How to Get Glowing Skin from the Doctor Who Perfected It

If we had a magic beauty wand, we would wave a glow on to our skin every morning. We’re talking about that glowing, dewy zing that happens to the face, and especially the cheeks, when we’re happy and healthy…it’s the embodiment of joy and youth. It’s why we pinch our cheeks and dutifully apply vitamin C serum and dab on highlighter and all of that.

Sadly, we don’t have a magic beauty wand, but we do have German aesthetic doctor, Barbara Sturm, which is the closest thing. Sturm is so well-known for giving her clients radiant skin that the hashtag #sturmglow is an actual thing. The good news is that it’s easy and basically comes down to hydrating the skin, treating inflammation, and protecting it from damage. The bad news is, well, there is none.

 

Q: So tell us: What are your hacks for really glowing, radiant skin?

Against popular opinion, great, glowing skin is not only achieved through just topical treatment. It also has to be formulated from within. It’s about treating and preventing inflammation by getting enough sleep, having an anti-inflammatory diet, reducing stress, avoiding smoking, moderating alcohol, and protecting against sun exposure, pollution, and HEV rays. It is not a difficult lifestyle to lead; it simply requires a little education and mindfulness. My skincare philosophy has always been focused on combatting inflammation, boosting hydration, and strengthening the skin barrier function to optimize skin performance. 

Q: Do you have a cheat sheet? A list of dos and don’ts for glowing skin?

Glowing, beautiful skin is healthy skin. With that said, I always advise my clients to do the following:

1. Protect and boost your skin barrier function.
2. Provide your skin with essential nutrition.
3. Drench the skin with hydration by drinking water and investing in topical products that work.
4. Combat inflammation by educating yourself on what ingredients work and are being absorbed into the skin.

 

And lastly, I ask my clients not to use aggressive skincare, acid peels, or lasers. They inflame and prematurely age your skin. Heal and protect your skin and it will glow and protect you back.

Q: Can you get a quick glow overnight?

Let’s just say, it’s not impossible. If you want a natural glow overnight, then first ensure you have prepped your skin with a hydrating replenishment. Why? Simply because the most fundamental cause of skin that lacks a natural glow is dehydration. Moisture and replenish everyday. Listen to your skin and its needs.

Next, is to follow my prescription for transforming skin while you sleep. It is a simple, quick, skincare ritual: exfoliate with my Facial Scrub, use my Face Mask to heal and restore glow, followed by my Night Serum, which boosts the skin’s nightly renewal process and finish with my Face Cream. Your skin will look refreshed, healthy, and glowing when you wake up.

 

What are 5 glowing skin hacks that you can share with our readers?

My signature #STURMGLOW is achieved through the Instant Glow Facial that was developed in my clinic in Düsseldorf. However, you can also replicate an express version of this at home! 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 already 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.

For the body, spend a few minutes using a body brush on your arms and legs 2 to 3 times a week to boost your metabolism, blood circulation, and lymphatic flow. Follow that in the shower with a scrub. An anti-aging body cream is the final step that will seal in moisture for your body.

Gentle lymphatic drainage is incredible for waking up the skin and has a de-puffing, glowing effect. Very gently, using a serum or moisturizer, use the heels of both hands to lightly massage your way from the top of the forehead down to the eyebrows in an upwards motion, then down to the temples, jawline, and sides of the neck. Then, beginning just above the collarbone, massage the skin in slow, gentle circles for about a minute. Move up toward your ears, massaging each inch or two for 20 seconds. You will see less sallowness in your skin and general skin health.

My Glow Drops are a healthy makeup alternative; a skin-perfecting serum containing a blend of botanical extracts that transform tired, dull skin into glowing skin. It also contains light-reflecting mineral pigments that instantly create a visible, youthful radiance and even out any irregularities in the complexion. You can use it after moisturizer for a lit-from-within glow, over makeup, or combine Glow Drops with your preferred skincare product.

Diet is a key factor in controlling inflammation and promoting overall skin health. Avoid inflammatory substances, like alcohol, sugar, flour, salt, processed, or fried foods. Instead, eat lots of anti-inflammatory foods—cherries, blueberries, blackberries, green leafy vegetables, beans, seeds, nuts, olive oil, and tomatoes as well as foods that are rich in glutathione, a potent antioxidant—asparagus, peppers, carrots, broccoli, avocados, squash, and spinach.

 

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Dr. Barbara Sturm is a German aesthetics doctor, widely known for her anti-inflammatory philosophy, and her non-surgical anti-aging skin treatments. Dr. Sturm launched a full skincare range in 2014 called the Dr. Barbara Sturm Molecular Cosmetics line that provides hydration, nutrition, and regeneration glow. She will be opening her third global outpost in Los Angeles in late October followed by her Zero Bond Boutique & Spa in New York, and clinic in Düsseldorf, Germany. You can find out more about her line at www.drsturm.com.

 

Cover image courtesy of Pinterest