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Paula's Choice vs Dr. Barbara Sturm

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

Paula's Choice and Dr. Barbara Sturm are skincare brands offering serums, cleansers, moisturizers, toners, and more. The American brand, founded in 1995, features hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin c, suiting oily and combination skin best. Conversely, the German brand, founded in 2014, relies on scientifically advanced formulas to suit sensitive, dry, and balanced skin. While both rely on targeted ingredients, they differ in their foundational formulations and ideal skin types.

Paula's Choice is an American skincare brand founded in 1995 and owned by Unilever since 2021.

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Dr. Barbara Sturm is a German skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by Puig since 2024.

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This page compares some of the most popular Paula's Choice and Dr. Barbara Sturm products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Paula's Choice vs Dr. Barbara Sturm products

People Say

Paula's ChoiceDr. Barbara Sturm
  • Fast absorption and lightweight feel Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy residue behind. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”
    • “absorbs instantly — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “sinks in immediately — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “sinks in quickly — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
  • Non-irritating and gentle formulas Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “doesn't irritate my sensitive skin — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “deep yet gentle cleanse — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
    • “skin feels softer — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “Finally a vitamin C product I can use — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
  • Skin texture smoothing and improvement Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin becomes very smooth — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “skin is insanely soft — Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA”
    • “skin never been this silky — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “skin texture is immediately more even — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
  • Glow, radiance and brightening Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “visible glow — Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster”
    • “acne scars faded — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “skin looks brighter — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “healthy glow — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Anti-aging and firming results Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “lines less visible — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “skin feels softer — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “skin looks plumper — Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster”
  • Lightweight hydration and oil balance Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Provides an internal level of hydration without leaving any heavy finish. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
    • “It works great to balance oil and is very refreshing, especially in the summer. — Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner”
    • “great for combination skin — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
    • “lasts almost 5 months — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
  • High price and expensive for size Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “tiny tube — Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster”
    • “Sooooo expensive — Paula's Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum”
    • “expensive for body lotion — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “way too expensive — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Purging, breakouts and irritation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “quite red after — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
    • “appearance of imperfections — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “skin purged — Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant”
  • No visible results or slow progress Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “takes months to work — Paula's Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment”
    • “did nothing — Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster”
    • “did nothing — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Dryness, flaking and insufficient hydration Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “peeling and flaking — Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment”
    • “Not hydrating enough for winter. — Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer”
    • “face feels a bit tight — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”

Questions and answers

Paula's Choice or Dr. Barbara Sturm: which is better?

Paula's Choice and Dr. Barbara Sturm each perform better for different skincare goals, with Paula's Choice excelling in skin texture smoothing and Dr. Barbara Sturm offering superior non-irritating and gentle formulas alongside anti-aging and firming results. Reviewers note that Paula's Choice features a broader product range with high prices and packaging issues, while Dr. Barbara Sturm products may help with lightweight hydration and equal glow.

What is the difference between Paula's Choice and Dr. Barbara Sturm?

Paula's Choice offers a much wider range of targeted treatments with high fit levels for oily, combination, and acne-prone skin, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm features just a few select products. Reviewers note that Paula's Choice does better for skin texture smoothing, while Dr. Barbara Sturm tends to do better for non-irritating formulas and anti-aging results.

Paula's Choice or Dr. Barbara Sturm: which moisturizer is better?

Paula's Choice offers a wide range of moisturizers with specialized fit levels for different skin types, while Dr. Barbara Sturm features targeted hydration options like its Hyaluronic Serum. Paula's Choice is often noted for a high price, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm is praised for gentle formulas.

Which is more affordable, Paula's Choice or Dr. Barbara Sturm?

Paula's Choice products on this page are generally more affordable, while reviewers frequently note that Dr. Barbara Sturm is expensive for its size.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Paula's Choice or Dr. Barbara Sturm?

Dr. Barbara Sturm is noted by reviewers for having more gentle formulas, whereas Paula's Choice is associated with breakouts and purging.

When were Paula's Choice and Dr. Barbara Sturm founded and who owns them now?

Paula's Choice was founded in the United States in 1995 and is owned by Unilever. Dr. Barbara Sturm was founded in Germany in 2014 and is owned by Puig.

Which brand performs better for skin texture smoothing according to review themes?

Paula's Choice performs better for skin texture smoothing according to review themes. The products on this page help improve skin smoothness.

Do products from Paula's Choice and Dr. Barbara Sturm contain fragrance?

Every product from Paula's Choice and Dr. Barbara Sturm on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

Research behind their key ingredients

Behind this comparison

Lovi compares products by their fit scores, calculated from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

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