Skin restoration has always been Augustinus Bader’s secret sauce—looking to improve skin’s health from within versus targeting surface-level aesthetics. In his stem cell research, founder Professor Bader famously developed a revolutionary wound gel for scar-free healing without the need for surgery or skin grafts—making way for his now-acclaimed Trigger Factor Complex (TFC8): “a proprietary technology that targets common skin-care complaints like the appearance of wrinkles, dryness, and beyond,” he previously told Vogue. To wit, all of his products—from skin barrier-nourishing moisturizers to hydrogel sheet masks—are imbued with the same philosophy.
So, it is of no surprise, that its latest debut—The Vitamin C Serum available exclusively today for Vogue readers—continues this through line. The team observed a growing need for a vitamin C serum that could deliver all the proven benefits, without the irritation so often associated with traditional formulations. The goal, as Bader explains, wasn’t simply to launch another product, but to apply the brand’s expertise to a universally sought-after category by “creating a formula that is both highly effective and deeply intuitive to the skin.”
Augustinus Bader The Vitamin C Serum
- Why We Love It: “Rather than chasing a percentage, our focus was on creating a formula that is stable, effective, and well-tolerated by all skin types,” Professor Bader says of his latest debut. Powered by a carefully chosen vitamin C derivative called ascorbyl glucoside, praised for its gentleness, alongside a revamped TFC8 complex, ergothioneine, ceramides, algae, and niacinamide, this seeks to improve skin’s brightness, firmness, tone, and hydration—without any irritation.
- Key Ingredients: Augustinus Bader’s TFC8 Complex vitamin C (ascorbyl glucoside), ergothioneine, algae evening complex, niacinamide
- Size: 30 mL / 1 fl. oz
To grasp how Augustinus Bader’s vitamin C works, one must first understand the many benefits the ingredient yields skin. “Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that plays several important roles in skin health,” board-certified physician assistant Paula Brezavscek previously said, calling it one of the most well-studied and effective ingredients for brightening—protecting the skin from environmental stressors like UV rays and pollution to reducing dark spots, evening skin tone, and supporting collagen production.
Its most common form, according to triple board-certified dermatopathologist Dr. Gretchen Frieling, MD, is L-ascorbic acid, which is considered the gold standard because of its powerful antioxidant properties. “However, it is unstable and can be irritating for sensitive skin,” she says, a pain point that Bader looked to solve for. Instead, they’ve selected another form, the highly stable, water-soluble ascorbyl glucoside. “This allows us to deliver vitamin C with greater precision and efficiency, guiding it exactly where it’s needed while preserving the integrity of the skin barrier,” Bader adds. Dr. Frieling praises ascorbyl glucoside for its tolerability. “It provides brightening benefits by helping fade hyperpigmentation and sunspots, while also evening skin tone with less risk of irritation,” she says. “Its stability gives it a longer shelf life, meaning it maintains its potency better than L-ascorbic acid, which oxidizes quickly. Because it is gentler and less acidic, it can be used daily even on sensitive skin or alongside other actives such as retinol or exfoliating acids.”
