Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser for dry sensitive skin
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Ascorbic Acid
Subtilisin
Lipase
Cellulose
Average
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for dry sensitive skin; other products fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate exfoliation for your dry and sensitive skin as subtilisin and lipase provide mild enzymatic cleansing, though it lacks sufficient emollients and humectants to fully address dryness.
- Ascorbic acid offers antioxidant benefits and supports skin health, but the overall formula could be enhanced with more hydrating ingredients for optimal comfort.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components.
How to apply
- Use your enzyme powder cleanser PM once a week as part of your weekly routine, and start slowly to check your skin's tolerance.
- Place this step right after your regular cleanser and before your hydrating toner, following the weekly routine order.
- Mix the powder with a little water in your hands to create a soft foam, then gently massage it onto your face without rubbing hard.
- Apply the foam on slightly damp skin to keep your dry flakes comfortable and safe from extra irritation.
- Be sure to avoid the delicate eye area and do a patch test before your very first use.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsThis powder cleanser is highly praised for its ability to provide a deep yet gentle exfoliation, leaving skin feeling exceptionally smooth and refined. It is particularly effective for oily and combination skin types, helping to balance sebum and clear pores. However, users with dry or sensitive skin should use it with caution as it can cause dryness or tightness if applied too frequently.
Highlights
Smoother skin texture Mostly Mentioned
- “skin texture is immediately more even”
- “face feels so smooth”
- “soft exfoliation”
- “leaves complexion soft and revitalized”
Gentle deep clean Often Mentioned
- “deep yet gentle cleanse”
- “pores breathing again”
- “clean but not stripped”
- “removes makeup and pollution”
Ideal for oily/combo skin Sometimes Noted
- “great for combination skin”
- “reduces excess oil”
- “helps eliminate breakouts”
- “perfect for oily types”
Long-lasting product Sometimes Noted
- “lasts almost 5 months”
- “a little goes a long way”
- “lasts a very long time”
- “good value despite price”
Travel-friendly format Sometimes Noted
- “practical for travel”
- “easy to pour into travel container”
- “lighter than liquid cleanser”
- “no liquid restrictions”
Drying for dry skin Sometimes Noted
- “face feels a bit tight”
- “can be quite drying”
- “use with caution if dry skin”
- “felt constricted”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “definitely expensive”
- “luxury price range”
- “overpriced”
- “investment product”
Messy application Rarely Noted
- “powder can be messy”
- “hard to control amount”
- “spills easily if open”
Risk of irritation Rarely Noted
- “quite red after”
- “face exploded”
- “overkill for my face”
Unpleasant smell Rarely Noted
- “smells a bit weird”
- “medicinal kind of cream smell”
- “scent is a negative”
- “funky odor”
Sources: lovi.care, nordstrom.com, spacenk.com, influenster.com, bluemercury.com, cultbeauty.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser work for dry sensitive skin?
This cleanser works moderately well for dry sensitive skin by providing mild enzyme exfoliation and vitamin C, but it lacks enough rich moisturizing and softening ingredients to fully comfort dry skin. Enzyme powder cleansers for this skin type need extra hydrating and soothing ingredients to keep skin comfortable while cleansing.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Subtilisin and lipase make this cleanser a fit by providing mild enzymatic cleansing, while ascorbic acid offers antioxidant benefits. However, because it lacks sufficient soft, moisturizing ingredients to fully address dryness, a product for this skin needs extra soothing and hydrating ingredients.
What does Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate do for dry sensitive skin?
Sodium lauroyl glutamate is very gentle on dry sensitive skin because it causes minimal changes to the skin barrier compared to harsher cleansers. This ingredient helps keep skin comfortable without stripping away natural moisture, making it less likely to cause irritation.
What does Vitamin C do for dry sensitive skin?
Vitamin C helps brighten and smooth dry sensitive skin while reducing wrinkles and improving elasticity. It is generally well tolerated and unlikely to cause irritation when properly formulated, leaving the skin looking more radiant.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This cleanser fits into your morning and evening routine, starting at once a week before you carefully work up to using it more often if your skin tolerates it well. To keep your dry skin comfortable, a product of this type needs extra soothing and hydrating ingredients like emollients and humectants.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine when using retinol, provided you apply it before your retinol treatment and follow up with plenty of moisturizer to prevent dryness. This product is unlikely to cause irritation on your dry sensitive skin, but it needs added hydrating ingredients and emollients to fully comfort this skin type.
How often should I use it?
Start by using this cleanser once a week, and if your skin feels comfortable and tolerates it well, you may carefully use it more often. A product for this skin needs added moisturizing ingredients and soothing components to fully address dryness while gently cleansing.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores, cause breakouts, or lead to purging on dry sensitive skin because its formula avoids heavy, pore-clogging ingredients. However, a product of this type needs extra hydrating ingredients like rich emollients and soothing humectants to keep dry skin comfortable while cleansing.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Bacterial cellulose membranes with and without glycerin showed good skin compatibility and no barrier disruption in human subjects compared to a negative control, with glycerin-containing membranes additionally providing a statistically significant skin moisturizing effect (p=0.044).
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2014Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Nanofibrillar cellulose dressing provides efficient wound healing comparable to polylactide-based copolymer dressings at skin graft donor sites in 24 patients, with significant improvements in observer scar thickness and vascularity and skin elasticity.
Advances in Wound Care, 2020AgNP-BC exhibited over 99% reduction in Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with no cytotoxicity, allowing epidermal cell attachment and growth compared to unmodified bacterial cellulose.
Carbohydrate Polymers, 2014Cellulose acetate and soy protein hydrolysate nanofibrous dressings promote fibroblast proliferation in vitro and accelerate wound healing with reduced scar formation in vivo.
Advanced Healthcare Materials, 2018
Ingredients
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Talc, Cellulose, Maltodextrin, Water, Xanthan Gum, Ascorbic Acid, Subtilisin, Lipase
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score 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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
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.