A celebrity favourite with a cult following, Augustinus Bader has been one of the most talked-about beauty brands across the last few years. Now, the brand founded by a German physician and biomedical scientist that’s found fans in Victoria Beckham, Margot Robbie and Hailey Bieber has launched at Mecca in Australia, making it easier to access than ever.

But what’s the hype? Why is everyone talking about Augustinus Bader, and what are the hero products from the luxury skincare brand? If you’re feeling a little clueless, we’ve gathered everything you need to know about Augustinus Bader in one place.

What Is The Augustinus Bader Story?

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Hailey Bieber is a fan of Augustinus Bader’s first product, The Cream. Image: Getty Images.

Dr. Augustine Bader is a physician and biomedical scientist known globally for his expertise in the field of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. After spending over 30 years on research and development in technology that harnesses the human body’s capacity to heal, Dr. Bader developed a groundbreaking gel that could heal severe skin trauma without the need for surgery or skin grafts.

This technology then led to Dr. Bader patenting TFC8® or Trigger Factor Complex, the backbone of his eponymous beauty brand, which Dr. Bader founded in 2018 with just two products – The Cream and The Rich Cream.

What is The TFC8® Complex?

TFC8® or Trigger Factor Complex is a blend of natural amino acids, high-grade vitamins and skin-matching molecules that then “guide” the ingredients into skin, according to Augustinus Bader. The formula helps nourish and protect, as well as support skin renewal.

According to the brand, both clinical trials and consumer studies have proven that the products featuring TFC8® address the appearance of fine-lines and wrinkles, redness, hyperpigmentation, cellulite, and stretch marks and also visibly reduce damage caused by external stressors.

The complex was fed by Dr. Bader’s extensive research into stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, research that originally led to Dr. Bader’s famous development, a Wound Gel which works by carrying a set of “healing signals” to the site of an injury, which then leads to a response from damaged skin cells, “facilitating an expedited, automated restoration process”.

What Are The Best Augustinus Bader Products?

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Model Lily Aldridge recently called the Augustinus Bader collection an “essential” on Instagram. Image: Getty Images.

This is obviously based on personal opinion – the real question is, which of the Augustinus Bader products have a cult fanbase? While the entire brand is well-loved by beauty editors and celebrities alike, some of the brand’s products have generated more hype than others.

The original launch products – The Cream and The Rich Cream – remain the brand’s most popular and highest-selling in their now 20+ offering, which encompasses skincare, body care, haircare and supplements.

Featuring vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B5, aloe vera juice, shea butter and hydrolysed rice protein, The Cream is simple – fragrance free and calming, it’s formulated for daily use and is light enough for even blemish-prone and oily skin types. The Rich Cream is focused more on hydration for dry skin types, with evening primrose oil, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, argan oil and avocado oil coming together as a nourishing, soothing blend.

Whichever you select, the Trigger Factor Complex is still the hero and does a lot of the heavy lifting that’s led to The Cream and The Rich Cream obtaining their global popularity. What Augustinus Bader has done is essentially create a strong, skin-friendly vessel that allows its patented complex to work.

GRAZIA Contributing Beauty Editor Emily Algar loves The Cream, but has a soft spot for The Face Oil, too. A blend of four natural oils weighted by TFC8®, Algar always adds a drop to her moisturiser before bed. “It’s incredibly nourishing and replenishing, but never leaves my combination skin feeling oily or congested,” she says of the oil.

Mecca is currently stocking the skincare and body care offerings from the brand.

What Is The Cream Like To Use?

This Editor was lucky enough to trial The Cream by Augustinus Bader recently, and understands the hefty price tag. Yes, The Cream will cost you $139 for the 15ml bottle, $437 for the 50ml. But you’re paying for quality, not hype. I found The Cream incredibly light on my skin, which is also combination and while it can take a rich cream at night easily (and I did add a few drops of rosehip oil in the evening), tends to break out in areas if I’m using heavy products every day.

The results were not dramatic, but consistent – even early on. My skin looked refreshed and bright over the space of a few days. The fine lines around my eyes and mouth softened slightly, likely a response to adequate hydration. Most importantly, The Cream didn’t irritate my skin at all – I have highly reactive skin that’s temperamental at best, and usually introducing a new product comes with itching or stinging, even when fragrance free. It makes using anything beyond the blandest of lotions a trial, so it’s testament to Augustinus Bader that this product didn’t require any “one day on, two days off” adjustment period to get working.

Augustinus Bader is now available at Mecca in stores and online. The brand is also stocked at All Saint Skin and Skincare Edit.