Clarins vs Dr. Barbara Sturm
Clarins and Dr. Barbara Sturm are two distinct skincare brands that offer thoughtful selections of nourishing serums, gentle moisturizers, and targeted treatments designed to support varied complexions. The French brand, founded in 1954, enriches its array with shea and squalane to suit sensitive and acne-prone skin best, while the German brand, founded in 2014, relies on scientifically advanced formulas to provide deep hydration for sensitive, dry, and balanced skin. While the former harnesses shea butter to reduce redness and squalane to increase collagen, the latter focuses on barrier support through carefully balanced components. These distinct approaches allow both to address specific concerns like dark spots and mature skin through harmonious, daily care.
Clarins is a French skincare brand founded in 1954 and owned by Famille C (Groupe Clarins).
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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 Clarins and Dr. Barbara Sturm products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular Clarins vs Dr. Barbara Sturm products
People Say
Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “skin drinks it up — Clarins Double Serum”
- “keeps skin moist — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
- “skin drank it up — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
- “skin feels softer — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
Awakening and Radiance Effect Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “skin looks brighter immediately — Clarins Cryo-Flash Cream-Mask”
- “Gives off the most stunning natural radiance I've ever come across. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
- “skin looks brighter — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
- “healthy glow — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
Luxurious Texture and Feel Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “melting non-oily texture — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
- “Creamy texture feels luxurious upon application — Clarins Extra-Firming Day Cream”
- “feels like silk — Clarins Double Serum”
- “sinks in quickly — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
Gentle on Eyes and Sensitive Skin Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
- “doesn't irritate my sensitive skin — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
- “reduced redness — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
- “no irritation for contact wearers — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
Anti-Aging and Firming Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “neck feels smoother — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
- “visibly tighter, lifted skin — Clarins Super Restorative Night Cream”
- “lines less visible — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
Hydration and Softness Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “skin texture is immediately more even — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
- “skin feels nourished — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
High Price and Cost Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “way too expensive — Clarins Double Serum”
- “too expensive for results — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
- “very expensive — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
- “way too expensive — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
Strong Fragrance and Scent Often MentionedRarely Noted
- “smells a bit weird — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
- “smells like perfume — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
Subtle or Ineffective Results Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “didn't see a lift — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
- “no change in circles — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
- “didn't do much — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
- “did nothing — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
Irritation and Breakouts Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
- “caused cystic acne — Clarins Double Serum”
- “caused redness — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
- “quite red after — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
- “appearance of imperfections — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
Questions and answers
Clarins or Dr. Barbara Sturm: which is better?
Dr. Barbara Sturm may be better if you want fragrance-free formulas, as every product on its page lists no fragrance, whereas nearly all Clarins products contain fragrance. Reviewers note that Dr. Barbara Sturm is gentler on sensitive skin, while Clarins is often mentioned for strong fragrance.
What is the difference between Clarins and Dr. Barbara Sturm?
Clarins, founded in 1954 in France and owned by Famille C, offers a wide range of products including many with fragrance, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm, founded in 2014 in Germany and owned by Puig, lists no fragrance across the products on this page.
Clarins or Dr. Barbara Sturm: which moisturizer is better?
Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum is a moisturizer that has High fit for oily skin and Average fit for other skin types. Clarins offers several moisturizers like Hydra-Essentiel Silky Cream with Superior fit for dry skin, though most Clarins products on this page list fragrance.
Which is more affordable, Clarins or Dr. Barbara Sturm?
When comparing the two brands, Clarins reviewers frequently mention a high price point as a common drawback, while Dr. Barbara Sturm does not have this issue highlighted by reviewers on the page.
Which causes fewer breakouts, Clarins or Dr. Barbara Sturm?
Reviewers report that Dr. Barbara Sturm and Clarins perform equally regarding irritation and breakouts.
How do the founding years and home countries of Clarins and Dr. Barbara Sturm compare?
Clarins was founded in 1954 in France, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm was established later in 2014 in Germany.
Which brand offers a larger selection of products on the page, and do they contain fragrance?
Clarins offers a larger selection of products on the page, with 24 products compared to Dr. Barbara Sturm's 3. Almost all of the products on this page from Clarins contain fragrance, while every product on this page from Dr. Barbara Sturm lists no fragrance.
How do Clarins and Dr. Barbara Sturm perform regarding gentle care on sensitive skin and eyes according to reviewer themes?
Dr. Barbara Sturm performs better than Clarins regarding gentle care on sensitive skin and eyes. Reviewers find that Dr. Barbara Sturm is more gentle on eyes and sensitive skin compared to Clarins.
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
Effects of ascorbic acid on gingival melanin pigmentation in vitro and in vivo
Apigenin inhibits UVA-induced cytotoxicity in vitro and prevents signs of skin aging in vivo
Vitamin C-squalene bioconjugate promotes epidermal thickening and collagen production in human skin
Mechanism of action and clinical benefits of colloidal oatmeal for dermatologic practice
Colloidal Oatmeal <em>(Avena Sativa)</em> Improves Skin Barrier Through Multi-Therapy Activity
Skin improvement and stability of Echinacea purpurea dermatological formulations
The impacts of sodium lauroyl sarcosinate in facial cleanser on facial skin microbiome and lipidome
Borage Oil Treated with Immobilized Lipase Inhibits Melanogenesis
Modulating effects of oatmeal extracts in the sodium lauryl sulfate skin irritancy model
Moisturizing effect of stable cream containing Crocus sativus extracts
Treatment with Ascorbyl Glucoside-Arginine Complex Ameliorates Solar Lentigos
Microcirculation-Promoting Effect of Escin on Cutaneous Tissue via Gsk3β Down-Regulation
Saccharide isomerate ameliorates cosmetic scalp conditions in a Chinese study population
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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