Dr. Althea
15% Niacinamide Purity Serum
A niacinamide serum from Dr. Althea's Korean-market lineup. Niacinamide sits at position 3 of 22 on the brand's own ingredient list, a brightening and barrier-support active; Zinc PCA follows at position 14, a zinc-based sebum-control and calming ingredient. 30ml to a unit.
No reviews yet- Ships from our California warehouse
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- Suited to
- Dehydrated skinSensitive skinDull, uneven tone
- Helps with
- Shoppers looking for Niacinamide in a serumRoutines that want Niacinamide and Zinc PCA in one stepFilling the serum step with a Korean-market formulaAnyone who wants the Niacinamide serum sold on Korean shelves
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- 30-day returns
- Free US shipping on orders of $100 or more
- Dispatched within 2 business days
How it works
The 15% Niacinamide Purity Serum is a 30ml serum, used after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. The active it is built around is Niacinamide, named third on its own ingredient list. The same list carries Zinc PCA, Rice Ferment Filtrate and Tocopherol, so the active is not the only thing on it worth naming. How much of the Niacinamide stays on the skin, and for how long, is decided by the serum format rather than by the list alone. This is the Original Korean Formula, the serum Dr.Althea sells in Korea, Niacinamide and all.
Key benefits
- Niacinamide, the active this serum is built around
- Zinc PCA on the same list, an active
- Rice Ferment Filtrate on the same list, a ferment
- Tocopherol on the same list, an antioxidant
- Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract and Saururus Chinensis Extract further down the same list
- Trehalose further down the same list
Key actives
Niacinamideactive
Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it is the most studied active in Korean formulation. It is the entry this serum is named after, and the list carries it.
Zinc PCAactive
Zinc PCA pairs zinc with the humectant PCA. It is used in oily and blemish-prone formulas for the look of shine and visible pores, and it hydrates at the same time. It is named thirteenth on this serum's list, alongside Niacinamide.
Rice Ferment Filtrateferment
Rice Ferment Filtrate is the clear liquid from fermented rice, the same process that makes sake. It carries amino acids, sugars and organic acids and is used as a conditioning ferment. It is named eighteenth on this serum's list, alongside Niacinamide.
Tocopherolantioxidant
Tocopherol is vitamin E. It is an oil-soluble antioxidant that protects the oils in a formula from going rancid and works on skin as an emollient, and it is regularly paired with vitamin C because each keeps the other going for longer. The panel names it nineteenth on this serum's list, beside Niacinamide.
Portulaca Oleracea Extractplant extract
Portulaca Oleracea is purslane. Its extract is unusually high in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants for a plant, and Korean formulas use it for the look of reddened, reactive skin. It is named fifteenth on this serum's list, alongside Niacinamide.
Dr. Althea 15% Niacinamide Purity Serum
Where does this serum go in my routine?
After toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. Anything thinner than a serum goes on before it, and anything richer goes on after. If you are adding it to a routine you already like, give it a week on its own first, so what you see is the Niacinamide and not three changes at once.
Is this the Korean-market serum or a US version?
The Korean-market one, Niacinamide and all. We match this serum to its Korean barcode before it reaches the shelf, which is the check that tells you which market release you are holding.
Does this serum contain fragrance?
Yes. The ingredient list names Limonene and Linalool. They sit on the panel printed on this page, so you can read the position for yourself before you buy. If fragrance components are something you avoid, this serum is not the one.
What else is on the list besides Niacinamide?
Zinc PCA, Rice Ferment Filtrate and Tocopherol. The order they are printed in on this serum's panel is the order on the box, so you can see where Niacinamide sits relative to them. Further down the same panel: Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract and Saururus Chinensis Extract.
- Ships from
- California
Duties are prepaid. Nothing is owed at delivery. Returns are accepted for 30 days, by mail.
Orders ship from our California warehouse, dispatched within 2 business days, and arrive in 3 to 5 days. Shipping is free on orders of $100 or more.
We split shipments free, so one out-of-stock item never holds up the rest of your order.
Where this unit came from
- 1Seoul
Bought as Korean-market stock - 2Customs
Duty paid by us before it enters the US - 3California
Ships domestically, no international leg
We stock the version of a formula that is sold in Korea, not the release a brand prepares for another market under the same name.
Every unit keeps its original barcode and batch code intact, so the unit in your hands can be checked against the brand’s own records.
Import duties are paid by us before the parcel reaches you, so nothing is owed at the door, and returns run for 30 days.
Every claim on this page traces to the unit in the box, the barcode, the batch code and the price you can read for yourself.
Payment and security
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How to use
- Use the 15% Niacinamide Purity Serum after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening.
- Three or four drops covers the whole face. Press it in with flat palms instead of rubbing it around.
- Toner first so the surface is damp, then this, then about a minute before your moisturizer goes over the top.
- Twice a day, every day. Do not stack it with a second serum of the same kind; two hydrating serums in one routine do the work of one.
Worth knowing
- Patch test this serum on a small area and wait a day before using it more widely, especially with Niacinamide on the list.
- This list names Limonene and Linalool, so skip it if fragrance components are something you avoid.
Reviews
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Dr. Althea, Korean-market original
The Original Korean Formula serum from Dr.Althea, 30ml formulated with Niacinamide and Zinc PCA, held in the United States and shipped domestically.
Verify your unit when it arrives
Verify your unit when it arrives
Korean-market stock with the original barcode and batch code intact, exactly as it left Korea.
Match the batch code on the box against the code printed on the bottle or tube itself; the two are stamped separately and should agree.
On the unit itself
- The Korean-market barcode, unaltered from the retail package.
- The manufacturer’s batch code, exactly as the maker printed it.
정품Genuine article, Korean-market stock
What professionals say
What professionals say
What skin-care professionals say about the key actives in this formula, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.
It is said to be rich in vitamins, minerals and amino acids, including skin nourishers like B vitamins, vitamin E and inositol.
Blair Murphy-Rose, MDBoard-certified dermatologist, TODAY.com People with dry, flaky skin are more likely to see a benefit from using vitamin E because it enhances moisturization.
Amy Kassouf, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic
1 more professional perspective
Niacinamide helps reduce the appearance of pores in a few ways. By strengthening the skin barrier and improving elasticity, pores appear less noticeable and more even.
Ashlyn YankeAesthetician, Cleveland Clinic
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