Ten years ago Dr. Barbara Sturm released the most fundamental creation in her skincare line: the Hyaluronic Serum. Since its launch, the product has gone on to achieve icon status among those who care about skincare, thanks to its exceptional hydration and anti-ageing benefits. Its key ingredient is hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring molecule in the body that’s known for its capacity to retain large amounts of moisture. Because of its ability to improve skin hydration and elasticity, hyaluronic acid is practically ubiquitous in skincare. However, Dr. Barbara Sturm’s take on the ingredient is unique.
Before Dr. Sturm was a skincare mogul, she was an orthopaedist in Düsseldorf working with star athletes, such as Kobe Bryant, after they sustained potentially career-damaging injuries. The key to her success was a signature treatment that used proteins from patients’ own blood to reverse degeneration of the injured area, effectively triggering the body to supercharge its repair process. Fast-forward a few years, and Sturm realised she could apply this same rapid repair technology to reverse ageing on the face through treatments – hence the now-famous ‘vampire facial’ and her widely successful skincare line.
For Dr. Sturm, great skin comes from protecting at a cellular level what skin already has, and rebuilding what it has lost. Hydration is a key element of that protection and repair process, and it is for this reason she considers her ultra-hydrating Hyaluronic Serum the ‘white T-shirt’ of any skincare routine.
The significance of the serum is the result of three key factors. The first is its use of long-chain hyaluronic molecules, which stabilise the skin’s protective barrier and hydrate the skin’s surface to plump fine lines and wrinkles. Then there’s the use of small- and medium-chain hyaluronic molecules, which hydrate deeper into the skin to optimise collagen and elastin for a firmer skin feel and appearance. Finally, there is the biofermented purslane, an anti-ageing superstar that boosts the skin’s antioxidant supply. According to a Harvard University study it not only slows the ageing process, but can reverse it too.
Not many products deserve a celebration for their tenth anniversary, but Sturm’s serum is an exception. As well as giving skin a notably dewier appearance after only a few uses, it also turns back the clock on skin damage, creating skin that looks both healthy and youthful.
When it comes to applying the serum, Sturm recommends applying a few drops to your face, eye area and neck before gently patting in, and then following with a face cream. The serum is also available in a Darker Skin Tones variation for melanin-rich skin.
