5 Minutes With Augustinus Bader Co-Founders Professor Bader & Charles Rosier

If you’re anything of a beauty junkie, it’s likely that you either have that cobalt blue and gold bottle sitting pretty in your beauty cabinet or have it taking out top spot on your never-ending beauty wishlist. Yes, we’re all lusting after Augustinus Bader products. And while the textures are certainly a sensorial delight, the most impressive feat is the scientifically-backed formulas that regenerate and restore the skin like no other.

Don’t believe us? We visited the heavenly Melanie Grant Skin Health in Double Bay, Sydney to speak to the brand’s co-founders, Professor Augustinus Bader and Charles Rosier, all about how they built the business, used the applied research of stem cells to formulate unrivalled products and what’s next for the brand (as it looks to take over the industry one new launch at a time).

Gritty Pretty (GP): Hello both! Before we jump into the success of Augustinus Bader as a whole, we would love to delve into the science behind the brand. Professor Bader, your early career is varied and incredibly impressive. You worked at the Institute of Physiology in Wurzburg, travelled to China to work with burns victims and also worked in the fields of heart surgery, neurology and internal medicine. You then settled on the field of regenerative medicine and the applied research of stem cells. What made you take the leap into skincare products?

Professor Bader (PB): From my science background, I am naturally inclined to identify a problem and then research if there is potentially a way to develop a treatment to solve it. Then, once I have that I found myself looking into how I could use the technology in other areas and apply it to other areas of science that weren’t necessarily obviously connected. That’s how I fell into skincare. I had developed and researched stem cell technology that could repair severe burns but there was a lack of funding in academic research so the next best thing was finding outside partners like e-commerce and big companies to help fund the development of a product. That was when I met Charles and we decided to create a skincare line that had more of a technological base and was backed by years of applied scientific research. Our skincare is much more complex and advanced and has been created through finding ways to extrapolate medical treatments.

GP: With over 200 patented technologies, you are both no stranger to being on the cutting edge of skincare development. So, Charles, what did those early days look like after you launched the skincare line?

Charles Rosier (CR): The early days of the company were very interesting and special because we were combining stem cell research with the textures and formulas of skincare. We were really adapting something that should have been confined to science labs to a cream that could be found in beauty cupboards everywhere. Let’s just say it felt, at times, like trying to put together the pieces of a very tricky puzzle. And those early days were challenging. We had our chief financial officer resign three times because he felt we were too close to bankruptcy. So, when you’re creating a new brand you do really need to be convinced about the mission of the project and the potential success of the project as there will be so many people who will doubt you. 

But it is true that it is a bit of a formula for success. You need a great product, first and foremost, but you also need to be visible in the market and have a voice and you also need a little bit of luck. I thought, initially, that just having an amazing product would get us by but that’s not the landscape we’re living in. We’ve been very lucky—found the right investors at the right times, cultivated some amazing relationships with celebrities, experts and journalists and also found a firm presence in consumer minds. Every brand journey will be different but you do have to accept that failure is also a part of it.

GP: Many people might not know this because of the profound success your brand has had over the years, but you actually only launched in February of 2018. It is also famous for creating regenerative products that heal the skin in an efficient and effective way. What is your philosophy for maintaining happy and healthy skin?

PB: I would say avoiding over-exfoliating, which is something I think a lot of people did during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, we should be focussing on a true repair process. That’s why our products are so good to use with a ‘sandwich approach’ whereby the combination of them and proper SPF can work to repair and protect the skin which is really the only vital element to a healthy complexion. That’s where our patented TFC8 Complex came from—a want to restore and regenerate the skin without exacerbating sensitivities.

GP: And, Charles, what can you tell us about any exciting upcoming launches for 2024?

CR: We launched our haircare line last year because we realised that our technology was just as relevant for the skin as it was for the hair follicle and scalp. It has been super successful but we have found that for people with chemically-treated hair, they need a formula that is a bit richer. So, in the next month, we will be launching the Rich Shampoo. I think this will satisfy the type of customer who has either chemically-treated hair or hair that needs a bit more nourishment and bonding. It is still a silicone-free, 100 per cent clean formula and still has the same clinical trial results of shedding fewer hair strands, increase in hair thickness and shine and a healthier scalp. Our focus for the next year is to really bring that skincare approach to hair and to also further break down that gender barrier—skin and hair care are just as much for women as they are for men!

GP: We love the skinification of hair! And we’re always excited for a new Augustinus Bader launch. Thank you both so much for speaking to us today!