The INKEY List vs Dr. Barbara Sturm
The INKEY List and Dr. Barbara Sturm are distinct skincare brands built around glycerin and scientifically advanced formulas, respectively. The British brand features moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products that suit combination and sensitive skin best, while the German brand offers gentle moisturizers, clarifying exfoliants, and nourishing serums that care for sensitive, dry, and balanced skin. Both brands differ through their unique ingredient approaches, ownership backgrounds, and founding years, providing targeted solutions for acne-prone, dark spot, and mature skin concerns.
The INKEY List is a British skincare brand founded in 2018 and owned by Brand Evangelists for Beauty Limited.
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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 The INKEY List and Dr. Barbara Sturm products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular The INKEY List vs Dr. Barbara Sturm products
People Say
Gentle Formula and Soothing Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “doesn't irritate my sensitive skin — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
- “deep yet gentle cleanse — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
- “reduced redness — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
- “Great for sensitive skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
Skin Smoothing and Texture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
- “skin texture is immediately more even — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
- “skin looks brighter — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
- “healthy glow — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
- “Skin feels softer — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
Lightweight Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “sits beautifully under makeup — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
- “Gel consistency — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
- “sinks in immediately — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
- “sinks in quickly — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
Deep Hydration and Plumping Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
- “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
- “skin drank it up — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
- “lines less visible — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
Affordable Price and Value Mostly MentionedNot noted
- “Good for the price — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
- “One of the best balms for quality and also price — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
- “unbeatable value — The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
Other Positive Highlights Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
- “skin looks fresh and plump — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
- “bags are gone — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
- “great for combination skin — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
- “lasts almost 5 months — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
High Price and Expensive Not notedMostly Mentioned
- “way too expensive — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
Lack of Results or Ineffectiveness Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “didn't do anything for circles — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
- “did absolutely nothing — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
- “didn't see a huge difference — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
- “did nothing — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
Other Negative Highlights Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “Tube leaks liquified oil when opened — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
- “Leaves a greasy film on face after washing — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
- “pills under makeup — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
- “powder can be messy — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
Drying or Insufficient Hydration Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
- “have dry skin but this doesn't feel hydrating at all — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
- “leaves under eye dry — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
- “face feels a bit tight — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
Questions and answers
The INKEY List or Dr. Barbara Sturm: which is better?
The products on this page for The INKEY List tend to offer a more affordable price and value, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm does better for a gentle formula and soothing as well as skin smoothing and texture.
What is the difference between The INKEY List and Dr. Barbara Sturm?
The INKEY List offers more affordable pricing for the products on this page, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm achieves better results for gentle formula and soothing as well as skin smoothing and texture.
The INKEY List or Dr. Barbara Sturm: which moisturizer is better?
The products on this page for The INKEY List include several moisturizers with a High or Superior Lovi fit level for dry skin, such as Polyglutamic Acid Serum and Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer. In comparison, Dr. Barbara Sturm features fewer moisturizers on this page, with Hyaluronic Serum showing an Average fit for dry skin.
Which is more affordable, The INKEY List or Dr. Barbara Sturm?
The INKEY List offers better affordability for the products on this page, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm is noted for high prices and being expensive.
Which causes fewer breakouts, The INKEY List or Dr. Barbara Sturm?
Comparing the products on this page, neither brand has specific study data or direct review mentions regarding which causes fewer breakouts, though reviewers note that The INKEY List sometimes leads to purging and breakouts.
Between The INKEY List and Dr. Barbara Sturm, which brand is better known for a gentle and soothing formula?
Between the two brands, Dr. Barbara Sturm does better for gentle formula and soothing.
How do the founding years and countries of origin compare between The INKEY List and Dr. Barbara Sturm?
The INKEY List was founded in 2018 in the United Kingdom, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm was founded earlier in 2014 in Germany.
Which brand offers better skin smoothing and texture benefits according to review themes?
According to review themes, Dr. Barbara Sturm does better for skin smoothing and texture compared to the products on this page from The INKEY List.
Research behind their key ingredients
The Effect of Aloe Vera Clinical Trials on Prevention and Healing of Skin Wound: A Systematic Review
Bacterial cellulose membranes as drug delivery systems: an in vivo skin compatibility study
Molecular basis of retinol anti-ageing properties in naturally aged human skin in vivo
Effects of ascorbic acid on gingival melanin pigmentation in vitro and in vivo
The moisturizing effects of glycolipid biosurfactants, mannosylerythritol lipids, on human skin
A comparative study of gluconolactone versus benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne
Chemical peels for acne vulgaris: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials
Borage Oil Treated with Immobilized Lipase Inhibits Melanogenesis
Topical Almond Oil for Prevention of Pressure Injuries: A Single-Blinded Comparison Study
The anti wrinkle efficacy of synthetic hexapeptide (Argireline) in Chinese Subjects
Darutoside promotes skin wound healing via regulating macrophage polarization
Treatment with Ascorbyl Glucoside-Arginine Complex Ameliorates Solar Lentigos
Targeting Circadian Rhythm for the Regulation of Skin Collagen Metabolism
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
How does it fit your skin?
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