Hailey Bieber and Serena Williams’ skincare guru has arrived on the West Coast
Words by KELLY ATTERTON
DR. BARBARA STURM in Los Angeles.
“It’s been my dream to deliver the #SturmGlow to Los Angeles,” shares Dr. Barbara Sturm, the German-born aesthetics doctor who is now a part-time resident. “L.A. is the most advanced beauty and wellness city in the world.” The new West Hollywood boutique and spa — a 1,900-square-foot space designed by Sturm’s brother, architect Tobias Freytag — reflects the cult brand’s minimalist aesthetic, replete with smooth concrete tables, a mirrored ceiling, floating light fixtures and floor-to-ceiling windows. The spa is the brand’s largest location to date (the other outposts are in Düsseldorf, New York and London), featuring three treatment rooms, two express facial rooms, two infrared anti-inflammatory saunas and a showroom with a “discovery table,” where clients can learn more about Sturm’s proprietary Molecular Cosmetics skincare, and her approach to soothing, healing and nurturing skin, as well as the benefits of an anti-inflammatory lifestyle. We caught up with Dr. Sturm — whose celebrity clients include Hailey Bieber, Cher and Serena Williams — to get her take on the ultimate wellness lifestyle choices.
The new DR. BARBARA STURM L.A. Boutique & Spa.
An edit of her products are also available in store and online at Studio C, C Magazine’s California concept store.
You’ve long been a proponent of inner/outer beauty with your product line. Can you tell us a bit about your unique approach to wellness?
My entire career has been devoted to anti-inflammatory medicine. Inflammation is the root cause of much of the body’s and the skin’s dysfunction and disease. Inflammatory influences are everywhere! We need to reduce these influences both externally and internally. So it is not just about putting a cream on; there’s a holistic approach to reducing inflammation and achieving wellness.
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness is something you can feel. Achieving it requires shifting mindfully to an anti-inflammatory lifestyle. We are bombarded daily with inflammatory influences, from harsh skincare ingredients, to UVA and UVB rays, stress, tailpipe emissions, forest fire pollution, HEV rays from our electronic devices, smoking, drinking and sugar. Once we understand what the inflammatory and anti-inflammatory influences are, we can avoid the bad and seek the good.
If you were to prescribe a regiment for capturing that “forever young California glow,” what would you recommend?
My Instant Glow Facial is amazing. It incorporates cleansing, exfoliating, extraction, lymphatic drainage and firming massage to deliver hydration, boost skin barrier function and soothe signs of irritation, leaving your skin with our signature #SturmGlow.
DR. BARBARA STURM Summer Essentials Kit, $185, available through Studio C.
Wellness is part of the cultural fabric of California, and one of its greatest exports
Dr. barbara sturm
Can it be done using your products at home?
You can replicate an express version of it. Simply cleanse with the Cleanser, exfoliate with the Enzyme Cleanser, put the Face Mask on, and leave it for 15 minutes. Then either gently remove the residue with a warm washcloth, or rub off without water. This will generate a super hydrating glow. Then apply the Hyaluronic Serum, Face Cream, and finish with the Glow Drops. Your skin is left looking healthy, fresh and radiant.
DR. BARBARA STURM Glow Drops, $145, available through Studio C.
You see many clients in California. What do you think they get right in terms of wellness?
Wellness is part of the cultural fabric of California, and one of its greatest exports. Californians are wellness “early adopters,” the most open people in the world to new approaches to wellness.
The new West Hollywood outpost — DR. BARBARA STURM’s biggest flagship location worldwide — offers one-on-one private appointments.
Where do you see the wellness industry heading over the next few years?
The demand is skyrocketing as education grows, and people realize wellness can be had with a little mindfulness and less effort than they thought.
The Instant Glow Facial and other treatments are available at the new L.A. spa at 515 N. Almont Dr., West Hollywood, 310-734-4080.
Feature image: The facade of the new DR. BARBARA STURM Los Angeles Boutique & Spa.
April 22, 2021
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