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Anua vs Dr. Barbara Sturm

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

Anua and Dr. Barbara Sturm are distinct skincare lines created to address diverse complexions through specialized formulations. The Korean brand features moisturizers, toners, serums, and cleansers built around hyaluronic acid, heartleaf, and niacinamide to suit oily acne-prone skin and skin with dark spots. Conversely, the German brand is deeply loved for gentle moisturizers, clarifying exfoliants, and nourishing serums that support sensitive, dry, and balanced skin. While both offer targeted solutions for mature skin and blemishes, they differ fundamentally in their ingredient philosophies and ideal skin types.

Anua is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2019 and owned by The Founders 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 Anua and Dr. Barbara Sturm products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Anua vs Dr. Barbara Sturm products

People Say

AnuaDr. Barbara Sturm
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “complexion feels so plump — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
    • “leaves skin plump — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
    • “skin drank it up — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “sinks in immediately — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Skin Smoothing and Texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin texture is immediately more even — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
    • “lines less visible — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “Skin feels super smooth — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
  • Gentle Soothing Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Calms my redness instantly — Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner”
    • “calmed my red spots — Anua Heartleaf 77% Clear Pad”
    • “doesn't irritate my sensitive skin — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “reduced redness — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Brightening and Glow Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Significant reduction in hyperpigmentation from acne scarring. — Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum”
    • “Gives a nice healthy glow — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “skin looks brighter — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “healthy glow — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Texture and Consistency Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “melts into skin — Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream”
    • “Feels like water, not heavy oil — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
    • “Absorbs quickly without stickiness — Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner”
    • “sinks in quickly — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
  • Cleansing and Pores Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Dissolved my sebaceous filaments immediately — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
    • “leaves my face soft, smooth, and fresh without dryness — Anua Rice Enzyme Brightening Cleansing Powder”
    • “deep yet gentle cleanse — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
    • “great for combination skin — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
  • Price and Value Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “price feels way too high — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
    • “small size, the price is expensive — Anua Rice Enzyme Brightening Cleansing Powder”
    • “bottle too small — Anua NANO RETINOL™ 0.3% + NIACIN RENEWING SERUM”
    • “way too expensive — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Breakouts and Acne Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “appearance of imperfections — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “Wrecked my skin barrier — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”

Questions and answers

Anua or Dr. Barbara Sturm: which is better?

Anua offers better value and texture consistency among the products on this page, while Dr. Barbara Sturm scores higher for skin smoothing and texture. Both brands perform equally well for hydration, gentle soothing, brightening, and cleansing.

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

Anua and Dr. Barbara Sturm offer different strengths across their product ranges, with Anua tending to score better on price and value while Dr. Barbara Sturm does better with breakouts and acne.

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

Anua features a wider variety of moisturizers on this page with High to Superior fits for dry and sensitive skin, while Dr. Barbara Sturm offers a single hyaluronic serum rated as an Average fit for most skin types.

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

Anua offers better price and value among the products on this page compared to Dr. Barbara Sturm.

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

Dr. Barbara Sturm does better for breakouts and acne compared to the products on this page for Anua, where reviewers note that breakouts may occur.

Between Anua and Dr. Barbara Sturm, which brand is better for skin smoothing and texture according to review themes?

According to the review themes on this page, Dr. Barbara Sturm does better than Anua for skin smoothing and texture.

How do the founding years and home countries of Anua and Dr. Barbara Sturm compare?

Anua was founded in 2019 in South Korea, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm was founded earlier in 2014 in Germany.

Which brand performs better regarding breakouts and acne based on shopper reviews?

Dr. Barbara Sturm performs better regarding breakouts and acne based on reviewer feedback on this page. Reviewers note that Anua can cause breakouts, while Dr. Barbara Sturm avoids this issue.

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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