A surprise to no one: one of the perks of being a beauty editor is having access to countless products and knowing about new launches months before they hit shelves. On the other hand, it can also be one of the more challenging parts of the job. Constantly trying new products—skin-care products especially—can wreak havoc on sensitive skin (guilty), strip your skin barrier and leave you unsure of what’s actually working versus what’s silently wrecking your face. So when I went on maternity leave and the influx of new products at my door slowed to a trickle—a welcome reprieve for my husband—I took it as my chance to finally refine my routine and get my skin back in balance.
Instead of eight-step routines packed with toners, mists, peels, serums and masks from a dozen different brands, I pared down to one or two brands and focused on calming my changing postpartum skin.
After carefully editing down my routine, my combination-sensitive skin has found its perfect match in Dr. Althea’s 345 line. The three-product lineup (four, if you count a sheet mask) is designed to calm and comfort reactive skin types by supporting the skin barrier and soothing sensitivity, all while delivering lightweight, long-lasting moisture. (My skin hasn’t looked this glassy since my last injectable appointment over a year ago.)
I’m currently on my second bottle of the Cream Mist ($20), Serum ($22) and Cream ($27), and apart from folding a cleansing oil and foam, plus a supercharged hyaluronic acid serum, into my routine—I’m partial to Hydrinity—there are no signs of turning back from the trio. The Mist is the first thing I reach for each morning and right after the shower; it’s featherlight and sinks in instantly. The Serum follows the same light, nonsticky formula, and the Cream—unlike so many barrier-repairing formulas that come in heavy, thick textures—is a bouncy gel-cream that plays well with Florida’s humidity instead of fighting it. Instead of persistently red, splotchy skin, which I’d chalked up to just being normal, my skin is now smoother, more even-toned and soft to the touch.
Turns out this beauty editor was late to the party: According to the brand, more than 60K tubes of the viral 345 Relief Cream sell on Amazon every month, and as of May 2026, the brand has sold over 30 million units of it worldwide. In response to the craze, Dr. Althea has been intentionally expanding the line, most recently with the 345 Relief Serum, with more innovation coming soon.
If you’re overwhelmed by the endless product cycle and just want a little relief (pun very much intended), consider this your official join-the-club moment.
