“I would never use acids or retinoids”
And other ballsy mantras by the doctor disrupting skincare
Meet Dr Barbara Sturm, the orthopaedic doctor-turned-skincare guru with a cult following. Seventeen years ago, she began experimenting with the regenerative benefits of platelet-rich plasma, and her fascination with anti-ageing was born. Lucky us, because today Sturm spends her time mixing bespoke blood face cream (called MC1, it costs around $1,800... plus a trip to her practice in Düsseldorf) and formulating (more obtainable) products focused on skin healing --- particularly from inflammation. “It’s the foundation for all skin conditions: acne, eczema, rosacea...” she says. “My products contain ingredients to soothe, repair and hydrate.” In fact, you could say Sturm is just a little passionate about ingredients… among other things.
FRAGRANCE AND MINERAL OIL SHOULD NOT BE IN SKINCARE.
They irritate your skin. I hate them. I use as few ingredients as possible.
I DON’T BELIEVE IN LASERS – AT ALL.
Gentle light therapy is fine, but why would you burn the skin? If something hurts, it’s the body’s way of telling you to stop.
ACIDS AND RETINOIDS ACCELERATE THE AGEING PROCESS. PERIOD.
I would never use them, particularly in a climate like Australia. For exfoliation, I recommend a gentle scrub or my mask, which won’t compromise the integrity of healthy skin cells like acids do.
QUESTION EVERYTHING.
You can’t just buy into any claim on a jar. I want proof. I want science. I want studies. That’s the basis for each of my products.