Actress Angela Bassett has teamed up with her esthetician, Dr. Barbara Sturm, to help women of color address skin issues specifically plaguing women with darker skin, including uneven tone, hyper-pigmentation, and unsightly breakouts.
Bassett was so impressed with Sturm’s original anti-aging line that she had the idea of re-imagining the products for dark-skinned women. After two years of research, the new formula is set to hit shelves in July.
Darker Skin Tones by Dr. Barbara Sturm will feature a foam cleanser, enzyme cleanser, face cream, face cream rich, and a hyaluronic serum. Natural ingredients such as purslane and skullcap, protect the DNA of cells from age-related dysfunction, according to Sturm.
“Our main ingredient which goes through our whole line is purslane,” Sturm told Women’s Wear Daily. “It’s also an herb, and it has such powerful properties in every direction. But what I like the most is actually the youth enzyme, this telomerase activator. The telomerase activates an enzyme to keep those ends of the chromosomes long, which actually works against natural programmed cell death and that’s the key. So not only do we have anti-inflammation and the evening out of skin tone but also a big thing for antiaging.”
Bassett said she wants people to become more aware of their skin.
She said, “And to see what is good for it and ingredients that are helpful — and not invasive or irritating. I like them to be pleased when they look in the mirror, to feel good about themselves and the condition of their complexion.”
Sturm focused on addressing inflammation.
“[Inflammation] is, to me, the key factor to causing any skin problems or any problems in our body, but also it is mainly responsible for aging. So I was always very interested in anti-inflammation. Since African-American, or skin of color, problems [revolve] mainly [around] inflammation that is why I especially took care in this [product line]. It has real ingredients, which are scientifically shown to address inflammation,” she said.
Sturm’s products surely will help many Black women, and probably some Black men, have healthier skin. Hopefully, many will also heed her words about inflammation and address the issue with improved nutrition, as well, which this writer suspects is the true secret to Bassett’s ageless beauty.
