The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?

The best Dr Barbara Sturm skincare products that are worth your money, from glow drops to serums

This is the luxury beauty brand A-listers love

Lauren Cunningham
Tuesday 31 January 2023 11:52 GMT
Choose from SPF, serums, cleansers and more
Choose from SPF, serums, cleansers and more (The Independent)
Our Top Picks

Dr Barbara Sturm will likely need no introduction to any beauty buff. After all, the aesthetic doctor is behind the glowing skin of many of our favourite famous faces – Kim Kardashian, Victoria Beckham, Oprah and Irina Shayk, to name but a few – as well as being the inventor of Hollywood’s favourite vampire facial.

Even if you’re not familiar with the A-list aesthetician, you may have spotted her on your TV screens this week, as Dr Barbara Sturm took to the stage on This Morning to share her skincare secrets. Talking all things anti-ageing, celebrity clients and her best-performing products, the in-demand doctor took her turn in the limelight to break down some beauty myths.

“Skincare should be driven by science – it’s an organ, and we need to pay attention to the functions and the strengthening of the skin barrier. So, we need to look out for ingredient science,” she shared. And the key cause of ageing? Inflammation.

Luckily, the doctor is actually an inflammation expert and has dedicated much of her practice to her anti-inflammatory philosophy. However, if you can’t get to one of her salons – or spend a small fortune on a treatment – she does have a range of potent products that work absolute wonders, and we’ve rounded up our favourites below.

Sticking to just three steps as the secret to skincare – cleansing, applying serums and sealing in with a moisturiser – it couldn’t be simpler to follow. And remember, as Dr Barbara Sturm said: “Serums are the power tools of our skincare routine, because they’re very highly concentrated targeted power tools, which shoot active ingredients deep and fast into our skin.” So be sure to put them as your priority, and take a peek at our favourite picks.

How we tested:

Swapping our standard skincare routine for a whole host of Dr. Barbara Sturm products, our beauty editor felt like a celebrity. Starting each day with the cleanser, followed by a selection of serums, and sealing it all in with a face cream, she was treated to a skincare routine many only dream of. After three weeks of skin pampering, these are our favourite products, all available to buy – even if you only opt for one.

The best Dr Barbara Sturm products for 2023 are:

  • Best cleanser – Dr. Barbara Sturm cleanser: £50, Drsturm.com
  • Best hyaluronic acid serum – Dr. Barbara Sturm hyaluronic serum: £250, Drsturm.com
  • Best moisturiser – Dr. Barbara Sturm face cream: £140, Drsturm.com
  • Best exfoliator – Dr. Barbara Sturm enzyme cleanser: £55, Cultbeauty.co.uk
  • Best SPF – Dr. Barbara Sturm sun drops: £115, Drsturm.com
  • Best for glow – Dr. Barbara Sturm glow drops: £115, Drsturm.com
  • Best niacinamide serum – Dr. Barbara Sturm the better B niacinamide serum: £110, Drsturm.com
  • Best vitamin C serum – Dr. Barbara Sturm the good C vitamin C serum: £110, Drsturm.com
  • Best face mist – Dr. Barbara Sturm hyaluronic face mist: £75, Drsturm.com
  • Best face mask – Dr. Barbara Sturm face mask: £95, Drsturm.com

Dr. Barbara Sturm cleanser

Dr. Barbara Sturm cleanser.png
  • Best: Cleanser
  • Type: Cleanser
  • Size: 150ml
  • Application: Use on damp skin morning and evening

Dr Barbara Sturm sticks by the idea that you only need three statement skincare products, and the first is, of course, a cleanser.

This gentle, foaming cleanser is soft and silky-feeling, cleaning the face of make-up, dust and dirt without stripping it of any oils or moisture. So, if you’re used to a dry or tight-feeling face after using your current cleanser, this is well worth a look.

Two of the key ingredients include purslane and aloe vera, which work to moisturise and repair the skin barrier, yet give the gentlest clean our tester has ever experienced.

  1. £50 from Drsturm.com
Prices may vary
Back to top

Dr. Barbara Sturm hyaluronic serum

Dr. Barbara Sturm hyaluronic serum.png
  • Best: Hyaluronic acid serum
  • Type: Serum
  • Size: 30ml
  • Apply: After cleansing, apply to face, eye area and neck

Hyaluronic acid has long been heralded as a skincare staple for hydrating the face and locking in much-needed moisture, and our tester fell in love with this lightweight serum.

A cocktail of low and high molecularly weighted hyaluronic acid has been included to deeply penetrate the skin layers for long-lasting moisture, which our tester certainly could feel. And a little goes a really long way, as just three drops were enough to glide over her entire face.

However, there are other, much cheaper hyaluronic acid products on the market, so if you’re saving up for just one product, we would suggest your pennies would be better spent on one of the other fabulous finds in this list.

  1. £250 from Drsturm.com
Prices may vary
Back to top

Dr. Barbara Sturm face cream

Dr. Barbara Sturm face cream.png
  • Best: Face cream
  • Type: Cream
  • Size: 50ml
  • Apply: After cleansing and applying serums

As far as face creams go, this one is rather fabulous. Statement ingredients such as skullcap and purslane are the core anti-inflammatory agents, reducing signs of irritation while soothing the skin with a soft, creamy formula.

And the part our tester loved the most was how fast it absorbed into the skin, leaving a supple, smooth feeling all day and night.

  1. £140 from Drsturm.com
Prices may vary
Back to top

Dr. Barbara Sturm enzyme cleanser

Dr. Barbara Sturm enzyme cleanser.png
  • Best: Exfoliator
  • Type: Exfoliator
  • Size: 75g
  • Apply: To skin two to three times a week

Looking more like talcum powder than a classic enzyme exfoliator, this cleanser takes a little bit of getting used to. Inside the bottle is a white-coloured powder rather than a foamy, fluffy liquid.

To use, simply mix a little pinch of the powder with water in the palm of your hand and watch it start to softly foam.

Designed to be used only two to three times a week, it gently lifts dead skin cells for a fresh-faced glow and preps the skin perfectly for absorbing serums.

Back to top

Dr. Barbara Sturm glow drops

Dr. Barbara Sturm glow drops.png
  • Best: For glow
  • Type: Serum
  • Size: 30ml
  • Apply: After moisturising, apply to the face, eye area and neck

While we can’t quite call this a fake tan, it does deliver slightly similar effects, minus any fear of looking like you’ve had a faux glow.

Wild root extract reduces the appearance of pores; polygonum bistorta root evens out skin tone, and purslane acts as that anti-flammatory agent again.

After a few weeks of use, our tester noticed a gorgeous glow as dull-looking skin started to disappear, leaving skin feeling more hydrated too. We’re adding this to our list of must-haves, especially as a little goes a very long way.

  1. £115 from Drsturm.com
Prices may vary
Back to top

Dr. Barbara Sturm the better B niacinamide serum

Dr. Barbara Sturm the better B niacinamide serum.png
  • Best: Niacinamide serum
  • Type: Serum
  • Size: 30ml
  • Apply: In the morning and evening to the face, neck and décolleté, in gentle tapping motions

Niacinamide is needed to improve skin tone and texture, reducing the appearance of pores, hyperpigmentation and premature skin ageing. This formula uses marine plankton extract to strengthen the skin barrier, panthenol to hydrate and sunflower oil to soothe, which can immediately be felt in the silky smooth formula.

That said, not everyone will need this product, as it’s best for those with rough, uneven skin types with sunken pores and coarse texture. So, if that doesn’t sound like you, then best to keep scrolling.

  1. £110 from Drsturm.com
Prices may vary
Back to top

Dr. Barbara Sturm the good C vitamin C serum

Dr. Barbara Sturm the good C vitamin C serum.png
  • Best: Vitamin C
  • Type: Serum
  • Size: 30ml
  • Apply: To the face and neck after cleansing and before vitamin C

A vitamin C serum is one of the best staple skincare products you can buy, and investing in a good one will make a world of difference to your complexion.

Going above and beyond your everyday vitamin C, this formula also includes zinc to allow it to better absorb into the skin. It also contains olive leaf extract to soothe, and hyaluronic acid to hydrate, along with a long list of other potent products.

The silky-smooth formula instantly glides onto the skin and delivers a bright, fresh-faced glow with regular use.

  1. £110 from Drsturm.com
Prices may vary
Back to top

Dr. Barbara Sturm hyaluronic face mist

Dr. Barbara Sturm hydrating face mist.png
  • Best: Face mist
  • Type: Face mist
  • Size: 50ml
  • Apply: To face throughout the day – hold arm's length away

A face mist is a rather fancy additional product, rather than an absolute necessity. But if you’re someone who suffers with dry skin, it can be a quick fix to freshen up your face with a boost of hydration without hindering your make-up.

All of the brand’s favourite ingredients are included – such as hyaluronic acid, purslane and aloe vera – for a soothing hydration hit that soaks in within seconds.

  1. £75 from Drsturm.com
Prices may vary
Back to top

Dr. Barbara Sturm face mask

Dr. Barbara Sturm face mask.png
  • Best: Face mask
  • Type: Mask
  • Size: 50ml
  • Apply: To face two to three times a week for 10-15 minutes

Coming with a tiny application brush, this face mask is incredibly cute. Designed to tackle dry, dull-looking skin, the thick, creamy formula is a fail-safe option for adding much-needed moisture, and shows results in as little as 10 minutes.

Simply sweep on the product, let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then wipe away with lukewarm water for a soothing formula that feels more like a spa treatment.

  1. £95 from Drsturm.com
Prices may vary
Back to top

The verdict: Dr Barbara Sturm

While we’d happily continue using only Dr Barbara Sturm cosmetics in our skincare routine, they are out of the everyday price point for most of us. So, although every product impressed, if we had to narrow it down to just two, the Dr Barbara Sturm sun drops (£115, Drsturm.com) and Dr Barbara Sturm glow drops (£115, Drsturm.com) would be our go-to options, due to their wonderful formula and unique results.

Looking for more purse-friendly products? Take a peek at what we love from La Roche-Posay

Voucher Codes

TUI Discount Code
£100 off all bookings over £1000 - TUI discount code
ASOS Discount Code
20% off everything with this ASOS app discount code
Travelodge Discount Code
5% off all bookings with this Travelodge discount code
The Body Shop Discount Code
20% off everything with The Body Shop discount code
The Perfume Shop Discount Code
15% of all orders with The Perfume Shop birthday discount
Cult Beauty Discount Code
Up to 20% off all orders over £40 - Cult Beauty discount code

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in