Galderma vs Dr. Barbara Sturm
Galderma and Dr. Barbara Sturm are distinct skincare brands founded in Switzerland and Germany respectively. The Swiss brand offers targeted serums that suit oily and acne-prone skin best, featuring options like Epiduo Gel and Benzac AC. Conversely, the German brand is deeply loved for its gentle moisturizers, clarifying exfoliants, and nourishing serums built on scientifically advanced formulas, which suit sensitive, dry, and balanced skin best through deep hydration and barrier support. While both brands address similar concerns with standout products, they differ fundamentally in their ingredient focus and ideal skin types.
Galderma is a Swiss skincare brand founded in 1981 and owned by Galderma Group AG.
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 Galderma and Dr. Barbara Sturm products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular Galderma vs Dr. Barbara Sturm products
People Say
Gentle on Sensitive Skin Sometimes NotedMostly 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”
- “reduced redness — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
- “didn't burn my face — Galderma Benzac AC Mild Strength 2.5% Acne Gel”
Acne Clearance and Prevention Mostly MentionedNot noted
- “cleared up my skin — Galderma Benzac AC Mild Strength 2.5% Acne Gel”
- “cystic acne gone — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
- “stops new pimples — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
Deep Hydration Not notedMostly Mentioned
- “skin drank it up — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
- “skin feels softer — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
Lightweight Absorption Not notedMostly Mentioned
- “sinks in immediately — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
- “sinks in quickly — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
Glow and Radiance Not notedOften Mentioned
- “skin looks brighter — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
- “healthy glow — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
Severe Dryness and Peeling Mostly MentionedNot noted
- “skin flaking off — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
High Price and Cost Not notedMostly Mentioned
- “way too expensive — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
Intense Burning and Stinging Mostly MentionedNot noted
- “face on fire — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
Acne Purging Phase Mostly MentionedNot noted
- “got worse first — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
Fabric Bleaching Mostly MentionedNot noted
- “bleached my towel — Galderma Benzac AC 5”
Questions and answers
Galderma or Dr. Barbara Sturm: which is better?
Galderma is better for acne clearance and prevention with effective acne-clearing serums, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm is better for gentle care on sensitive skin and deep hydration. Galderma fits oily and acne-prone skin best, while Dr. Barbara Sturm helps improve glow and radiance with products like The Good C Vitamin C Serum.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020
What is the difference between Galderma and Dr. Barbara Sturm?
Galderma is better for acne clearance and prevention with products on this page like Epiduo Gel, while Dr. Barbara Sturm is better for gentle care on sensitive skin and deep hydration. Galderma is noted for severe dryness, peeling, and irritation, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm may cause severe dryness, peeling, intense burning, stinging, and an acne purging phase.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2018
Which is more affordable, Galderma or Dr. Barbara Sturm?
Galderma is more affordable, as Dr. Barbara Sturm has review themes noting high price and cost.
Which causes fewer breakouts, Galderma or Dr. Barbara Sturm?
Galderma performs better for acne clearance and prevention with the products on this page, and Benzoyl Peroxide helps treat acne lesions.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2018
Which brand is better for sensitive skin, Galderma or Dr. Barbara Sturm?
Dr. Barbara Sturm is better for sensitive skin because it does better on gentle care for sensitive skin compared to Galderma, whose products on this page have a caution fit level for sensitive and dry sensitive skin.
Do Galderma products contain fragrance?
Every Galderma product on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.
Where were Galderma and Dr. Barbara Sturm founded?
Galderma was founded in Switzerland, while Dr. Barbara Sturm was founded in Germany.
Research behind their key ingredients
Bacterial cellulose membranes as drug delivery systems: an in vivo skin compatibility study
Effects of ascorbic acid on gingival melanin pigmentation in vitro and in vivo
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.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.
