🇸🇦Saudi Arabia

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.

pierre-fabre.comavene.co.ukaveneusa.com

Dr. Barbara Sturm is a German skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by Puig since 2024.

uploads.puig.combeautymatter.compitchbook.com

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 is better for hydration and moisture, radiance and glow, and skin barrier and texture repair, according to the review themes on this page. Avène has a lower price point, while Dr. Barbara Sturm features fragrance-free formulas across all products on this page.

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

Avène is a French brand founded in 1990 that fits acne-prone, oily acne-prone, and oily skin best, while Dr. Barbara Sturm is a German brand founded in 2014 that rates better for hydration, radiance, and skin barrier repair among the products on this page. Dr. Barbara Sturm also has no fragrance listed across its products, whereas nearly half of Avène's products on this page list fragrance.

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

When comparing moisturizers, Lovi rates Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm as having a Superior fit for dry skin, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum has an Average fit for dry skin.

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

Avène is more affordable than Dr. Barbara Sturm, as reviewers on the products on this page note a high price point for Avène while Dr. Barbara Sturm scores worse in review themes regarding a high price point.

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

When comparing breakouts, the products on this page for Avène are a better fit for acne-prone skin, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm does not list specific routines for acne-prone skin.

Which brand has more products that contain fragrance, Avène or Dr. Barbara Sturm?

Avène has more products that contain fragrance, with 7 of the 15 products on the page listing fragrance, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm lists no fragrance for any of the products on this page.

How do the founding years and countries of origin compare between Avène and Dr. Barbara Sturm?

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

Which brand performs better in the review themes of hydration and skin barrier repair?

According to the review themes on this page, Dr. Barbara Sturm performs better than Avène in both hydration and skin barrier repair.

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play