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Avène vs Dr. Barbara Sturm

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

Avène and Dr. Barbara Sturm are two distinct skincare brands with dedicated followings, representing the French and German approaches to dermal care. The French brand offers versatile moisturizers, reliable sunscreens, targeted serums, and gentle cleansers formulated with glycerin, while the German brand provides gentle moisturizers, clarifying exfoliants, and nourishing serums built on scientifically advanced formulas. The former suits acne-prone skin and oily acne-prone skin best, offering profound relief without heaviness, whereas the latter suits sensitive, dry, and balanced skin best through a focus on deep hydration and barrier support. Ultimately, these lines differ in their foundational ingredients and target complexions, allowing both to serve distinct daily routines.

Avène is a French skincare brand founded in 1990 and owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre.

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

Popular Avène vs Dr. Barbara Sturm products

People Say

AvèneDr. Barbara Sturm
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “sinks in immediately — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “sinks in quickly — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “lasts almost 5 months — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
    • “Thick but absorbs well eventually — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
  • Soothing and Calming Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Calmed my angry red skin overnight — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
    • “Nothing has ever worked to soothe or heal my skin like these before. — Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm”
    • “doesn't irritate my sensitive skin — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “reduced redness — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Repair Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin texture is immediately more even — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
    • “lines less visible — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “Healed my over-exfoliated skin in days — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drank it up — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “skin feels softer — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “Saves my skin in winter — Avène Cold Cream”
  • Radiance and Glow Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin looks brighter — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “healthy glow — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “immediate radiance boost — Avène Vitamin Activ Cg Radiance Concentrated Serum”
  • Cleansing and Oil Control Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Keeps me matte for hours — Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel”
    • “keeps skin matte — Avène Cleanance”
    • “deep yet gentle cleanse — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
    • “great for combination skin — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
  • High Price Point Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Its a bit pricey but so worth it!! — Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm”
    • “a bit pricey — Avène Cleanance”
    • “Tiny tube for the money — Avène Cold Cream”
    • “way too expensive — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Packaging and Product Issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “bring it back — Avène Antirougeurs Fort Relief Concentrate”
    • “Tube squirted water everywhere — Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream”
    • “tacky finish — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “pills under makeup — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Low Efficacy or Minimal Results Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “it didn't do anything for my dark circles — Avène RetrinAL EYES”
    • “no difference after month — Avène Vitamin Activ Cg Radiance Concentrated Serum”
    • “did nothing — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Skin Irritation and Dryness Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Left my face tight — Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel”
    • “dried out my skin — Avène Cleanance”
    • “face feels a bit tight — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
    • “quite red after — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”

Questions and answers

Avène or Dr. Barbara Sturm: which is better?

Dr. Barbara Sturm generally does better for texture and absorption, hydration and moisture, radiance and glow, and skin barrier repair, whereas Avène has a lower price point.

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

Avene offers a broad range of products with Lovi fit levels spanning from low to superior across various skin types, while Dr. Barbara Sturm features fragrance-free formulations where the products on this page achieve high or average Lovi fit levels. Reviewers note that Dr. Barbara Sturm tends to perform better in texture, hydration, and radiance, whereas Avene is more frequently associated with a higher price point and occasional low efficacy.

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

For moisturizers, Dr. Barbara Sturm achieves better review themes for hydration, moisture, skin barrier, and texture repair than Avène. Avène offers several moisturizers like Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm with high fit levels for dry and sensitive skin, but the products on this page often come with a higher price point or minimal results according to reviewers.

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

Avene is more affordable than Dr. Barbara Sturm, as reviewers note a high price point for Avene.

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

When comparing breakouts, Avène fits acne-prone skin best with targeted products like Cleanance and Hyaluron Activ B3 Concentrated Plumping Serum, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm lacks specific brand-focused routines for acne-prone skin on this page.

When was Avène founded compared to Dr. Barbara Sturm, and in which countries?

Avène was founded in 1990 in France, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm was founded later in 2014 in Germany.

How does the fragrance content compare between Avène and Dr. Barbara Sturm products on this page?

Dr. Barbara Sturm products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients, whereas 8 of the 15 Avène products on this page contain fragrance.

Which brand performs better in terms of hydration and moisture according to review themes?

Dr. Barbara Sturm performs better in terms of hydration and moisture according to review themes. The products on this page for Avène are sometimes noted by reviewers as deeply hydrating.

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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