🇮🇪Ireland

Elemis vs Dr. Barbara Sturm

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

Elemis and Dr. Barbara Sturm are established skincare brands that offer nourishing serums and rich moisturizers, yet they diverge in their foundational ingredients and specific target audiences. The British line relies on glycerin and shea butter, making it well-suited for dry skin and mature skin, while the German line emphasizes advanced science to cater best to sensitive, dry, and balanced skin. Both labels address individual concerns through tailored treatments, but they differ in their heritage, ownership, and unique formulations.

Elemis is a British skincare brand founded in 1989 and owned by L'Occitane Group since 2019.

elemis.comau.elemis.comen.wikipedia.org

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 Elemis and Dr. Barbara Sturm products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Elemis vs Dr. Barbara Sturm products

People Say

ElemisDr. Barbara Sturm
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Absorbs almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “whipped silk feel — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “sinks in immediately — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “sinks in quickly — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
  • Skin Smoothing and Softening Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “skin texture is immediately more even — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
    • “lines less visible — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “skin drank it up — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “skin feels softer — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
  • Radiance and Glow Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin looks brighter — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “healthy glow — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “healthy glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
  • Gentle on Skin and Sensitive Areas Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “doesn't irritate my sensitive skin — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “reduced redness — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “no stinging or redness — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
  • Exfoliation and Deep Cleansing Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “deep yet gentle cleanse — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
    • “non-stripping formula — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
  • Price and Value Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “very expensive — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “expensive — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “way too expensive — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Limited or Slow Results Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “didn't see a difference — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “didn't see difference — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “Verdict still out. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “did nothing — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Fragrance and Scent Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “smells a bit weird — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
    • “The smell is very strong... could not handle for long. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”

Questions and answers

Elemis or Dr. Barbara Sturm: which is better?

Dr. Barbara Sturm does better for radiance, gentle care, and exfoliation, while Elemis offers better value and prices. Every product on the Dr. Barbara Sturm page lists no fragrance, whereas 18 of 22 products on the Elemis page contain fragrance.

What is the difference between Elemis and Dr. Barbara Sturm?

Elemis products on this page are mostly formulated with fragrance and fit dry and mature skin best, while every Dr. Barbara Sturm product on this page lists no fragrance and tends to do better for radiance, gentle care, and exfoliation.

Elemis or Dr. Barbara Sturm: which moisturizer is better?

Elemis offers several hydrating moisturizers like the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream that suit dry and mature skin well, while Dr. Barbara Sturm provides options such as the Hyaluronic Serum which has a High fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that the products on this page for Elemis tend to feature hydrating moisturizers, though they also mention a high price point.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Which is more affordable, Elemis or Dr. Barbara Sturm?

Elemis is generally more affordable, as high price point is a noted downside for Elemis while Dr. Barbara Sturm tends to be even more costly.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Elemis or Dr. Barbara Sturm?

Dr. Barbara Sturm is unlikely to cause breakouts as every product on this page lists no fragrance, whereas Elemis has products with strong fragrance and skin irritation sometimes noted.

Which brand has more fragrance in its products, Elemis or Dr. Barbara Sturm?

Elemis has more fragrance in its products, as every product on the Dr. Barbara Sturm page lists no fragrance, while most Elemis products on this page contain fragrance.

Which brand is better for sensitive skin according to the review themes?

According to the review themes, Dr. Barbara Sturm does better at being gentle on skin and sensitive areas. Lovi notes that skin irritation is sometimes mentioned by reviewers for Elemis, which has added fragrance in most of the products on this page.

Where and when were Elemis and Dr. Barbara Sturm founded?

Elemis was founded in 1989 in the United Kingdom, while Dr. Barbara Sturm was founded in 2014 in Germany.

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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