Your Best Skin Ever: Dr. Barbara Sturm, the Force Behind All Your Favorite Models’ Skin, Doesn’t Think Beauty Should Be Pain
It’s the end of summer and reality sets in. The harsh fluorescent office lights replace the glorious sun and the implications become apparent. You notice the tan you returned from vacation with decided to bring along a pack of moles, freckles, and dry skin that’s crept up on your hands while you type away at your desk. Alas, sun damage is an inescapable part of life we must learn to live with. For many women, no matter how often you re-apply sunscreen, wear your hat and soak yourself in moisturizer, the sun gets you. This begs the quandary women all over the world are faced with: how do we repair our skin post-summer? Here, the most respected celebrity skin experts across America to weigh in.
In the current world of skincare, it’s hard not to know the name Dr. Barbara Sturm. Originally garnering attention for her “Vampire Facials,” her eponymous line of products are favorites among fashion notables Gigi Hadid, Hailey Bieber, Shanina Shaik, and Emily Ratajkowski. Aside from her cult celebrity following, Sturm has a solid background in chemistry and science that has lended itself generously to the success of her medical practice and products. Hers is a simple yet scientifically proven approach to skincare: hydration, nutrition, and regeneration on a molecular level that gets skin to use its own proteins to regenerate. Here, Sturm talks about about the rituals, regimens and maintenance required to keep our skin at it’s healthiest.
What is a great regimen one can follow that will ensure the best skin now, and even ten years from now?
Using a dry brush and a nourishing moisturizer are two easy steps to keeping your skin healthy and glowing all over. Before showering, I use a body brush, which removes cellulite but also boosts your metabolism, blood circulation, and lymph flow to remove toxins from the body. It is an essential part of my own skincare regimen. I follow that with my Enzyme Cleanser in the shower. It leaves my skin so smooth and boosts skin function which helps slow down the aging process. A good moisturizer is the final step. My Anti-Aging Body Cream contains extracts of White Almond and Elderberry Blossom and other potent active compounds that restore elasticity. Before I developed my Anti-Aging Body Cream, I actually used my face cream for my body.
Do you believe in body scrubs?
Body scrubs are an essential way to slough away dead skin and impurities, reduce ingrown hairs, and reveal brighter, smoother skin. They should be used no more than 2-3 times a week. My Facial Scrub is lovely to use on the neck, back and chest, and everyone in my family also uses my Enzyme Cleanser as an all over body scrub. Both products are also especially good for removing sunscreen.
What do you recommend before or after sun exposure?
Before sun exposure, I recommend a true broad spectrum SPF 50, like my Sun Drops, on any skin that will be exposed. After sun exposure, hydration is the most important. My Anti-Aging Body Cream is a nourishing blend of nutrient-rich oils paired with potent anti-aging compounds that diminish signs of aging and restore elasticity for visibly firmer, rejuvenated skin. I use pure glacier water, while grape seed oil intensely moisturizes and softens parched skin. Extracts of white almond and elder berry blossom fortify the skin matrix to promote a more youthful appearance and give the skin a healthy glow.
What is the best nighttime ritual?
One of the most important parts of regeneration, for your health, your skin, and your overall well-being, is sleep! A good night’s sleep is essential for overall mental and physical health, but it isn’t always easy to achieve. I recommend my Sleep Food as an easy and effective nightly ritual. Personally, I take my Sleep Food before bed to help, especially after a very busy or stressful day. It is a blend of natural active ingredients that relax the body and mind and helps me fall asleep sooner and deeper. It is important to support the key elements needed for the production of the brain neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and GABA. I can really feel the effects and it’s the one thing that I can count on to feel regenerated. Are there any supplements you think actually help maintain good skin from within?
I noticed when I started using my Skin Food supplements that my skin became much better after six weeks. Now I am obsessed with taking Skin Food religiously. It contains molecules the body needs to build up its hyaluronic reservoirs as well as Purslane, Skullcap, Kudzu and other important ingredients we need in order to stay healthy. If they are not my own, I am generally very careful with supplements as it is easy to overdose on certain substances which are not good for your body if taken in a too high concentration or to mix the wrong ones.
Are there any skin myths or misconceptions out there that you feel you need to remind readers not to do?
The goal with skincare is to soothe and reduce inflammation, not cause it. Skincare should never cause any discomfort. The idea that you should “feel the burn” to get results is a dangerous myth in the beauty and skincare community. If your skin feels comfortable, hydrated, and isn’t experiencing irritation, redness, or dysfunction, that is the sign that your products are effective. Ingredients like low molecular weight hyaluronic acid, for example, can penetrate deeply and painlessly with tremendous effect.
