Face Cream Rich
Dry Skin Rich Pick
Verified reviewer
Pros & cons.
- +Substantially richer than the original Face Cream
- +Shea butter and squalane absorb without feeling greasy
- +Full soothing ingredient stack intact from the original
- +Ideal for winter and cold-climate dry skin concerns
- +Pairs purslane anti-inflammation with meaningful hydration
- +Brand coherence for full Sturm routine users
- +Pregnancy-compatible formulation
- −Priced above the already-expensive original Face Cream
- −Too heavy for oily or combination skin in humid seasons
- −Fragrance presence compromises sensitive-skin suitability
- −Jar packaging less ideal for formulation stability
- −Comparable rich creams exist at a fraction of the cost
The full review.
About Sturm Face Cream Rich
When the original Sturm Face Cream launched in 2014, the brand faced a common luxury skincare problem: a daily cream for a broad base works for some skin types but fails others. The original formula suited normal-to-combination skin but left dry, mature, and winter-weary customers underserved. Adding a second cream with a different philosophy would have fractured the brand’s message. Reformulating the original would have alienated loyal customers. In 2015, Sturm rebuilt the emollient architecture of the original while keeping the soothing ingredient logic intact, creating a Face Cream in a richer format.
Reality
The INCI list shows the key formulation change. Shea butter moves to the third position, replacing glycerin to provide the fatty acids and unsaponifiables that define rich creams in dermatologic formulation. The caprylic/capric triglyceride base remains, but the overall lipid payload is heavier. Cetyl alcohol helps structure the thicker emulsion. Everything soothing — purslane, panthenol, allantoin, bisabolol, centella, licorice — stays exactly as it was in the original formula. The result is a cream that feels richer on application but still reads as unmistakably Sturm.
Texture
The texture is the selling point. Out of the jar, Face Cream Rich is a velvety, heavier cream than the original. First-time users often assume it will feel greasy or sit on the surface, but it doesn’t. The shea-and-squalane combination absorbs within a minute or two on dry skin, leaving a plumped, cushioned finish that lasts for hours. On very dry skin or in winter weather, the difference between this and the original Face Cream is immediate. The original feels like a decent moisturizer on dry skin, while this version feels like an actual solution.
Works for
The soothing ingredient stack works under the richer surface. Purslane’s anti-inflammatory activity, centella’s triterpenes, panthenol’s barrier recovery, and bisabolol’s calming all remain active. For customers whose dryness includes reactivity or inflammation — common on mature skin — this richer format addresses their concerns better than the original by treating hydration and inflammation without needing two products.
Not ideal for
This cream loses its edge where most Sturm products do: the price. Two hundred and fifteen dollars for 50 milliliters is roughly 15 to 20 percent above the original Face Cream. This is a defensible premium for the brand but high compared to the broader market for rich moisturizers. First Aid Beauty, Caudalie, Eucerin, Weleda Skin Food, and many mid-tier and pharmacy brands offer shea-butter-rich daily creams with soothing profiles for 15 to 40 dollars. Those products lack the sensorial polish, the purslane complex, or the Sturm brand experience, but they deliver equivalent outcomes for most dry-skin customers at a fraction of the cost.
Who Should Buy
This cream serves existing Sturm users whose skin has become drier with age or who experience seasonal dryness in fall and winter. For those customers, the richer version fits into a trusted routine with no learning curve or brand dissonance. It is also a reasonable option for gifting or for customers who enjoy luxury skincare as a ritual and have the budget.
Best for
Performance-per-dollar buyers should pass. The formulation is good but not uniquely good. The richness is real but achievable elsewhere. Brand coherence matters to some but is irrelevant to others. This cream deserves credit for solving a formulation problem thoughtfully. Instead of just adding oil to an existing base, the shea butter is integrated cleanly and the squalane keeps the texture from becoming heavy. The result feels intentional rather than expedient. This is better than many luxury brand-line extensions, even if it doesn’t change the fundamental value calculation.
Ingredient analysis.
Full INCI list · pH 5.6
Aqua, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cetyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Niacinamide, Tocopherol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Skin match.
The science.
The Science
Face Cream Rich focuses on lipid architecture. Shea butter has an unsaponifiable fraction (roughly 4 to 10 percent, depending on source and refinement) containing triterpenes, phytosterols, and tocopherols. These provide barrier support and anti-inflammatory activity beyond simple occlusion. Its fatty acid profile—mostly oleic and stearic acids—integrates with human stratum corneum lipids to help replenish compromised barrier function in dry skin. Squalane adds a secondary skin-identical lipid layer that mirrors human sebum squalene without oxidative instability. Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate bind water at the stratum corneum surface. The soothing cocktail—panthenol, allantoin, bisabolol, centella asiatica, licorice extract—has decades of cosmetic and dermatologic research supporting anti-irritant and barrier-supportive activity; centella's triterpenes specifically show effects in post-procedure and wound healing contexts. Purslane adds anti-inflammatory properties via omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenolic compounds, though clinical evidence is smaller than for the other actives. Niacinamide is low in the formulation, likely below the threshold for meaningful direct barrier or sebum effects, but it provides some supportive action. The formulation philosophy—a rich emollient layer, a humectant layer, and an anti-inflammatory layer—uses a textbook approach to daily moisturization for dry, compromised, or inflammation-prone skin. The science is solid; these mechanisms are not exclusive to this formulation and exist in much cheaper products.
Dermatologist Perspective
Dermatologists often recommend rich emollient creams containing shea butter, ceramides or skin-identical lipids, and humectants for patients with dry, mature, or compromised skin barriers. This cream's ingredient profile matches that clinical pattern, and board-certified dermatologists generally view it as a reasonable option for the target population. The main caveat is cost: pharmacy-tier creams like CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair, or Eucerin Q10 provide equivalent outcomes at one-tenth the price. For patients who want the Sturm brand experience and can afford the premium, this is a valid choice. For patients seeking maximum value, dermatologists typically suggest more affordable options with clinically equivalent ingredient profiles.
Where it fits in your routine.
Apply to clean skin after serums. Use more product than you would with a lighter face cream so the thick formula spreads evenly. Use in both morning and evening during dry seasons, or use only in the evening during humid months. In the morning, let the cream absorb for one or two minutes before layering sunscreen — the thick texture causes pilling with some mineral sunscreens if layered too quickly. At night, use as the final routine step after any active serums. The formulation pairs well with retinol because the emollient base buffers retinol-related dryness. Store the jar away from steam and use clean hands to preserve the formulation.
Face Cream Rich costs 215 dollars for 50 milliliters. This price is 15 to 20 percent higher than the original Face Cream, a reasonable premium for the Sturm range but a hard sell against the wider rich moisturizer market. Using it twice daily, the 50ml jar lasts about three months, making the monthly cost nearly 70 dollars. The lack of a smaller trial size requires a large upfront commitment. Comparable rich moisturizers from First Aid Beauty, Caudalie, La Roche-Posay, and Eucerin provide similar barrier support and shea-based emollient hydration for 15 to 45 dollars total. The Sturm value proposition uses the purslane complex, sensory polish, and brand coherence for existing customers. On pure ingredient terms, the value is weak. On brand-experience terms, it works for the target customer.
This works for customers with dry, mature, or winter-weary skin seeking a thicker Sturm soothing philosophy. It suits customers already using the brand who find the original Face Cream too light, and users in cold climates who need emollient payload during winter months.
Skip this if you have oily, combination, or fungal-acne-prone skin; shea butter is the wrong base for those skin types. Skip it if you prioritize cost effectiveness, as comparable thick creams cost much less.
Product details.
Rich, velvety cream — noticeably heavier than the original
Soft floral-powdery parfum
Frosted glass jar with screw lid
First use plumps dry skin immediately. The texture is thicker than the original Face Cream but absorbs within one or two minutes without a film. It does not cause tingling.
About 3 months with twice-daily face application
12 months
fall winter
The backstory.
Face Cream Rich launched in 2015 as the dry-skin counterpart to the original 2014 Face Cream, addressing customer feedback that the lighter version wasn't substantial enough for dry or mature skin, particularly in winter months. It has since become one of the brand's cold-weather staples and a frequent recommendation for customers transitioning skincare seasonally.
About Dr. Barbara Sturm
Established Brand (5–20 years)The Face Cream Rich launched after the brand's original Face Cream to target drier skin in the core range. It has existed in the market for over a decade and has extensive retailer reviews, but independent clinical trials for this specific formulation are not public.
Common myths.
Rich creams are just heavier versions of regular creams.
Well-designed thick creams rebalance the emollient architecture instead of just adding oil. This formula moves shea butter to a higher INCI position but keeps the humectant and soothing layers intact. It feels thicker without becoming occlusive or sticky.
FAQ.
What's the difference between Face Cream and Face Cream Rich?
The Rich version has shea butter high in the INCI list and heavier emollients, so it has more occlusive payload. Both versions use the same soothing ingredient stack (purslane, centella, bisabolol).
Can I use it year-round?
Most users switch to it during fall and winter and use the lighter Face Cream in summer. Very dry skin uses it year-round, but combination skin finds it too heavy in humid seasons.
Is it too heavy for under makeup?
It is thicker than the original and pills under some foundations. If using it under makeup, wait several minutes for full absorption or use the lighter Face Cream for AM use.
Is it worth the price?
The formulation is thicker and suits dry skin, but the price is high for a moisturizer. Mid-tier brands offer comparable rich creams with shea butter and soothing botanicals for much less.
Is it pregnancy-safe?
Yes — the formulation contains no pregnancy-contraindicated ingredients. Patch test for the fragrance only.
Does it help with rough winter patches?
Yes — the shea and squalane base works with panthenol and allantoin to soothe dry, rough winter skin, especially on the cheeks and around the mouth.
Community
What the community says.
"rich but not greasy"
"excellent for winter skin"
"plumps dry skin well"
"pleasant scent"
"price"
"too rich for oily skin"
"jar packaging"
"fragrance is polarizing"
