“Vampire Facial Queen” Barbara Sturm, to Open Retail Stores in Big Apple
By: Ellen Cans
Celebrity-favorite skin care expert, Barbara Sturm, will be opening two retail locations in the Big Apple.
As reported by the NY Post, Sturm will open her first permanent New York locations this fall. The skin-care queen, who already has stores in Los Angeles, Miami and London, signed long-term leases last week for spaces on the Upper East Side and in SoHo.
Known to her fans as Dr. Sturm, her best-selling product is the MC1 Moisturizer, a $1,400 plasma-based cream developed in 2002, infused with the purchaser’s own blood that’s used in a so-called “vampire facial.” The exclusive product is supposed to be “a skin-healing formula to address the visible signs of inflammation”. Sturm’s star-studded list of clients include model Bella Hadid, Cher, Emma Stone, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hailey Bieber, Kim Kardashian, Elsa Hosk and Victoria Beckham. Hadid famously credited Sturm’s pioneer skin care regimen with saving her skin. In addition to skincare, the company also offers haircare and supplements.
The larger of Sturm’s new leases is at 1006 Madison Ave., a four-story building at East 78th Street. It will feature both a retail store and spa. It was previously home to Roland Mouret, a French boutique. The 5,000 square-foot location was asking $600,000 a year, as per Current Real Estate Advisors broker Thomas Mahl, who represented Sturm along with Brandon Charnas. Mahl said the asking price is a “good rent for Madison Avenue,” where lower demand and more vacancies have led to discounted rents since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Madison in the East 70th streets is said to be getting plenty of new leases, where boutiques are eager to have the opportunity to take on the empty storefronts.
The second new lease is at 115 Mercer St. in SoHo. The 3,500 square foot shop will also offer products and treatments. Asking rent at that location was $500 per square foot. Newmark’s Ross Berkowitz and Andrew Taub represented both properties’ owners.
Sturm, an orthopedists and skin care entrepreneur, already has a pop-up shop on Spring Street and previously had a temporary spot at club Zero Bond. The company website boasts: “Sturm’s unique, science-based products have achieved cult status with skincare devotees worldwide, and her philosophy of healing the skin has challenged both aggressive approaches and the conventional wisdom.” The products famously use natural, non- aggressive ingredients “We use advanced science ingredients that are healthy, healing and safe, nurturing rather than attacking living skin,” the website says.