Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream review: lighter than 147?
Updated September 8, 2026
Your face can be shiny through the middle and still feel tight around a healing breakout. That's the sort of moisturizer dilemma Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream is aimed at: wanting some moisture without a heavy finish.
It's worth considering if you prefer a light gel-cream. If your main complaint is that moisturizer disappears into your cheeks and leaves them feeling dry again, the richer 147 Barrier Cream deserves a closer look. Neither number tells you how strong the cream is.
This review compares current brand information with Ulta's US listing, checked September 8, 2026. We haven't worn or tested these creams. Texture descriptions are the brands' descriptions; the buying advice is our assessment of the formulas, directions, and price.
What you're buying with 345
345 Relief Cream is a daily face moisturizer. Dr. Althea positions it for skin after breakouts, while Ulta describes an ointment-gel texture. The current formula includes niacinamide, panthenol, glycerin, ceramide NP, and several plant-derived ingredients. It isn't necessary to recognize every name to make a sensible purchase.
The useful question is whether you want this kind of moisturizing step. You might prefer it to a richer cream if you dislike a substantial layer on your face, especially underneath sunscreen. You might pass if a light moisturizer already leaves you reaching for another application by lunchtime. Those are reasons to compare textures, rather than assume a product marketed for breakouts must suit every oily or sensitive face.
The brand calls 345 non-comedogenic tested and names the Korea Institute of Dermatological Sciences. That's a manufacturer claim, not a guarantee that nobody will break out. We didn't obtain the full study report. Neither the ingredient list nor the word “relief” establishes that this cream treats acne or erases acne scars. Dr. Althea's current 345 product page gives its stated benefits and directions.
Check the ingredient list, especially when repurchasing
Older reviews can be useful for understanding what someone liked about their tube, but they aren't a reliable label for the one you're buying now.
The current official and Ulta lists match: both begin with water, tea tree leaf water, propanediol, and glycerin. Both include niacinamide, panthenol, madecassoside, sodium DNA, and ceramide NP. An older review we inspected had a substantially different list that included heartleaf and lavender flower extract. That discrepancy is a reason to check your box, not a reason to decide one retailer's tube is counterfeit.
A few distinctions make this easier:
Tea tree leaf water isn't tea tree essential oil. The current list names the leaf water. Don't judge it as though you'd bought a bottle of undiluted essential oil, or assume a botanical ingredient guarantees tolerance.
Niacinamide is present, but its percentage isn't disclosed on the pages checked. “345” isn't a niacinamide strength, and ingredient order won't give you an exact concentration.
Sodium DNA appears in the list. Ulta's description connects it with plant-derived PDRN. That marketing language doesn't establish an injection-like effect from applying the cream.
Ulta describes the formula as made without artificial fragrance. If you avoid a specific ingredient, read the complete list rather than relying on that label alone. Its US 345 listing is a useful second reference alongside the brand page.
Keep a photograph of the ingredient panel when a tube works well for you. Next time, compare the actual names and order with the replacement. A seller's “new version” badge is less useful than a clear, current label.
345 vs. 147: which problem are you trying to solve?
345 is the lighter option in the brand's descriptions. 147 is its richer moisturizer, positioned for dryness and the tight, rough feeling that can accompany it. They share some ingredients, but 147 isn't simply 345 with a different number printed on the tube.
The current 147 list begins with water, aloe leaf water, butylene glycol, and glycerin. It includes squalane, ectoin, cetyl alcohol, and ceramide NP; niacinamide isn't listed. The brand describes a richer finish and suggests it for dry conditions or nighttime use. Those details make 147 the more relevant comparison when you want a cream that feels more substantial. They don't tell us exactly how long either formula will keep your particular skin comfortable. Dr. Althea's 147 page contains the current formula and instructions.
Think about the last moisturizer you used, rather than trying to assign your whole face one permanent skin type:
It felt coated even in a thin layer: compare 345 first. A lighter texture is the feature you're shopping for.
It felt pleasant at first, but your cheeks became tight again: compare 147 first. More hydration steps aren't the only possible answer to an underwhelming cream.
It was comfortable on your cheeks but excessive around your nose: keep the application lighter in that area before deciding you need two different products.
It caused burning, itching, or a rash: switching from 345 to 147 isn't automatically the answer. Investigate the reaction rather than treating richness as the explanation.
The official instructions are straightforward: spread an appropriate amount over your face at the end of your skincare routine and gently press it in. There's no specified pump count; this is a squeeze tube. In the morning, follow your moisturizer with sunscreen.
You don't need a matching toner or serum to use it. Start with the steps you already know suit you, and change the moisturizer on its own. If you introduce several new products together, any change in your skin becomes much harder to interpret.
Dr. Althea also describes applying a layer before and after potentially irritating actives such as retinoids. Treat that as an optional application method, not permission to change prescribed treatment instructions or keep using an active that's causing a reaction. Follow your medication's directions or your clinician's advice.
Moisturizer can have a useful supporting role in an acne routine: the American Academy of Dermatology explains that some acne treatments cause dryness and irritation, and moisturizing can help people tolerate them. That general advice doesn't demonstrate a treatment result for 345 itself.
Before using it all over, the AAD recommends trying a new skincare product on a small area twice daily for seven to ten days. Use it as directed and stop if a reaction develops. A small-area trial is useful information, although it cannot promise a breakout-free face. Seek medical help for a severe or persistent reaction.
Is the 50 ml tube good value?
On September 8, 2026, the brand listed one 50 ml tube of either 345 or 147 at $27 before shipping and tax. That's $0.54 per ml. Prices and promotions can change; compare the single-tube price rather than accidentally using a two-pack or subscription offer.
At that same listed price, choose between them by the texture you need. Paying for 345 makes more sense when you specifically want a lighter moisturizer than when you're buying it mainly because someone else's marks faded while they were using it.
For a first purchase, a single tube also gives you less product to commit to. The cost per application will depend on how much you use, so we wouldn't promise a particular number of months from it. Check delivery costs and the seller's opened-product return policy when comparing offers.
The reason to buy 345 is fairly specific: you want a light daily cream and its current ingredient list suits your preferences. If a richer feel is what your moisturizer has been missing, look at 147. If your present cream already feels good from morning to evening, there's no purchase you need to make here.
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