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Kiehl's vs Dr. Barbara Sturm

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

Kiehl's and Dr. Barbara Sturm are established skincare brands that offer distinct approaches to daily regimens. The American heritage label is known for its nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, soothing toners, and gentle eye products utilizing glycerin and squalane, while the German house is deeply loved for its gentle moisturizers, clarifying exfoliants, and nourishing serums built on scientifically advanced formulas. Both options suit dry skin best, with the former also favoring mature skin and the latter accommodating sensitive and balanced skin. They differ primarily in their heritage and foundational philosophy, as the older house relies on classic hydration staples and the newer brand focuses on molecular science and barrier support.

Kiehl's is an American skincare brand founded in 1851 and owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000.

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

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 Kiehl's and Dr. Barbara Sturm products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Kiehl's vs Dr. Barbara Sturm products

People Say

Kiehl'sDr. Barbara Sturm
  • Gentle on Sensitive Skin Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “doesn't irritate my sensitive skin — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “reduced redness — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Deep and Intense Hydration Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
    • “skin drank it up — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy Texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Absorbs quickly — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “sinks in immediately — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Improvement Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “skin texture is immediately more even — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”
  • Visible Plumping and Fine Lines Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “lines less visible — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
    • “skin feels softer — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “Skin looks noticeably more plump — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Fades Dark Spots and Brightens Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin looks brighter — Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
  • High Price and Cost Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “overpriced for what it does — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
    • “way too expensive — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Ineffective or Slow Results Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Takes months to see — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “results were subtle — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “did nothing — Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum”
  • Insufficient Hydration or Richness Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “some extremely dry skin types need a thicker balm or oil on top — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “face feels a bit tight — Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser”

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Dr. Barbara Sturm: which is better?

Dr. Barbara Sturm is better for sensitive skin, fading dark spots, and plumping fine lines, whereas Kiehl's does better with lightweight and non-greasy textures. Lovi rates Dr. Barbara Sturm's Enzyme Cleanser as Superior for skin with dark spots, and the products on this page list no fragrance. Reviewers note that Kiehl's often has a high price point and may cause breakouts and skin irritation.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Dr. Barbara Sturm?

Kiehl's offers a larger variety of products with strong performance in lightweight textures and deep hydration, while Dr. Barbara Sturm better targets sensitive skin and visible plumping according to reviewer themes.

Kiehl's or Dr. Barbara Sturm: which moisturizer is better?

When it comes to moisturizers, Kiehl's may be a better choice for shoppers seeking lightweight, non-greasy formulas across the products on this page, while Dr. Barbara Sturm tends to be better for visible plumping and fine lines. For hydration specifically, reviewers note that both brands offer deep and intense hydration.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Dr. Barbara Sturm?

When looking at the products on this page, Kiehl's is generally considered more affordable, though high price is a frequently mentioned complaint for the brand. In contrast, Dr. Barbara Sturm is a luxury line known for a significantly higher cost point.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Kiehl's or Dr. Barbara Sturm?

Dr. Barbara Sturm does better than Kiehl's for being gentle on sensitive skin, while Kiehl's reviewers sometimes note breakouts and skin irritation.

Between Kiehl's and Dr. Barbara Sturm, which brand is better for sensitive skin?

Dr. Barbara Sturm is better for sensitive skin, as it outperforms Kiehl's in that review theme. Lovi rates the sensitivity fit for Dr. Barbara Sturm's Enzyme Cleanser as High, while the products on this page have various levels.

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

Kiehl's was founded in 1851 in the United States, whereas Dr. Barbara Sturm was founded much later in 2014 in Germany.

Which brand performs better for fading dark spots and brightening the skin?

Dr. Barbara Sturm performs better than Kiehl's for fading dark spots and brightening the skin.

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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