Is The Sturm Glow Real?!

If you’ve been anywhere near the same accounts I personally like to follow on Instagram, you’ve probably come across the famous #SturmGLOW. A what glow? I am a sucker for all things glowing, hydrating or dewy-looking, since my skin has always been the exact opposite: dry. That being said, a lot of girls (read: a perceived 99%) who’s faces I love seeing on Instagram and who’s skin looks like pure perfection – at least as far as I can tell through the screen of my iPhone – seem to swear by Dr. Barbara Sturm. It is a name and beauty brand, that I have seen pop up more than anything else this past year. However, if you have ever googled it, you’ve probably come across the staggering price-tag as well. It took a bit of convincing (read: seeing it over and over again on the ‘Gram) before I finally I hit “purchase” on my first ever order of Dr. Barbara Sturm skincare products a little over 5 weeks ago. Depending on what your skin needs (or you think it needs), an order of that sort will quickly set you back a couple hundred Dollars, Euro, Pounds or whatever currency you work with.

The order arrived promptly within 24 hours (shoutout to Net-A-Porter’s next day delivery) and I started using the products right away in excitement for that #SturmGLOW to appear… On Instagram Stories, I did a little unpacking and promised a full Dr. Barbara Sturm review after 4 weeks of testing. This is it!

full Dr. Barbara Sturm skincare review: Molecular Cosmetics

• basic facts about my skin: Eczema, hence always on the dry side. No bad breakouts, no acne. Sensitive and prone to redness (due to the sensitivity/eczema). Stopped using the pill 6 months ago (no babies in planning though) and tend to flare up when I have too much dairy (also very typical for eczema). Overall, I am blessed with pretty good skin, no hormonal acne or severe problems.
• about the brand: “Inspired by her daily work Dr. Sturm has formulated Molecular Cosmetics for those who have always wanted an uncomplicated yet highly effective skincare regime that hydrates, protects and regenerates the skin. The line is a synergy of unique and innovative active ingredients combined with potent natural extracts. The skincare line deploys the anti-aging ingredient Purslane, also called the “fountain of youth drug”. Purslane activates the immortality enzyme telomerase in our cells and delivers anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects to the skin. The best from aesthetic medicine and nature, made in Germany.”
• what Dr. Barbara Sturm skincare products did I order? The Calming Serum & Face Cream Rich were my first order (with Net-A-Porter Beauty). I then quickly realized, that this was not enough moisture for my skin and decided to make use of a 15% discount code with Niche Beauty to add the Hyaluronic Serum to the list. This serum is amongst the priciest (if not THE priciest) of the Dr. Barbara Sturm skincare range and set me back a casual 259€ for 50ml. Included in the order (due to a special offer & the discount code) was a original-sized Facial Scrub, which I have only used twice so far since I always cleanse with micellar water. In total, I spent just short of 600€ for 3 products (but received a 4th for free).
• the packaging: As you can tell from the images, the packaging is very “clean”. Which I 100% love. It feels very luxe and looks minimalistic modern with a medical touch – also something I like.
• the scent: Obviously no product is ever 100% scentless, but with the Dr. Barbara Sturm skincare products, it seems impossible to talk about a detectable scent. Hence I would consider them scentless and definitely agree with the brands claim “Free from synthetic fragrances, parabens and mineral oils”. Also something I really appreciate!
• texture & feel: all of the products I tried (even the face scrub) felt really, really good on my skin. The textures are nice (soft, not too heavy – even for the face cream rich) and I felt like my skin took in the products well.
• the routine: I once read somewhere that you always start with the clear serums, then go with the milky ones and finish with your moisturizer of choice. This is exactly the way I used the products for my morning and nighttime routine for the past 4-5 weeks. I used nothing but the Dr. Barbara Sturm products, except for 3 occasions where I used masks from other brands (1 clay, 2 hydrating). I cleaned my skin with my go-to micellar water (currently: Caudalie) and then used the Hyaluronic Serum, followed by the Calming Serum and then the Face Cream Rich – allowing 2-3 minutes between each step in order for my skin to absorb the products.
• did the famous #SturmGLOW appear? To keep things short: not really.
• the results: I am not sure if it was bad karma, pure coincidence or the actual products, but within the first two weeks of switching my routine I got 2 of the biggest pimples I have ever had in my life. The really deep kind, where literally the entire forehead hurts. It actually looked like I had hit my head on a door… All drama aside though, I don’t have any proof or knowledge of how this could be related to the products.
  Overall, I think the products are definitely not bad. They are nice. But far from life-changing for me personally. Especially in comparison to other products (specifically serums) that I love. For example, I feel that both the Bobbi Brown remedies (48€) and the Dior Capture Youth serums (80-90€) work better for my skin – and happen to cost a lot less.
  Even though I used the “Face Cream Rich”, I don’t feel like it was enough for my skin, hence the two additional hydrating masks. And this is during Summer time… during Winter my skin gets even more dry. I prefer the Charlotte Tilbury Miracle Cream (78€).
  The Calming Serum felt great on my skin and I loved the consistency, however, I feel like a bottle wouldn’t last longer than 6 weeks for me (as you can tell from the almost empty bottle) and didn’t do much for my skin. At least not within the 5-week testing period of this Dr. Barbara Sturm review.
  The product I ended up liking the best was the Hyaluronic Serum. I love all things hyaluronic. All the love aside though, I don’t think I will spend another 259€ on a serum any time soon.
• the conclusion: I love the branding and packaging. I love that the products are made in Germany. And while I can’t say anything negative about the products in particular (aside from the huge pimples, who’s true origin nobody knows) I am not 100% convinced for the price-tag. With less then 200€ (which is still a ton of money!), I can achieve the same – if not better – results and skin. After I finish the rest of my Dr. Barbara Sturm skincare products, I will go back to the Bobbi Brown remedies in No. 80 + 86 (48€ each) and the Charlotte Tilbury miracle cream (78€)

Have you ever tried Dr. Barbara Sturm skincare products? If so, what are your thoughts? Which are your favorite products? I’d love to know, simply leave a comment below!