LLM August Special News / Decree At Cliveden House: A New Philosophy in Luxury Skincare/ By Lorelle Williams / Publisher Luxurylifestylemag

The collaboration of Decree Skincare with Cliveden House marks more than a luxury spa partnership; it signals a significant shift in luxury skincare.

Founded in 2019 by Dr Anita Sturnham, Decree is a medically led skincare brand designed to bring an end to the confusion that currently saturates the skincare market. While much of the skincare industry continues to embrace a more is more approach – more steps, more products and more promises – Dr Sturnham has focused on something else entirely: less, but better.

Less, but better

Decree is a medically led skincare brand founded in 2019 by Dr Anita Sturnham

Dr Sturnham noticed a growing appetite for sustainability in routines; people want realistic routines that are quick and easy to maintain. This became the foundation on which Decree was born.

In response to a market that encourages consumers to navigate endless steps and overflowing bathroom shelves, Dr Sturnham has simply labelled her products ‘AM’, ‘PM’ or ‘weekly’, to prevent an overwhelm of choice. In doing so she has embodied the idea that skincare doesn’t need to be excessive – it simply needs to work.

Repairing the skin barrier

Over brunch in the grounds of Cliveden House, I listened to Dr Sturnham talk about trends and recurring issues she has spotted in the skincare industry that led to her creating Decree.

Most importantly, that younger clients in their late teens and twenties, often exposed to strong ingredients and overcomplicated routines, were coming to her with stripped-back skin barriers, sometimes in worse condition than that of clients their parents’ age.

So, rather than pushing the skin to its limits, Dr Sturnham set out to create formulations that work in harmony with its natural functions.

The result is a range designed to strengthen the skin barrier, restore balance and deliver clinically proven results.

The importance of sensorial experience

Decree delivers results without sacrificing pleasure, and luxury without losing purpose

What sets Decree apart is not just how clinically effective the products are, but the thinking behind them.

Dr Sturnham told me she observed something surprisingly simple in her clinical practice: patients were not using their products consistently. When she asked why, the answers were that they ‘didn’t like the packaging’, ‘or they didn’t like how their makeup sat on top of the products’. These weren’t issues of science; they were issues of experience.

That insight became foundational for Dr Sturnham. ‘The sensorial properties’ she realised, ‘are just as important as the ingredient list’.

It’s a perspective that feels almost obvious once stated yet is often overlooked in clinical skincare. Decree bridges that gap by merging science-backed formulas with packaging, textures, and scents that people genuinely enjoy using.

At Cliveden House, this translates into more than just a facial, it’s a shift in how spa treatments are conceived. Rather than offering purely indulgent experiences or purely clinical ones, Decree confidently sits in the space between. It delivers results without sacrificing pleasure, and luxury without losing purpose.

The roundup

In an industry where more is often presented as better – more steps, more products, more promises – Decree’s approach is a reminder that effective skincare need not be complicated, and indulgent experiences can sit alongside, rather than compete with, clinical performance.

Factbox

To book a Decree facial at Cliveden House:

Website:clivedenhouse.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0)1628 668 561

Costs:

The 60 minute Decree AM Revitalising Facial: Mon- Thurs £170. Fri – Sun and bank holidays £190.

The 60 minute Decree PM Restorative Facial: Mon- Thurs £170. Fri – Sun and bank holidays £190.

A 90 minute bespoke Decree Facial: Mon- Thurs £230. Fri – Sun and bank holidays £250.