Dr. Althea
Aqua Marine Deep Serum
A hydrating serum from Dr. Althea's Korean-market lineup. Niacinamide sits at position 6 of 18 on the brand's own ingredient list, a brightening and barrier-support active; Panthenol follows at position 8, a barrier-support humectant that also settles visible irritation. 30ml to a unit.
No reviews yet- Ships from our California warehouse
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- Suited to
- NormalCombinationDry
- Helps with
- A targeted treatment step between toner and moisturizerA concentrated step layered under a moisturizerDaily use as the treatment step of a routine
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- 30-day returns
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- Dispatched within 2 business days
How it works
The Aqua Marine Deep Serum is a 30ml serum, used after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. The active it is built around is Niacinamide, named fifth on its own ingredient list. The same list carries Adenosine, Raffinose and Panthenol, 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
- Adenosine on the same list, an active
- Raffinose on the same list, a sugar
- Panthenol and Sodium Hyaluronate on the same list, humectants
- Niacinamide named fifth on the manufacturer list printed on this page
- The Korean-market release of this serum, confirmed against its Korean barcode
Key actives
Niacinamideactive
Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it is the most studied active in Korean formulation. On this serum's own ingredient list it is named fifth.
Adenosineactive
Adenosine is a nucleoside that Korea's own cosmetic authority recognises as a wrinkle-care functional ingredient, which is why it appears on so many Korean lists at a low level. It is used for the look of fine lines and is stable and well tolerated. It is named twelfth on this serum's list, alongside Niacinamide.
Raffinosesugar
Raffinose is a three-unit plant sugar found in beans and beetroot. It holds water in the outer layer of skin and helps a formula stay comfortable as it dries down. The panel names it sixth on this serum's list, beside Niacinamide.
Panthenolhumectant
Panthenol is pro-vitamin B5: skin converts it to pantothenic acid. It is a humectant that holds water and leaves skin feeling soft and less tight, and it is one of the ingredients formulators reach for when a formula also contains something harsh. The panel names it seventh on this serum's list, beside Niacinamide.
Sodium Hyaluronatehumectant
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt of hyaluronic acid, and it is what most products labelled hyaluronic actually contain. The salt dissolves more readily and the molecule is smaller, so it sits in the outer layer of skin rather than only on top of it. It is named eleventh on this serum's list, alongside Niacinamide.
Dr. Althea Aqua Marine Deep 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.
What else is on the list besides Niacinamide?
Adenosine, Raffinose and Panthenol. 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: Sodium Hyaluronate.
- 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 Aqua Marine Deep Serum after your toner and before your moisturizer, morning and evening.
- Two or three drops for the whole face, pressed in with the flats of your fingers while skin is still damp.
- Follow with a moisturizer within a minute or two, because a thin serum left bare dries down and takes surface water with it.
- Twice a day, every day. Do not use it as your only layer on skin that already feels tight; a serum is not a seal.
Worth knowing
- Patch test on the inner arm first, as with any new step added to a routine.
- Discontinue if irritation develops and check the ingredient list against any known sensitivity.
Reviews
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Creators trying on authentic Korean skincare routines and products from us.
Layering the Dr. Althea Aqua Marine serum under the cream.
baejee · YouTube
Rating a shelf of Dr. Althea products one by one.
Jasmine Loo · YouTube
Two hydrating serums side by side, IUNIK and Dr. Althea.
Kristin · YouTube
A walk through the Dr. Althea serum lineup and who each one suits.
auraofmahmuda · YouTube
A blunt first take on the Dr. Althea range.
Lexi Chang · YouTube
A first look at the viral 345 Relief Cream before buying.
Shelley Nayak · YouTube
A first try of the Dr. Althea serum on camera.
Hannah Ziad · YouTube
Dr. Althea, Korean-market original
The Original Korean Formula serum from Dr.Althea, 30ml formulated with Niacinamide and Adenosine, 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.
Pantothenol is a common ingredient in skin care and hair products I recommend, particularly for people who are prone to dryness.
Taylor Bullock, MDDermatology resident, Cleveland Clinic Hyaluronic acid helps bind water to collagen, which traps water in the skin. That helps make the skin more plump and full-looking.
Samantha Stein, PA-CDermatology physician assistant, 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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