Our Beauty Editor Put the Most Popular Dr. Barbara Sturm to the Skin Test—Here’s What She Loved
With so many high-powered, supercharged skincare products to choose from these days, finding the ones that just hit right can be a challenging task. If you're serious about getting your skin in gear and limiting the signs of aging and inflammation, then Dr. Barbara Sturm is one skincare line you'll want to consider. Composed of doctor-developed formulas that do more than look chic on your shelf, the anti-inflammation skincare products are endorsed by almost every major celebrity and have developed a cult-like following for good reason. Gentle on the skin but tough on dryness, lines, wrinkles, and pigment, these expertly crafted products sit high on so many people's beauty wish lists. To determine if they are worth the price, our beauty editor, Elise Tabin, tests seven of the most popular SKUs, sharing her honest review of Dr. Barbara Sturm.
Editor Beauty Profile
- Skin Type: Oily and mature(ing)
- Skin Tone: Light
- Skin Concern(s): Discoloration, Redness, Fine Lines and Wrinkles, Acne
About Dr. Barbara Sturm
The eponymous Dr. Barbara Sturm line was developed out of a love for clinical research combined with aesthetics. Dr. Strum, a German doctor, orthopedic specialist, aesthetics expert, and pioneer in the field of anti-inflammation, first worked on developing cutting-edge anti-inflammatory treatments for osteoarthritis using the body's proteins and healing factors. Once she discovered that she could apply the practice to aesthetics, she started injecting a mix of hyaluronic acid and Botox. However, she wanted to add an anti-aging booster to her beauty concoction, so she mixed it with healing factors to aid the body's anti-inflammatory processes.
After developing her platelet-rich plasma (PRP) facial, which she called the MCX treatment, a face cream then followed suit. The bespoke, plasma-based moisturizer helped to heal the skin. When Dr. Sturm's patients had such incredible success from the cream and asked for more skincare products, she knew she had to create an entire skincare system. In 2014, her anti-inflammatory skincare line, Molecular Cosmetics, was born to work on a cellular level. Each product in the curated collection focuses on a specific function to improve the skin while taking a 360-degree approach to skin regeneration and healing.
- Founder: Dr. Barbara Sturm
- Beauty Realm: Skin Care
Known for: Anti-Inflammation, Anti-Aging - Derm-Recommended: Yes
What is Anti-Inflammatory Skincare?
Anti-inflammatory skincare is just one piece of the anti-inflammation lifestyle puzzle. Treating the skin with ingredients that reduce inflammation helps replenish hydration and promote telomerase activity, allowing important cells to communicate more effectively with each other and reducing the inflammation associated with aging. Products that focus on reducing inflammation also help nourish, moisturize, and heal the skin, allowing it to function optimally and look its best.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Review
Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Acid
A good hyaluronic acid serum is a must-have for any skincare routine, and this award-winning one is clinically proven to help slow the rate of skin aging by delivering long-lasting hydration. Suitable for sensitive and dull skin, the formula activates three of the skin's youth factors—hyaluronic acid, elastin, and collagen —to improve overall hydration levels and achieve a more youthful-looking complexion. Plus, it helps to smooth away fine lines and wrinkles.
$325.00
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, purslane extract
The Texture: Serum
How to Apply: Apply a few drops of the serum to the face, eye area, and neck, then gently pat it in. Allow for complete absorption before applying a serum or face cream.
The Transformation: Skin transforms from dry and dull to optimally hydrated and soft, with enhanced elasticity and a subtle firmness.
Personal Review: "I love a good hyaluronic acid serum. Since my skin can be temperamental, bordering on being oily and acne-prone, this not-too-heavy but not-too-light hydrator is exactly what my skin needs. Every time I apply it to my skin, it seems to absorb it instantly. It's also perfect to wear year-round because it absorbs fast—a major plus when the weather is hot and sticky—yet it feels so light once fully absorbed. I also love that it doesn't pill or break down under makeup or when worn with other skincare ingredients. Hands down, this is one of my all-time favorite hyaluronic acid serums I've ever used."
Dr. Barbara Sturm Super Anti-Aging Serum
The perfect anti-aging cocktail, this ultra-hydrating serum is packed with a blend of antioxidants and irritation-reducing ingredients to help nourish all skin types while reducing the common signs of aging. Utilizing low and high molecular weights of hyaluronic acid, the formula helps improve the skin's health without irritation or sensitivities.
$380.00
Key Ingredients: Purslane extract, skullcap, hyaluronic acid, glutathione
The Texture: Serum
How to Apply: Place the serum in the palm of your hand and apply it to the face, eye area, and neck, gently patting it in.
The Transformation: Consistent use of this serum leads to skin that's more hydrated, firmer, and with fewer visible fine lines and wrinkles. It also enhances the skin's luminosity, making it appear fresh and radiant.
Personal Review: "As my skin ages, it often needs a big drink of water, and a good hydrating serum, like this one, is the only way to accomplish that. Not only does this non-sticky serum feel oh-so silky on the skin with the perfect amount of 'slip', it also helps to make bothersome lines and wrinkles less noticeable with each use. My skin also feels slightly tighter with each use. I love applying this serum to my skin first thing in the morning since it absorbs instantly and acts as the perfect makeup prep."
Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Cream
This beloved face cream helps keep the skin well-hydrated while increasing its firmness. While the fast-absorbing cream also creates an instant radiance and glow, it also features skin-calming ingredients to help reduce any redness and irritation in the skin. The more you use it, the healthier and refreshed the skin looks.
$240.00
Key Ingredients: Purslane extract, skullcap, vitamin E, panthenol, squalane, shea butter, corn oil, glycerine
The Texture: Lightweight cream
How to Apply: After cleansing the skin, gently apply the cream to the face, neck, décolleté, and around the eyes.
The Transformation: Skin becomes healthier looking and boasts a natural, refreshed appearance, while redness and irritation diminish and become a thing of the past
Personal Review: "The first time I ever tried this light cream was a few summers ago, and ever since then, it's been a staple in my skincare routine. Most creams clog my pores and break me out, but not this one. Besides being loaded with a handful of skin-friendly ingredients, it also leaves my skin with a noticeable radiance that even shows through makeup. But what I like best about this hydrating and firming face cream is that it gives my skin a dose of much-needed moisture without it looking or feeling greasy, shiny, or too heavy."
Dr. Barbara Sturm Cleanser
Every well-rounded skincare routine needs a good cleanser like this one. Perfect for removing makeup and impurities and prepping the skin for other steps in your routine, this skin-cleansing and calming foaming face wash never disrupts the skin's delicate pH balance or strips away natural oils. Instead, the cleanser soothes, hydrates, and rejuvenates the skin, leaving it with a super fresh, deep-down clean feeling.
$80.00
Key Ingredients: Purslane extract, urea, aloe vera, panthenol, mild tensides, vitamin E, glycerine
The Texture: Foam
How to Apply: Shake before each use. Pump a small amount of the foam into your hand and gently smooth it over your face using circular motions. Then rinse off thoroughly with lukewarm water.
The Transformation: After using the cleanser even just once, skin emerges calm and less irritated while moisturized and rejuvenated with nary a trace of dirt, oil, or makeup on the skin
Personal Review: "I've dealt with oily skin for most of my life, which is why a foaming cleanser like this one is what I tend to reach for. Not only does this super-refreshing cleanser cut through makeup, sunscreen, dirt, oil, and other impurities, but it also never leaves my skin feeling squeaky clean, which is a sign of stripped oil. Instead, it's left feeling perfectly balanced, soft, hydrated, and ready for the next step in my skincare routine."
Dr. Barbara Sturm Eye Cream
Send dark shadows, puffy under-eyes, and bags packing with this 3-in-1 eye cream that seemingly does it all. Packed with de-puffing ingredients such as yeast, purslane, and sugar beet, this moisture-retaining cream helps target all the most common under-eye issues for a more youthful contour that will make you look like you've been sleeping for days.
$150.00
Key Ingredients: Purslane extract, macadamia nut oil, roseroot, sugar beet, yeast, vitamin E, panthenol, glycerine
The Texture: Light cream
How to Apply: Apply the cream to the eyes in the morning and night. Gently pat it into the delicate skin around the eyes.
The Transformation: Routine use of this eye cream helps improve the appearance of aging eyes by reducing dark circles, under-eye bags, and general puffiness around the eyes, making the eyes appear more rested and youthful.
Personal Review: "The texture of this eye cream immediately drew me in, but it's how it seamlessly melts into my skin and never causes my undereye concealer to cake up or separate that has me going back to it repeatedly. It also works wonders to make any puffiness under my eyes flatten out and disguise dark shadows and circles, so it looks like I slept the whole night through."
Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Drops
Skin that boasts a healthy, bronzed glow always looks better, but we all know that the trade-off of spending time in the sun isn't worth the potential sun damage. That's where these skin-restoring and optimizing drops come into play. Perfect for revitalizing dull, tired skin, this lotion enhances skin tone, adding an instant shimmer and healthy radiance while providing moisture for a plumping effect.
Key Ingredients: Bistorta root extract, wild rose extract, hyaluronic acid, purslane extract, optical pigments, sweet almond oil, glycerine, panthenol
The Texture: Light lotion
How to Apply: Place a pipette length of product into the palm of your hand and apply it gently over the face, eyes, and neck, patting it in. Apply after moisturizer for a lit-from-within glow, over makeup, or combine the drops with your preferred skincare product.
The Transformation: The skin transformation is subtle, but it's there. Expect a boost in radiance, skin that looks more "alive," thanks to tinted pigments that give a slight wash of healthy color to the skin, and a smoothing and softening effect, too.
Personal Review: "I love the idea of a skincare product that gives a hint of tint yet ups my skin's glow factor. I'd heard about these drops from friends but never had the opportunity to use them—until now. Not only does the silky serum glide onto my skin, but it also makes it feel instantly soft, almost like a blanket of comfort is sitting on top of it. But truth be told, it's a handful of ingredients that are doing the heavy lifting, making my skin look like it just woke up from a six-hour nap. After using these drops just once (and then again and again for days on end), my skin emerged healthier-looking and refreshed. And the amount of compliments I got on it blew me away!"
Dr. Barbara Sturm FAQs
Do dermatologists recommend Dr. Barbara Sturm?
Dr. Barbara Sturm's skincare products are a favorite amongst dermatologists for several reasons. Not only are the products doctor-developed, but they are also particularly beneficial for sensitive skin due to the high amount and variety of anti-inflammatory ingredients used in the formulas. While some of Dr. Barbara Sturm's products may be a bit pricier, they are also free from acids, which can be detrimental to specific skin types.
How does Dr. Barbara Sturm slow aging?
Thanks to powerful, high-performance ingredients and cutting-edge formulas, Dr. Barbara Sturm skincare products help slow the aging process by reducing inflammation levels within the skin. Less inflammation means tighter, firmer, smoother, and more even-looking skin. The formulas in the collection work together to deliver a comprehensive skin regimen for a younger-looking complexion that's also healthier.
Should you use retinol with Dr. Barbara Sturm?
Unlike many skincare brands that promote the use of retinol and vitamin A-derived ingredients, Dr. Barbara Sturm advises against it due to the ingredients' ability to incite inflammation and disrupt the skin barrier. Instead, Dr. Sturm recommends using soothing and healing skincare ingredients, such as antioxidants and antibacterials, that help heal the skin without stripping away its surface layers.
Is Dr. Barbara Sturm safe for acne-prone and sensitive skin?
Acne-prone and sensitive skin types can safely use the Dr. Barbara Sturm skincare collection. All the products are designed with sensitive skin in mind and are gentle enough to be tolerated by even the most sensitive skin types. The products are void of aggressive ingredients that can cause inflammation and irritated skin. However, it's always best to patch test any new skincare products or ingredients before using them on your face or body.
Is Dr. Barbara Sturm worth it?
Dr. Barbara Sturm's products are luxurious and effective, thanks to their efficacious ingredients and well-developed formulas. Many fans of the products justify the high price tag by citing the quality of the ingredients, the results, and the luxurious feel.
The Bottom Line
If you're looking to upgrade your skincare routine while reducing sensitivity, irritation, or redness, then Dr. Barbara Sturm may be the perfect addition to your daily skincare routine. Packed with proven ingredients and luxurious formulas, each of the brand's best-sellers delivers a sensorial experience for results that are like no other: visible and tangible.
Elise Minton Tabin is an award-winning beauty journalist, editor, and beauty expert with more than 16 years of experience. She previously held the title of Executive Beauty Editor at NewBeauty magazine, where she reported on beauty, plastic surgery, anti-aging, health and wellness. She was also instrumental in the launch of the beauty supplement brand Hush & Hush. A self-professed beauty junkie and retinol and sunscreen pusher, Elise knows what’s new, what works and who’s the best to go for every procedure under the sun. Follow Elise on Facebook, Instagram, and on her beauty blog, elisetabin.com
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