Clinique vs Dr. Barbara Sturm
Clinique and Dr. Barbara Sturm are two esteemed skincare lines designed to nurture the complexion with thoughtful formulations. The American brand, established in 1968, features balancing moisturizers, serums, and makeup removers formulated with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and caffeine, making it ideal for dry sensitive and oily skin. Conversely, the German brand founded in 2014 offers gentle moisturizers, exfoliants, and serums built on advanced science to support sensitive, dry, and balanced skin. While both prioritize deep hydration and barrier support, they differ in their foundational approaches, ingredient combinations, and targeted solutions for specific skin concerns.
Clinique is an American skincare brand founded in 1968 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..
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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 Clinique and Dr. Barbara Sturm products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular Clinique vs Dr. Barbara Sturm products
- moisture surge
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Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm
SAR 149.48
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Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+
SAR 106.95
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All About Eyes
SAR 287.10
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Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel
SAR 99.90
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Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum
SAR 316.97
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Moisture Surge Overnight Mask
SAR 233.00
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Clarifying Lotion 2
SAR 159.61
People Say
Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “Keeps my dry patches at bay all day — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
- “skin feels soft and smooth — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
- “skin drank it up — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
- “skin feels softer — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
Smooth Skin and Fine Lines Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
- “skin texture is immediately more even — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
- “lines less visible — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
- “skin feels silky smooth — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
Gentle and Fragrance-Free Formula Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “never irritated my eyes — Clinique All About Eyes”
- “No strong scent — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
- “doesn't irritate my sensitive skin — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
Lightweight Texture and Fast Absorption Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “sinks in immediately — Clinique moisture surge”
- “sinks in instantly — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
- “Absorbs quickly without feeling sticky — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
- “sinks in immediately — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
Oil Control and Morning Glow Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “skin looks brighter — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
- “healthy glow — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
- “keeps me matte — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
Exfoliation and Deep Cleansing Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “gentle enough for everyday — Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula”
- “You will see the dirt with one wipe — Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2”
- “deep yet gentle cleanse — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
High Price and Value Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “jar is too small for the cost — Clinique moisture surge”
- “quite pricey — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
- “Expensive for cleanser — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
- “way too expensive — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
Slow or Minimal Results Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “didn't help dark circles — Clinique All About Eyes”
- “don't expect miracles overnight — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
- “did not reduce facial redness in any way — Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream”
- “did nothing — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
Application and Consistency Issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “Blurry vision after use — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
- “feels a bit heavy/greasy — Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream”
- “hard to rinse — Clinique all about clean”
- “pills under makeup — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
Drying and Irritating Formula Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
- “Made my skin super dry — Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2”
- “Face stung and became red — Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2”
- “face feels a bit tight — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
- “quite red after — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
Questions and answers
Clinique or Dr. Barbara Sturm: which is better?
When comparing the products on this page, both brands offer fragrance-free formulas, but Dr. Barbara Sturm does better for smooth skin, fine lines, oil control, and morning glow.
What is the difference between Clinique and Dr. Barbara Sturm?
Clinique features a much wider range of fragrance-free products on this page and tends to excel in lightweight texture, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm performs better for smooth skin, fine lines, oil control, and morning glow. Reviewers note that Clinique offers great hydrating moisturizers and effective makeup removers, but it can sometimes cause breakouts or come with a high price point.
Clinique or Dr. Barbara Sturm: which moisturizer is better?
When comparing moisturizers, Clinique offers a wider variety with High Lovi fit levels for specific needs like dry and sensitive skin, while Dr. Barbara Sturm features products like its Hyaluronic Serum that have High Lovi fit levels for oily skin. Both brands provide hydrating options, but Dr. Barbara Sturm tends to do better for oil control and morning glow, whereas the products on this page by Clinique are noted for a lightweight texture and fast absorption.
Which is more affordable, Clinique or Dr. Barbara Sturm?
Reviewers note that Clinique has a high price point, which is listed as a negative for the brand on this page.
Which causes fewer breakouts, Clinique or Dr. Barbara Sturm?
Reviewers note that Clinique products on this page sometimes cause breakouts, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm has no such reported issues.
Which brand has more products listed on the page, Clinique or Dr. Barbara Sturm?
Clinique has more products listed on the page than Dr. Barbara Sturm, with nineteen items compared to three.
Which brand's products are noted by reviewers for having a high price point?
Reviewers note that Clinique's products on this page have a high price point.
When was Clinique founded compared to Dr. Barbara Sturm?
Clinique was founded in 1968, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm was founded in 2014.
Research behind their key ingredients
Bacterial cellulose membranes as drug delivery systems: an in vivo skin compatibility study
Effects of ascorbic acid on gingival melanin pigmentation in vitro and in vivo
Vitamin C-squalene bioconjugate promotes epidermal thickening and collagen production in human skin
The synergistic effect of retinyl propionate and hydroxypinacolone retinoate on skin aging
Borage Oil Treated with Immobilized Lipase Inhibits Melanogenesis
Algae extract protection effect on oxidized protein level in human stratum corneum
The anti wrinkle efficacy of synthetic hexapeptide (Argireline) in Chinese Subjects
Safety of a preservative system containing 1,2-hexanediol and caprylyl glycol
Functional properties and skin care effects of sodium trehalose sulfate
Treatment with Ascorbyl Glucoside-Arginine Complex Ameliorates Solar Lentigos
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.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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