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Kiehl's vs Dr. Barbara Sturm

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

Kiehl's and Dr. Barbara Sturm are established skincare houses that offer distinct approaches to daily beauty rituals. The American label is celebrated for its nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, soothing toners, and revitalizing eye products formulated with glycerin and squalane, making it well-suited for mature and combination skin. Meanwhile, the German brand is deeply loved for its gentle moisturizers, clarifying exfoliants, and nourishing serums built on scientifically advanced formulas that suit sensitive, dry, and balanced skin. While both prioritize moisture-retention and barrier support, they differ in their heritage, ingredient focus, and precise skin type alignment.

Kiehl's is an American skincare brand founded in 1851 and owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000.

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Dr. Barbara Sturm products

People Say

Kiehl'sDr. Barbara Sturm
  • Gentle on Sensitive Skin Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “doesn't irritate my sensitive skin — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “reduced redness — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Deep and Intense Hydration Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
    • “skin drank it up — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy Texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Absorbs quickly — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “sinks in immediately — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Improvement Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “skin texture is immediately more even — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
  • Visible Plumping and Fine Lines Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “lines less visible — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “skin feels softer — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “Skin looks noticeably more plump — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Fades Dark Spots and Brightens Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin looks brighter — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
  • High Price and Cost Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “overpriced for what it does — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
    • “way too expensive — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Ineffective or Slow Results Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Takes months to see — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “results were subtle — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “did nothing — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Insufficient Hydration or Richness Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “some extremely dry skin types need a thicker balm or oil on top — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “face feels a bit tight — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”

Questions and answers

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

Dr. Barbara Sturm does better for being gentle on sensitive skin, while Kiehl's is better for offering a lightweight and non-greasy texture. Lovi rates Dr. Barbara Sturm as having high fit levels for sensitive skin across the products on this page.

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

Kiehl's offers a larger variety of products with a lightweight, non-greasy texture, while Dr. Barbara Sturm better targets sensitive skin and helps with visible plumping and fading dark spots. Reviewers note that the products on this page for Kiehl's often have a high price point and can sometimes cause breakouts, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm avoids fragrance in all of its formulations.

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

When comparing moisturizers, Kiehl's offers a wide range of options like the Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate with a Superior fit for dry skin, while Dr. Barbara Sturm features products like the Hyaluronic Serum, which has a High fit for oily skin.

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

Kiehl's products on this page often receive feedback regarding a high price point, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm is generally positioned in a higher luxury bracket.

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

Dr. Barbara Sturm is gentler on sensitive skin, whereas reviewers often note that Kiehl's causes breakouts and skin irritation.

Where and when were Kiehl's and Dr. Barbara Sturm founded, and who currently owns them?

Kiehl's was founded in 1851 in the United States and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000. Dr. Barbara Sturm was founded in 2014 in Germany and is currently owned by Puig.

Which products from Kiehl's and Dr. Barbara Sturm are best suited for addressing skin with dark spots?

For addressing skin with dark spots, Kiehl's features several top options like the Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner and Ultra Facial Toner with a Lovi fit level of Superior, while Dr. Barbara Sturm offers the Enzyme Cleanser which also achieves a Lovi fit level of Superior.

How do the fragrance ingredients compare between Kiehl's and Dr. Barbara Sturm products listed on the page?

When comparing the products on this page, Kiehl's includes fragrance in a small number of items, while every single Dr. Barbara Sturm product lists no fragrance.

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

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