acne "repair," though: off Amazon, ratings are noticeably more mixed, very dry skin needs more, and a minority of oily-skin users report congestion. A solid pick if you want a calm, lightweight daily cream; skip it if you need rich hydration or a targeted fix for red marks.
Related reviews
- Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream review — a richer, rice-and-ginseng K-beauty cream if 345's gel texture sounds too light for you.
- LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask review — an overnight hydration layer reviewers often pair with lighter daytime moisturizers.
- Torriden DIVE-IN Serum review — a hydrating serum that can sit under 345 if your skin needs more water than it gives.
- Anua Heartleaf Toner vs Round Lab Dokdo Toner — two gentle toners for the step right before a soothing moisturizer.
Sources referenced for this roundup
- Woman&Home — "Dr Althea 345 Relief Cream review" by Heidi Scrimgeour, two-week Tester Network trial on rosacea-prone skin (published October 7, 2026).
- Ulta Beauty product page — 3.9 out of 5 from 85 customer reviews (checked October 15, 2026).
- Female Daily — 4.0 average, 86% of 23 reviewers recommend; published ingredient list for the current formula.
- INCIDecoder — ingredient breakdown (earlier formula), tagged fragrance- and essential-oil-free.
- Amazon listing and customer ratings — 4.6 stars, about 23,400 ratings shared across size options (checked October 15, 2026).