Puig pushes further into luxury skin care market with majority stake in Dr. Barbara Sturm

15 Jan 2024 --- Beauty conglomerate Puig takes a majority stake in Dr. Barbara Sturm, a German molecular cosmetics brand founded by Sturm in 2014 with products ranging from skin, body and hair care to supplements.

Founder Dr. Sturm will retain a minority stake and stay on board as chief product officer and brand ambassador. 

The Barcelona-based company says the acquisition “reinforces Puig’s competitive position in the premium skin care segment by welcoming a globally recognized luxury cult brand developed through its digital channels and worldwide spa and boutiques network.”

Focus on science-based brands
With doctor-led skin care brands rising, Puig believes the Sturm brand’s “science-focused skin care product range and high-performance treatments” will reinforce Puig’s presence in the key US market.

Puig CEO Marc Puig says, “Dr. Barbara Sturm was conceived to deliver exceptional, science-based, and effective skin care treatments to our patients. Partnering with Puig means a union of shared values, including curiosity, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a strong commitment to innovation, product, and excellence.”

According to Puig, Dr. Sturm is well-known for her work as an “aesthetics expert and anti-inflammatory pioneer” with a background in orthopedic research. 

She studied medicine and sports at the Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf before beginning her medical career in orthopedics. Then, she worked with a team to develop “cutting-edge treatments” for inflammatory conditions like osteoarthritis.  

Sturm then moved to the field of aesthetics and created her MCX treatment, a Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) facial known as the “Blood Facial,” followed by her “MC1” plasma-based moisturizer. 

The brand is available in spas and boutiques worldwide, including London, New York, Miami, Los Angeles and Toronto.

Puig was founded in 1914 and has a portfolio that includes Carolina Herrera, Rabanne and Nina Ricci. It also took a majority stake in makeup and skin care brand Charlotte Tilbury in 2020 after reportedly fending off attempts from Shiseido and Unilever to buy the celebrity makeup artist brand.

Doctor-led, clean beauty trend
Personal Care Insights previously reported on the ever-growing global clean beauty market with brands such as Perricone MD expanding offerings to help satisfy consumer desire for “green and clean” skin and body care. The multi-billion dollar market continues to grow as more consumers shift toward products and ingredients believed to be safe and non-toxic while aiming to minimize negative impacts on the environment — the latter issue growing in importance with sustainability a key focus.

By Anita Sharma